The weekend’s tests

A Spanish XV last took on Wales in January (Photo: FER)

Hong Kong struggled in Spain last month, but face more familiar opposition over the next two weekends (this weekend on Saturday at the Shroyama Athletic Field in Odarawa - kick-off at 3.00am UK time) for the Asian Championship (a two-team tournament still as Kazakhstan’s ban was only lifted last month).

“These games are a great opportunity as they come so close to the World Cup squads. We are really lucky to have this competition to fine-tune our preparations for Ireland,” said Hong Kong coach Jo Hull.

Hull includes one new cap - Kelsie Bouttle - after a standout season for league and Grand Championship winners Valley while bringing back some of the side’s more experienced players, including centre and captain Adrienne Garvey and flanker Christine Gordon.

“It is a bit of a different squad,” confirmed Hull, who hailed the team’s, “good mix of experience. It is great to have Rocky [Garvey] and Chrissie [Gordon] back, and we are excited to be able to blood another new cap in Kelsie, along with the five first-timers who went to Spain.

“We are using this opportunity to look at a few different starters and combinations, like Lindsay Varty at scrumhalf and ‘BB’ [Lee Tsz-ting] at ten. We think that could be an exciting combination as both are playing well at the moment. The selection reflects our preparations for the World Cup, which is our only focus at the moment. Everything we’re doing is building towards being ready for the first match against Canada next month.”

Fourteen of the 23-member squad that went to Spain have also been included for this weekend’s game, including four of the five players who made their Hong Kong debuts in Valladolid.

“This is international rugby and we are representing Hong Kong, so results matter. We started to close the gap over the week against Spain and now we need to do that against Japan.”

Hong Kong have lost their last three games with Japan heavily – 20-0 in last December’s world cup qualifier, and 39-3 and 30- in last spring’s Asian championships.

“This is a big test of our progress for the world cup,” said Hull. “There has been a clear message to the girls selected about accountability and we’re putting a premium on efficiency and accuracy. Each game is about getting us one step closer to how we want to play on the world stage.

“While the squad has really come into their own over the past six months, at this stage of the campaign, there are no second chances. The players have to be accountable, plain and simple. They know and accept that.

“While everyone has bought into the team ethos and understands that we are going to need every last 28 of the women we bring to Ireland, there are some really hungry players who are disappointed with this selection,” Hull warned.

“Japan have had some good results and they should be proud of themselves. They are a good team and are very disciplined. To put them off their game we need to start fast and get into the mix early on. That fits with our objectives for the Rugby World Cup, to play much faster and be more efficient on the pitch, particularly in the contact area and set piece. We really saw how important those things are in Spain and we will be looking to make improvements from our tour last month.”

Japan have been in camp all week in Odawara, and announced their squad on Thursday.

Hong Kong:1. LAU Nga-wun (Gai Wu), 2. Royce CHAN Leong-sze (HKFC), 3 WONG Yuen-shan (USRC Tigers/EdUHK), 4. CHAN Ka-yan (Gai Wu), 5. TSANG Sin Yan (Kowloon) 6. Christine GORDON (Kowloon), 7. CHAN Tsz-ching (Tai Po Dragons/HKBU), 8. Amelie SEURE (Valley, vice-captain), 9. Lindsay VARTY (USRC Tigers), 10. LEE Tsz-ting (Gai Wu/HKBU), 11. LAU Sze-wa (Valley), 12. Rebecca THOMPSON (Valley), 13. Adrienne GARVEY (Valley, captain), 14. Laurel CHOR Lik-fung (Valley), 15. Aggie POON Pak-yan (Gai Wu), RESERVES: 16. HO Hoi-lam (Gai Wu), 17. CHEUNG Shuk-han (Valley), 18. PUN Wai-yan (Gai Wu/EdUHK), 19. Winnie SIU Wing-ni (USRC Tigers), 20. TSANG Sin-yan (Kowloon), 21. HO Jessica Wai-on (USRC Tigers), 22. Rose HOPEWELL-FONG Siu-lan (HKFC), 23. Kelsie BOUTTLE (Valley/ICHK).

Japan:1 Makoto Ebuchi (Aoyama Gakuin Univ./Tokyo Phoenix Rc); 2 Seina Saito (Pearls); 3 Saki Minami (Nippon Sport Science Univ.); 4 Aya Nakajima (Arukas Queen Kumagaya); 5 Ayano Sakurai (Nippon Sport Science Univ.); 6 Yui Shiozaki (Tokyo Phoenix Rc); 7 Yuki Sue (Arukas Queen Kumagaya); 8 Sayaka Suzuki (Rku Rugby Ryugasaki Grace); 9 Yumeno Noda (Arukas Queen Kumagaya); 10 Wasana Fukushima (Otemon Gakuin Univ.); 11 Eriko Hirano (Yokohama Tkm); 12 Keiko Kato (Setagaya Ladies); 13 Iroha Nagata (Arukas Queen Kumagaya); 14 Riho Kurogi (Arukas Queen Kumagaya); 15 Mayu Shimizu (Nippon Sport Science Univ); 16 Chihiro Kobayashi (Rku Rugby Ryugasaki Grace); 17 Maiko Fujimoto (Yokohama Tkm); 18 Sachiko Kato (Nagoya Ladies / Chubu Univ. Haruhigaoka Hs); 19 Sora Konishi (Kokugakuin Univ. Tochigi Hs); 20 Yuki Oyokawa (Nippon Sport Science Univ.); 21 Moe Tsukui (The Second Hs, Tokyo University Of Agriculture); 22 Chikami Inoue (Rku Rugby Ryugasaki Grace); 23 Ai Tasaka (Arukas Queen Kumagaya)

Wales v Spain

For the first time since the European Championship and subsequent World Cup qualifier against Scotland, Spain will be fielding a full-strength test team this weekend against Wales (8thJuly, Cardiff, KO 2.30pm). A team lacking their sevens players lost 39-0 to Wales in Alicante in January, but this should be far closer.

Asquad of 26has been preparing for the match, which will be followed with a game against an England XV at Brunel University on 22ndJuly.

On paper Spain should be the favourites, as they have a higher ranking and also lead the series 6-2, with one draw, but the Welsh have significantly more test experience.

At present neither side has announced their teams.