[23 July 2024] The 2024 Touch World Cup has drawn to a close in Nottingham, with Hong Kong China achieving some great results and invaluable experience over the week-long festivities. 

The Women’s Open team was a standout from the Hong Kong China contingent, with solid victories over Thailand, Ireland, Fiji, Philippines and the Netherlands, while the Men’s 30+ finished the tournament strong with victories against Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain. 

Players delighted in the chance to meet players from all over the world and challenge themselves with a highly competitive and professional environment. Sonia Ng from the Women’s Open squad reflects on her personal highlights:

“I am grateful for such a rare and precious opportunity. As the youngest member of the team, my more experienced teammates gave me a lot of encouragement and help which allowed me to gain confidence. The support of my teammates allowed me to play to my full potential and was an unforgettable experience for me. I am so thankful for the Hong Kong China Team for giving me this chance and I will continue to work hard to strive for glory in the next Touch World Cup”

Ex-Hong Kong 7s and 15s representative Charles Cheung was amongst those selected for the tournament in the Men’s 30s category, and was impressed with the English hospitality: 

“It’s been an amazing experience playing here in Nottingham, it was a very well-run tournament, and everything went so smoothly – thank you to all the volunteers and officials who organised everything. For a lot of players, this is their first experience at a big tournament and World Cup environment. It was enjoyable to test ourselves against the rest the world and see where we are at - it’s made us hungry for more of these big tournaments and competition. 

The future of Touch in Hong Kong looks brighter than ever. It continues to gain popularity as an accessible, enjoyable, and inclusive format of rugby, and the participation of six teams in this tournament is a testament to the hard work and dedication that clubs and coaches have been putting in to drive growth. 

Hong Kong China Rugby Chief Community Officer, Rocky Chow has similar sentiments: 

“I am very proud. This is a massive community effort, and a good example of how the community can come together to achieve great things.”

Touch World Cup 2024 Results: Hong Kong China 

Day 1:

X30 L 7-13 v Germany
X30 L 3-14 v England
WO L 3-10 v Samoa
W27 L 0-13 v South Africa
M30 L 2-7 v South Africa

Day 2: 

MO L 3-16 v Lebanon
WO W 11-1 v Thailand
WO L 2-17 v New Zealand
M30 L 1-20 v New Zealand
M30 L 1-12 v Japan 
W27 L 0-15 v Scotland
W27 L 0-6 v France
M40 L 4-11 v Japan
M40 L 3-8 v Spain
X30 L 1-11 v USA

Day 3: 

MO L 4-15 v France
WO W 6-2 v Ireland
WO W 7-2 v Fiji
WO L 3-6 v USA
M30 L 2-8 v France 
M30 L 9-11v Wales
W27 L 2-11v USA
W27 W 5-4 v Spain
M40 L 4-12 v Wales
M40 L 2-22 v New Zealand 
X30 L 0-21 v Australia
X30 L 2-12 v France 

Day 4:

MO L 7-13 v Scotland
MO W 15-1 v Oman 
WO D 6-6 v South Africa 
WO W 9-2 v Philippines
M30 L 7-13 v Singapore
M30 L 12-13 v Netherlands
M30 W 12-8 v Belgium
W27 L 0-9 v Singapore
W27 L 1-19 v Australia 
M40 L 4-12 v Cook Islands
M40 L 7-10 v France
X30 L 2-12 v Cayman Islands
X30 L 3-8 v Wales

Day 5: 

MO L 1-20 v Australia 
MO L 3-15 v England 
WO W 6-2 v Netherlands
WO L 2-12 v England 
W27 L 2-9 v England
M40 L 3-12 v USA
X30 L 2-7 v Samoa

Day 6:

MO L 6-15 v USA
M30 W 8-2 v Luxembourg
W27 L 1-7 v Switzerland 
W27 L 3-4 v Spain (Finished 10th place)
M40 W 13-4 v Fiji (Finished 15th place)
X30 W 8-7 v China
X30 L 5-6 v Samoa (Finished 16th place)

Day 7:

WO L 2-6 v France (Finished 10th place)
M30 W 11-4 v Spain (Finished 17th place)
MO L 5-12 v Singapore (Finished 14th place)