AREMC 2026 Match 2 Preview: Hong Kong China vs Korea

In the opening round of the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship (AREMC) 2026 in Colombo, Hong Kong China scored a final-minute winner over the Tuskers, and the defending champions face Korea in the second round at HKFC on Sunday 7 June 2026, looking to seal a 7th straight title.

Photo Credit – HKCR (Hong Kong China and Korea AREMC 2026 captains)

As six-time consecutive defending champions, Hong Kong China at home will be the favourites, and expectations were that they would field a stronger team with the availability of their full-time contracted players. The opening round 15-14 win may have been dramatic, but the quality of the match was quite poor as both teams struggled to get any rhythm.

HKCR has now confirmed that the matchday 23 for Korea will primarily be constituted from the side that came from behind to beat Sri Lanka, but full-time contracted players are in the mix.

HKCR Head of Elite Coaching and Technical Development, Andrew Douglas, said, “We will be adding a few more to the squad for the game against Korea. We have guys that need game time, you know, some guys had limited minutes in Japan. For some, it is a matter of getting them more game conditioning, and some just because they need a chance to prove a point you know, that they need to be included for South America; various reasons there, but it is a great opportunity for all of them.

“Obviously, we want to win the ARC, so we’ll send out a much stronger team for Korea,” Douglas added.

Photo Credit – HKCR

The New Zealander singled out Charles Higson-Smith and Dana Fourie as having done a good job on Japan and against Sri Lanka, and both are set to feature in the starting XV. Among the forwards, front rowers Callum McFeat-Smith and Sunia Fameitau, as well as Jack Bartlett and HKCR’s most capped player, Kyle Sullivan, are in the squad as the pack sees half the starters change from the opening win.

In the backs, Scrumhalf Brendon Nell, Jack Abbott and Murray Brechin are included, with Dean Squire again the captain at outside centre.

Douglas explained, “The guys from our squad that are going across to play are really excited; it is a home game, home crowd. We have talked with them about the opportunity they have now and to give some impact and leadership to the ARC group. They want to get into it. They are really excited, and I am excited to watch them play…..”

He added, “We would love a more polished performance against South Korea, and I think we should see some improvement.”

We said at the start of the tournament that this year’s AREMC is full of unknowns, and this matchup is no different. Korea has announced an inexperienced team and a new Head Coach, and the players had a very short domestic XVs season. They are five-time champions of the tournament, but the last title was in 2022.

In the head-to-head, Hong Kong China leads 22-16 with an average winning score of 28-22.

This will be Korea’s first match since their 70-22 defeat to Hong Kong China in July last year. Aside from the record home defeat to this weekend’s opponents, they had a narrow loss to the UAE and a narrow win over Sri Lanka.

Korea finished third the past two years in a row and has endured disapointing results for a few years. New Head Coach Yu Young Nam had called up a squad of 23 players (13 forwards and 10 backs) with as many as 12 uncapped players. There are also 5 University players included for Korea.

It looks as if all 12 uncapped players have been selected in the matchday squad, while only 4 players who were involved in this same fixture last year are included: loosehead prop Lee Hyun Soo (KEPCO), lock Lee Hyeon Je (Hyundai Glovis), scrum-half Heo Jae Jun (Hyundai Glovis), and fullback Kim Ki Min (KEPCO).

One to watch might be the first-ever foreign player called up by Korea, Fijian-born and Korea 7s player Emosi Labat, who is expected to play among the loose forwards. In the whole squad, only three players have represented Korea 10 times or more.

Over the past two seasons, HKCR have recorded huge wins over Korea, and the victory in Incheon last year earned them qualification to their first-ever Men’s Rugby World Cup. The closest result was in 2022, when HKCR won with the final kick of the game after being down to 14 players early on.

RESULT: HKCR 45-9 Korea

Recent Results:

• July 5, 2025: South Korea 22-70 Hong Kong (Incheon)
• June 22, 2024: Hong Kong 67-7 South Korea (Hong Kong)
• June 17, 2023: Hong Kong 30-10 South Korea (Hong Kong)
• July 10, 2022: South Korea 21-23 Hong Kong (Incheon)

Hong Kong China Squad vs Korea – AREMC 2026 Match#2

There is one potential new cap with Emanuel Lai among the reserves, and hooker Luke Dewar will earn his first cap as he starts. Lai had been listed to start against Sri Lanka at scrumhalf but had been a late withdrawal, so hopefully, he earns his first cap this weekend.

Acting Head Coach Nigel Hotham said, “ There are pretty talented boys that have come in, and everyone’s got the right to prove a point tomorrow. You’re either going to put your hand up and say: ‘I could be on a plane to South America,’ or ‘I could be going to a World Cup’, or ‘in the next couple of years, I could be a guy that you want to look at’.

Like everyone has that goal to work towards, which makes it extra exciting. It’s not just another test match, not for Hong Kong China Rugby at this moment. There are so many exciting things on the horizon.”

1. James HOLMES 2. Luke DEWAR* 3. Sunia FAMEITAU 4. Glenn HUI 5. Kyle SULLIVAN, 6. Dana FOURIE, 7. Joseph KNIGHT 8. Jack BARTLETT 9. Brendon NELL 10. Oliver PYLE 11. Murray BRECHIN 12. Barnaby HORBERRY 13. Dean SQUIRE (C) 14. Charles HIGSON-SMITH 15. Dylan McCANN 16. NG Siu Lung, Billy 17. Thomas CONCU 18. Callumn McFEAT-SMITH  19. Connor O’BYRNE 20. Dean ROUSSOW 21. Emanuel LAI* 22. Jack ABBOTT 23. Dylan WHITE

Korea Squad vs Hong Kong China – AREMC 2026 Match#2

Nothing official from KRU – there is hardly any mention across all of the KRU social media in the build-up to the game.

Team news based on reporting from Asie Rugby:

Match Permutations

• Hong Kong China is ranked 23rd, and Korea is ranked 37th by World Rugby.
• Hong Kong China cannot improve their rating this weekend by beating Korea.
• If HKCR do not win, they could drop at least two places to 25th – with an additional place if they lose by more than 15 points.
• Korea jump six places to 31st if they win by that margin.
• A Korean win by a smaller margin of victory would see them still gain three places.
• If Korea lose, they could drop one place if Mexico defeat Trinidad and Tobago in the Rugby Americas North Men’s Championship.

Match Officials Japan vs HKCR AREWC 2026

• Match Referee – Tetsuya Hirakawa (JRFU) – He will make his test debut as a referee 
• AR1 – TBC
• AR 2 – TBC

How To Watch Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2026

All of the matches will be broadcast/streamed via Asia Rugby socials and RugbyPassTV for international audiences.

Fans looking to attend the match can buy tickets via the HKCR here.

You can watch the highlights of the AREMC 2026 opening match between HKCR & Sri Lanka below:

AREMC 2026 Schedule 

• Sunday 24 May 2026: Sri Lanka 14-15 Hong Kong China – Racecourse Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka – KO 15:00
• Sunday 7 June 2026: Hong Kong China 45-9 Korea – Hong Kong – HKFC, KO 16:30 – Tickets will be available soon via HKCR.
• Saturday 13 June 2026: Korea vs Sri Lanka – Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium, Incheon, Korea – KO 15:00

Asian XV Rugby News 2026

• AREMC 2026 Match 1 Preview: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong China.
• Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championships (AREMC 2026) Tournament Preview.
• Hong Kong China Rugby Men’s XV Squads Confirmed for AREMC 2026 Opener & Japan Select XV Tour.
• Asian International Rugby Tournaments 2026.