Natasha Olson-Thorne On HKCR Women’s Sevens Goals And Reaching 50 Caps

In a busy period of preparation for the Hong Kong China Rugby Sevens teams, we spoke with Hong Kong China Rugby women’s 7s captain Natasha Olson-Thorne about the excitement of playing in the Melrose Claymores at Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024, a tournament in which she will earn her 50th cap for her country.

The Hong Kong China Rugby Union (HKCR) announced their squads to some fanfare and rightfully so. It’s simply the biggest rugby event of the year in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Sevens remains one of the biggest rugby events on the planet. Seldom do such a cast of rugby characters convene in one place, except for the Rugby World Cups.

2024 in particular is special, as everyone will say goodbye to the Hong Kong Stadium as the tournament’s stoic host (one which has kept far too many secrets in its infamous South Stand.)

“If you have not been to the Hong Kong Sevens, I would suggest going to check out the South Stand, and if you do, you better go sooner rather than later as it gets pretty full pretty quickly” Captain Olson-Thorne told us in between training sessions.

Photo Credit: HKCR – Women’s 7s Captain Natasha Olson-Thorne (2nd from left)

She had been confirmed the day before to captain the women’s side in a squad that is still to be finalised, but there is palpable excitement about playing over the weekend from 5-7 April.

“To play in front of the home crowd last year (2023) was an amazing experience. There is nothing quite like running out onto the pitch and hearing the cheers and chants of “Hong Kong’. It really picks you up and keeps you going forward, so it’s always amazing to play on your home ground and in front of fans, friends, and family.

Last year was, in particular, a very special moment for women’s rugby, as it was the first time the women’s tournament had been played at the Hong Kong Stadium alongside the men’s, so that was a very special moment for us as well.”

It’s amazing to think that 2023 was the first time the Women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens (now SVNS) Series had played at the iconic stadium, but it seems fitting in hindsight it could add that to its accolades and highlights reel before the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens moves to the Kai Tak Stadium in 2025.

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Melrose Claymores 2024

Although neither Hong Kong China teams will be playing on the core SVNS at home, this specially arranged Melrose Claymores is still important and will see each team play once a day in front of what is expected to be very very atmospheric crowd.

The HKCR women are playing familiar foes, with China and Thailand both also competing on the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger in 2024 along with HKCR.

Hong Kong Women run out at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2023

Olson-Thorne said of the match-ups, “We have played them so often on the Asia Rugby Sevens Series and at the Olympic qualifiers (and Asian Games), the good thing is we know what their strengths and weaknesses are and where to exploit them.  For us, it’s mainly about focusing on ourselves and what we can do well because we know how they play.”

“It’s about us doing our basics well and looking at the small wins we can make in each game and that will give us the results at the tournament,” she added.

2024 Is A Busy Year For Hong Kong China Rugby

Asked how exciting it is to have a full schedule again, the HKCR captain told us, “It’s a busy year and quite nice after a period of time with no games. Having something to work towards is really good but it’s also important to focus on one tournament at a time, otherwise, you can get quite overwhelmed.

We all also have our own individual goals set up and with what we each want to achieve. It is about making sure at each tournament you are getting a little bit better, so by the time we reach the Olympic Repechage, we are hitting the ground running and give ourselves a real shot at that.”

The women’s team, after the Melrose Claymores weekend, still play the final round of the Challenger Series in Europe before the Monaco Olympic qualifier tournament in June 2024.

“The Olympic qualifications are of course a great opportunity – and to play at one of the top levels, while the final round of the Challenger is a great chance to play against so many other teams that we usually dont get exposed to playing – so its always good to test ourselves against different opponents.”

The HKCR women’s team showed some real improvements at the second leg of the Challenger in Montevideo compared to the first leg in Dubai.

HKCR Women’s 7s Captain Natasha Olson-Thorne preparing for the Melrose Claymores 2024

“From the first to the second leg of the Challenger Sevens Series, we went back to basics with aspects like the catch and pass and the contact area, so at the second leg in Montevideo, it allowed us to better play our style and to have our flow which I think we will take it into the Hong Kong Sevens weekend and the final leg of the Challenger leg.

We will still focus on doing the basics really well, and I think that will allow us to play to our strengths.”

Later this year, the Hong Kong China 7s sides also compete in the regional Sevens, where results are equally important.

“The Asian Rugby Sevens Series in the second half of the year sees us again take on the likes of Japan, China, and Thailand – so yeah it’s busy – and that’s not even including the fifteens rugby as some of the girls (including Olson-Thorne) bounce back between the two programmes.”

50 HKCR Caps – Natasha Olson-Thorne

On one final and important personal milestone, Natasha Olson-Thorne will reach her 50th cap for Hong Kong China Rugby when she leads her team at home on Friday, April 5th 2024, and she told us, sheepishly of the occasion;

“I do believe that the Hong Kong Sevens will be my 50th cap and Im very excited and very happy. I feel honoured to be able to play and represent my home, and to be able to get my 50th in the Hong Kong Stadium in front of friends and family is very meaningful and it will be a very very special moment for me.”

Natasha Olson-Thorne – Top Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Memory

Photo Credit: Mike Lee/ World Rugby – Natasha Olson-Thorne playing New Zealand at the 2023 Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens

Although if asked this question in two weekends she might give a different answer, Natasha Olson-Thorne told us, “My best memory of the Hong Kong Sevens was probably last year (2023) when we got the chance to play against New Zealand.

It is not often we get to play against the top teams in the world. Chloe Chan (a teammate) and I did a successful catch off a kickoff from a lifting pod, and that was a highlight for both of us as we had been working on that for so long, and to do that against New Zeland at the Hong Kong Sevens was quite a cool moment.”

If you are looking for somewhere to stay in Hong Kong, close to the HKFC grounds and public transport to reach the Hong Kong Stadium, Rugby Asia 247 recommends The Charterhouse who have been our accommodation partner for the past two years for the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024 Week.

Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024 News

• Hong Kong China Confirms Sevens Teams For Melrose Claymores – Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024.
• Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024 Week – Ultimate Fan Guide.
• Cathay / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024 Star-Studded Line-up Of Ambassadors.
• Tradition HKFC 10s 2024 Women’s Competition.