Max Woodward – What Makes Playing In Hong Kong So Special

Max Woodward was selected as the Hong Kong China Men’s Sevens captain for the home tournament, and first edition of the Melrose Claymores, which will see his side take on Japan and China during the Hong Kong Sevens Weekend from April 5-7.

He talks to us about what the tournament means, the squad’s ambitions as a high-performance team, and his thoughts on the opposition.

Woodward has been a regular feature of the HKCR men’s team since 2013 – they have achieved so much in the region, winning the Asia Rugby Sevens Series multiple times, and are back-to-back Asian Games gold medalists – but he knows that the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens week laid the foundations for what the HKCR can do.

“On a personal level, I’ve been to the Sevens as a five-year-old, holding my parent’s hands at the top of the stands. And as an England rugby fan, I’ve seen England win those tournaments four times back to back. I’ve been in the South Stand with my friends. It’s got a very, very, very special place in my heart as a rugby player and as a rugby fan.”

See the full interview below

The return to action for the Hong Kong post-pandemic was vital for the Union and rugby in Hong Kong.

“After the hiatus, it was not a great time for Hong Kong or sports in general. Those two Sevens tournaments, the one in November 2022, and then the one this time last year (2023) were so spectacular. I’ve never experienced anything like that and never seen so many Hong Kong shirts, I’ve never seen so many people cheer us on.

For us as players, not just in Hong Kong, but in rugby, it is very rare to get a sort of partisan crowd. The sport that we love is not as well supported as football and things like that. So for us to get that even just once a year, it’s pretty spectacular.”

The HKCR Men’s Sevens team has also been on the verge of Olympic qualifications and pushed hard to reach the top level SVNS Series, and are one of several teams on the fringes of the top level. Woodward said that the change of focus and mentality to compete at that level and the depth in the squad is very important to achieve their group ambitions.

Photo Credit: HKCR

“We’ve been going through in the squad about what it means to play for Hong Kong China and what it means to play in the stadium. You look across the entire squad of the men’s side and it’s all the lads who have continued playing rugby, or have gone abroad and come back and stuff like that. It’s all because we want to play.

It’s been like a rollercoaster of emotions with regards to this format and it’s been challenging, as maybe it’s not as exciting as being the invited team. But when you think about it actually, you’re still playing in front of that crowd and people still support us, which is great.”

He added, “Obviously, the stadium is a special place, I would go as far as saying I’m not sure if we’d be playing rugby as a job without the Hong Kong Sevens, it has been paving the way for the sport as a spectacle and as an entertainment, and as a business product with the World Series (SVNS), and it probably was the catalyst for that and maybe even the catalyst for having Sevens at the Olympics.”

Performance-Based Goals vs Enjoying The Occasion

How difficult is it for Max and the players to maintain composure and not let the occasion overwhelm them? The HKCR Men’s Sevens captain was quite candid.

“It’s that sort of difficult balancing of dichotomy, we want Hong Kong to be a performance squad and not be content with just being cheered on by a very vocal crowd, that’s content just to see us play. It’s a challenge to push through that and want to do better, and want to be an SVNS World Series team, and want to achieve results as well.

We want to be playing more of these tournaments around the world. And that’s a challenge. But honestly, the biggest challenge is actually trying to enjoy it as well and be in the moment.

I look back on the Hong Kong tournaments that I played in, and have I reflected and been grateful for that in that moment? I don’t think so – you’re kind of consumed by the tournament. So I think that the big focus for us is to balance those two together – put on a good show, be a performance-based squad, but also do take it in and enjoy it and use the atmosphere and the crowd to push us forward.”

We hear that sentiment from so many retired players, and we hope he isn’t near retirement, but it’s refreshing to hear active players wanting to enjoy the occasion while still focusing on getting the results. As a squad, they also need to be keeping an eye ahead on the next tournaments, because there are so many coming up in 2024.

Photo Credit: HKCR

Melrose Claymores Sevens Rugby 2024 – Thoughts On Japan & China

For the Melrose Claymores competition, the Hong Kong China men will take on two sides they know very well.

“Bar a few games, it’s always been a strange shootout with Japan. I feel like we’ve on balance, shifted the ratios in our favour over the past eight years, with a couple of Asian Games wins and the Asian Sevens Series wins, but maybe Olympic qualifiers haven’t gone our way. You know that rivalry is etched in Hong Kong rugby history, and it will I’m sure it will continue to be like that for many, many, many years after I finish playing,” said Woodward.

In the most recent matchup in the second round of the Challenger events in Montevideo, HKCR put Japan away easily and racked up a big win. Since our interview with Max, JRFU has also announced they will be sending a development squad to Hong Kong, so the comments below might not hold water.

Photo Credit: HKCR – Max Woodward HKCR Sevens Captain playing Japan in a pre tournament hitout

“The lads were superb in Montevideo but I don’t think that was indicative of a true Japan Sevens side. I will be very, very, very surprised if they don’t come all guns blazing, so that is going to be a big challenge.

We also have a few squad changes but it’s an exciting challenge for us to play without our Max Denmark trump card. Like, what do we do as a team to manufacture scores that maybe he would have scored by himself? And that’s a really fun challenge and a cool challenge, and the guys who have come in to replace him are very, very capable, and different styles of players.”

China are not in the Challenger Series but are worthy opponents in the annual Asia Rugby Sevens Series, although they have been recently challenged by the rise of the UAE.

“The days of winning every game by 40 points, and then playing Japan in the final are not there anymore in Asian rugby. China has beaten Japan much more readily so they’re not easy games. I think the quality of the Asian tournaments has gotten a lot better. And if I was playing with China, how good would it be to beat Hong Kong next weekend? I don’t think you’re gonna get much more motivated than that. 

Although I think we’re a bit of a bogey team for them and they don’t necessarily play that well against us but they match up very well against Japan. They have got some exceptionally good rugby players. So that’s the nature of this Melrose competition – you’ve got three finals, and one game a day, so you just gotta fly into it and see what happens.”

Image Credit: HKCR

Playing The Best Sevens Teams Is The Goal

Playing in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger allows the Asian teams to play against different styles and in new places but it’s a tough series with big potential rewards. We asked Max what he felt separated the best sides in Sevens.

“I think the Challenger Series is the equivalent of the Championship in UK football – it’s a slog, it’s tough, and there’s no easy games. You’re flying to different places in the world, maybe the fields are not the best, and you really have to do well to be on top.

You’re also playing against teams that are fighting for their lives, fighting for funding, fighting for contracts. I love it, it’s brilliant – it makes it what it is.

A  team like Uruguay, who I think were very unlucky to be relegated (from the SVNS), are really classy and we don’t match up very well with them at the moment. The series is a lot more gritty, it’s a lot more tactical, and a little bit edgy. You’re very rarely putting teams to the sword in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger.”

That attritional aspect means the squad’s depth and talent are more important than ever.

Max said of the talent in Hong Kong, “It’s always been an issue here. There are not many rugby players in Hong Kong but we’ve got to a point where we’re picking 15-16 very, very competent players and good players are missing out. That’s made a big difference to the overall quality of training, and our success in a lot of tournaments. Everyone’s done pretty well pushing the quality through, especially the young lads coming in.”

Photo Credit: World Rugby / Mike Lee – HKCR men Max Denmark – World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024

And this is where playing at home is so important for encouraging new generations to want to play for Hong Kong China when they get to see the national teams live in a sold-out stadium.

“It’s what makes you think that rugby is a viable career pathway in Hong Kong. It is built on the foundations of Asian Games success, which has ramifications for funding – and it allows us to travel to different countries and represent Hong Kong China and play sevens and build towards the Olympic cycles, Asian Games, etc.

That’s the message that I would say – have the Hong Kong Sevens as a dream, but also, all this other stuff that comes with it is pretty special. I’m immensely grateful for the life that I’ve lived in the last 10 years playing for Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Sevens is the shop window for that, for kids in Hong Kong, as it generates that interest in rugby, and keeps it going. I’ve no doubt we will always be challenging for medals at games. So for the kids who are watching next weekend – in 10 years, they are the ones who are going to be doing that.”

Top Tip For Hong Kong Sevens Week

Of Max Woodward’s top tips for the week in Hong Kong, he said, “Honestly, go to the HKFC 10s because the quality is insane. It’s a little bit more low-key than the Sevens. You can blow the doors off in the South Stand and experience the general buzz around the city.

Get out and explore, go to the beaches. The proximity of everything is what makes Hong Kong so special. So you might not sleep for the week and it doesn’t matter – it’ll be class.”

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Hong Kong Sevens Week 2024

• Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024 Week – Ultimate Fan Guide.
• Hong Kong China Confirms Sevens Teams For Melrose Claymores.
• Tradition HKFC 10s 2024 -Women’s Teams.
• Natasha Olson-Thorne On HKCR Women’s Sevens Goals And Reaching 50 Caps.