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(Monday March 3, 2008 Hong Kong)
"Hong Kong is the hub of rugby in Asia"
Howzit Hong Kong! has expressed it before and it was further emphasized today when the
Hong Kong Rugby Football Union announced that the SAR will be hosting two of the top
rugby teams in the world: the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies.
This huge contest will take place in November when the All Blacks and Australia
compete for the Bledisloe Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay.
The Australian and New Zealand Rugby Unions today confirmed that they have accepted
an invitation from the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union to play a match in Hong Kong
which will see the Bledisloe Cup series extend to Asia this year. The match will be
played on Saturday, November 1, kicking off at 4.30pm HKT (7.30pm AEDT; 9.30pm NZT).
The Bledisloe Cup is one of world sport’s most storied trophies, with a history that dates back to 1931, and represents the pinnacle of trans-Tasman
sporting supremacy says NZRU Chief Executive Officer Steve Tew.
“Together with our partner rugby unions, we are excited to accept Hong Kong’s invitation to stage the first rugby international in Asia to feature two of the
world’s top teams. The match will make history and help promote rugby in a part of the world where it is developing quickly. We know both the All Blacks
and the Wallabies have many fans in Asia and it is fantastic to be able to bring the game to them and to local rugby enthusiasts.”
Australia together with New Zealand and South Africa play in the annual Tri-Nations. The two neighbors will compete in 3 games as part of the Tri-
Nations, while the fourth game will be played in Hong Kong. The decision to play this very important contest outside of either country is a ground-
breaking one as It will be the first time the two teams will play each other outside of either Australia or New Zealand, except at the Rugby World Cup, and
the first time this important trophy has been up for grabs outside of Australia and New Zealand.
“Australia and New Zealand are great sporting rivals and the Bledisloe Cup is always fiercely contested,” said ARU Chief Executive and Managing
Director John O’Neill. “November’s match will be no different. It promises to be a full-blooded encounter between two of the sport’s heavyweights. This is
not an exhibition game.”
The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union will host the match and will use the occasion to promote rugby with youth and club tournaments in the week
leading up to the match and potentially a curtain raiser between Hong Kong and China on the day of the match.
“Hong Kong’s status as a rugby destination continues to grow,” said HKRFU Executive Director Allan Payne. “Teams and fans always enjoy the Sevens,
but international 15-a-side rugby is another remarkable and distinct rugby experience. With millions watching on television around the world this is rugby
at its best and a real showcase for Hong Kong.”
“The concept of the match has attracted a lot of interest since it was first mentioned last year,” said Mr Payne.
“It is our aim to host events of this calibre on an annual basis,” he said. “There is certainly a lot of interest in seeing rugby at this level being played in the
region.”
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