Andrew Durutalo – “Things will not be handed to you on a silver platter”

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, and on a busy day of Hong Kong Football Club rugby, we sat down with former 7s and 15s USA international Andrew Durutalo, who is now the Director of Rugby Operations at the Hong Kong club.

In between organising ball boys for the continuous stream of rugby games, ensuring visiting teams’ changing rooms are prepped, and taking photos with fans, we discover how the opportunity came about and his initial impressions of rugby in Hong Kong and of HKFC.

“We have a lot going on with the Hong Kong China national teams, and then having the number of club players that we have involved with them, including the November internatonal tours, we were kind of struggling with some games in the  The Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Hong Kong Premiership 2025-2026, especially because the Sevens boys were away as well,” said Andrew Durutalo reflecting on his first few months in his role.

The club contributes perhaps the most players to the HKCR new full-contracted program for the men’s XV after qualifying for the Rugby World Cup 2027, combined with current club Men’s Head Coach Logan Asplin taking over the reins of the national rep team as Head Coach and balancing his role as the HKFC Head Coach and Club Coaching Officer. 

HKFC had only just prior to our conversation with Durutalo appointed a new Women’s CCO in the form of recently retired USA Women’s XV international Charli Jacoby. It’s a period of much change for one of Hong Kong’s leading rugby clubs.

Photo Credit HKCR

Durutalo explained, “As a rugby club, and as one of the bigger ones in Hong Kong, it’s important that we show the resilience and the buy-in to everything that Hong Kong is trying to achieve on the national and international stage.”

The HKFC Men’s Prem Team were so short on numbers recently that Andrew, to the surprise of many, donned the blue and white jersey and pulled his boots on for a run-out start at number 8.

“I tried to help out on that front. Would I do it again? Probably not. I think I’m at that age as well, well, you know, if it were up to me, I’d be an athlete forever. But obviously that’s not the case. The last time I played really competitive rugby was the MLR final in 2022 against New York at the Red Bull Arena, and then obviously I had this reintroduction at 2 pm in Hong Kong, and the sun’s in the sky and the humidity is through the roof,” he said with a wide grin.

“It was something to experience, but four minutes in, I felt like I was on the pitch for two hours. I am glad that I have contributed in some way and played in the Premier League in Hong Kong. I count that in the book.”

Photo Credit – HKCR –  Hong Kong Football Club at the Prem season launch

Pretty much everyone we have spoken to who is involved in Hong Kong rugby over the years seems to wear multiple hats. Andrew agreed.

“100%. I was at the Hong Kong China vs Japan XV game, and the fly-half for Hong Kong China was the head coach for one of the visiting Kowloon teams the day after. It is a very tight-knit group, from what I’m learning here in Hong Kong circles. Everybody knows everybody. So it’s good to see that and just how connected the community is.

But I am really happy to support and bring a level of development to a lot of the young athletes here and the young rugby players here.”

How Did Andrew Durutalo End Up At Hong Kong Football Club?

“I guess I’ve always wanted to be part of a sports organisation. I was trying my best not to get into rugby. I was trying to go into the wider sports world at first, which I had done in the past year and a half or so, working with the United States Olympic Committee, leading up to Paris 2024 and then this role at HKFC came up. 

I put my name in the hat. I had just been announced as a diplomat for the Department of State, for the United States government, using sports diplomacy to advance US foreign policy through sports. 

I think I offered something to the Rugby Section Committee at Hong Kong Football Club, both as a former professional rugby player who has played both fifteens and sevens, and then helping them in this new director of rugby operations / General Manager role.”

What is it that he does exactly? When we caught up, he had been signed on for about four months but had been on the ground for half of that.

Photo Credit – Hong Kong Football Club

“I had conversations with a lot of people before I came here, some who have been in the role before, to hear their take on working for HKFC. For those who don’t know, it’s a private members’ club, and one of the oldest and most prestigious in Asia. It is synonymous with rugby. 

On the operational part, I think the big thing is that it’s very hands-on, which is the experience that I wanted. I’m still learning a lot of stuff, and then I have the opportunity to kind of tailor it in the way I can make it my own. It is an exciting time, with the men’s qualifying for RWC 2027 and now the push to help bring the women’s game along, both for the Olympics and fifteens rugby.”

Hong Kong China Rugby On the Up

The situation we mentioned about the club navigating the challenges this season with the number of players in the HKCR Men’s and Women’s XVs and 7s setup is something everyone is adjusting to.

“It is unique, because obviously Hong Kong is small, there’s something like 1.7 million people that live on this island. The league itself is quite short. We have had to dig deep to support the first team (Prem), especially as we’re going through this period, and we’ll definitely see how we can work better through that with HKCR.

Photo Credit – HKCR – Men’s XV vs Brumbies @ HKFC

If you look at the last five or six months here at HKFC, there’s a huge turnover of staff, including myself coming in. Then obviously with the new WCCO coming from the US, we are hiring a new Men’s CCO, which hasn’t been announced yet….

So yeah, there are a lot of moving pieces, and we are trying to get everybody settled with the new season already taken off. But I think change is always good as well, as it offers fresh perspectives and new ideas.”

There is a lot of excitement in Asian rugby, but there remain challenges – the growth of rugby in Japan and Hong Kong is leading the charge.

“It’s great for Asia. Being the second team to qualify from Asia for a Men’s Rugby World Cup is huge. And I think Hong Kong China should be very proud. The region itself should be very proud of having a second team head to Australia in 2027. We now have to push to get the women to be on par as well.”

One of the HKFC women’s players signed on for Saracens this season, but she is still working with the club from afar and has been selected for the HKCR Women’s XV uncapped matches in Europe in November.

Photo Credit – HKCR – Men’s XV vs Brumbies @ HKFC

Andrew Durutalo said of Roshini Turner’s achievements. “For me, coming from an elite background, you want your players who have come through the system to play at the highest possible level, and that is a policy that we have here at HKFC club as well. 

When we have young players, both on the men’s and women’s side, if they are committed, they can go play at the highest level. A lot of these athletes, a lot of these players, have their dreams and hopes, and if they are going to play or have aspirations to go and play at an elite level, I think it’s great. It’s awesome because it helps raise awareness.

Roshini Turner is an athlete who came from Hong Kong, played through the age groups in Hong Kong, and then went on to represent the national teams and signed for Saracens. I think it’s huge, and it’s something that we should really applaud her for. I guess my job, and our job here at Hong Kong Football Club, is to really put the frameworks in place to help us achieve that and push the players, both men’s and women’s, forward in that direction.”

Aspiring To Play Elite Level Rugby

Andrew Durutalo has played at the highest level in the game. He played in the UK, in the US MLR and for the Sunwolves in Super Rugby. He represented the USA Eagles XVs and the USA Sevens teams and is an Olympian, having played 7s at the 2016 Games.

We asked him what message he would send to any young or aspiring players in terms of trying to hit their peak and their goals in rugby.

Photo Credit – Hong Kong Football Club

“When I was young, I was very goal-oriented. The most important thing as well is having the real enjoyment of playing. I think when you really have that, the enjoyment of achieving or playing for a national team, and you set your goals to do it, I think everything else comes. You need dedication.

I always tell young athletes that I’d always encourage players to keep going through adversity and be resilient, because things will not be handed to you on a silver platter. And my journey won’t be the same as one of these rugby players’ journeys – the paths are always different. We all want the same outcome.”

Was there a standout moment from his stellar career?

“I guess I was part of the US Sevens team in a period where we almost got relegated from the HSBC World Sevens Series, when I first started with them –  right before Mike Friday was appointed as Head Coach. We had four national coaches before landing on Mike Friday.

So seeing the transition of where we came from to where we ended up, and qualifying for the Olympics and ending up as a number two side in the world…..I never thought that we would actually have that progression, but it just shows that it’s possible.”

Finally, does he think Hong Kong China rugby can fulfil its dreams?

“In a place like Hong Kong, rugby is not new to this place. So working with the talented people here, like real-world-class coaches, and obviously getting the right support, I think we can make those dreams become a reality.”

Photo Credit – Hong Kong Football Club

He added, “There will be growing pains that come with it. I know that HKCR and having guys like Simon Amor and others are working through the structure of how everything will work through, and I’m still learning, especially on the women’s side and how their structure will go. 

A big thing is the pathways. We had a good meeting with the union, and we have a lot of influence in terms of how we really develop these athletes. And that’s something that I really want to help drive to make other players realise their own dreams.

I’m glad that I don’t have to coach, because I would be a terrible coach.

I’m really enjoying watching the likes of Hannah Edwards, Head of Women’s and Youth at HKFC, do her thing, or Logan do his thing,  and seeing the other system coaches, the support staff, and their support staff.

Being a professional athlete and coming from a professional background, I really understand that mindset and the teachings and the learning, and I really rate a lot of these coaches we have at HKFC and in Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong China Rugby News

• Hong Kong China Target Rugby 7s Medals At China National Games 2025.
• HKFC Rugby Appoints Andrew Durutalo as New Director of Rugby Operations.
• Simon Amor Appointed as Hong Kong China’s Executive Director, Performance and Representative Rugby.
• Hong Kong China Men’s XVs Preparations & Confirmed Centralised Contracted Players – Road to RWC 2027