Hong Kong China 7s Development Squads Competing At Emirates Dubai 7s 2025

The HKCR (Hong Kong China Rugby) Women’s and Men’s Development squads will be competing in the highly competitive Invitational Open Divisions at the Emirates Dubai 7s 2025.

Hong Kong China Women’s 7s – Emirates Dubai 7s 2025

Robbie Fergusson is the Women’s Head Coach for this tournament, with Andy Vilk acting as a Coach/Manager. Some of the regular names selected from the senior Women’s 7s team include captain Pun Wai Yan (who has recovered from injury), Shanna Forrest, Grace Hood, Jess Eden, Gabriella Rivers, Hoi Yan Poon, and Etta Kwong, among others.

Captain PY said, “We are excited to play the Emirates Dubai 7s this weekend, especially as we will be playing teams we don’t know and that come from outside of Asia. 

It also means we can’t do much analysis beforehand, which makes me a bit nervous, but it is exciting as well. Based on last year’s experience, we know that it will be very competitive, but we have a mixed group of young and experienced players in the squad. We are bringing a lot of potential and positive energy to end the year on a high.”

Photo Credit – HKCR – Captain Pun Wai-yan (PY)

Elsie Hulme is in the squad and was part of the HKCR U20 7s squad that played earlier this year at the Asia Rugby U20 Sevens in India, winning silver, and was also coached by Fergusson.

The women’s opposition is in a larger six-team pool, which includes the Monaco Umusa, who are a charity 7’s rugby team from Monaco linked to the Fondation Princesse Charlène de Monaco, and Eastwood Rugby are a New South Wales-based club.

The Wonders 7s are the same club as the men will face – a Parisian-based 7s development team, Mauritian Barbarians are rugby 7s from Mauritius, the Arctic Sisu 7’s are a Finnish-based women’s 7s team, and Akuma Savvy Panthers are a UK-based side who were Cup losing finalists last year at the Dubai 7s.

Womens Pool A

• Hong Kong China Dragon 
• Monaco Umusa
• Eastwood Rugby
• Wonders 7s
• Mauritian Barbarians
• Arctic Sisu 7’s
• Akuma Savvy Panthers

The women will play two matches each on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the top teams from each pool playing the final on Sunday.

HKCR Women’s Squad –  Emirates Dubai 7s 2025

• FORREST Shanna – Kowloon 
• LANGFORD Sophie – Overseas 
• TSE Joyce – Valley
• Pun Wai Yan (Captain) – Gai Wu 
• HULME Elsie – HKFC
• HOOD Grace – HKFC 
• EDEN Jessica – Valley
• RIVERS Gabriella – Kowloon
• FISHER Emily – Kowloon
• POON Hoi Yan – USRC Tigers 
• BOURK Jamie Claire – HKFC 
• FREEMAN Teah – Overseas
• Etta Kwong – Valley 

Photo Credit HKCR

Hong Kong China Men’s 7s – Emirates Dubai 7s 2025

The HKCR Men’s Sevens side selected for Dubai also has a good blend of young talent and experienced heads, with Tomos Howells acting as Head Coach and Peter Jericevich as Coach and S&C. 

Howells said: “This is a young, exciting group of players, aiming to play a fast brand of rugby in ideal conditions here in Dubai.

The core of the group trains full-time together, apart from Oliver Clarke and Sam Nicholle joining us from the recent U20s squad that won in Bihar 2025. Although it’s a young group, we have some experienced players such as Jack Combes & Shiven Dukhande in the mix to help out young co-captains Billy Rigby & Josh Eustace over the weekend.”

Players included who have experience from the LIT Super Sevens Series, the Dubai tournament last year and some Asia Rugby Sevens Series pedigree; Juan Esono Mba Oyana, Alexander Moses, Jack Combes, Shiven Dukhande and Camill Cheung.

Photo Credit HKCR

The Men’s co-captains are Joshua Eustace and Billy Rigby, with the latter saying, “Our preparation leading into the Dubai 7s has been really great. We have worked really hard on our physical conditioning all through the pre-season, and we have worked hard on the field to prepare. Part of our preparation was helping the senior 7s squad prepare for the National Games, which was beneficial for us leading into our own preparations.

The tournament in Dubai will be a great challenge and a great opportunity for us to face some quality opposition from all over the world.”

Rigby added, “We are confident and excited to hit the ground running and come away with some great results for Hong Kong China Rugby.”

The men’s teams in the pool include the Kazakhstan national team (who recently won the Asia Rugby 7s Trophy 2025) and should be in the top tier in Asia next year, The Wonder 7s (a Parisian-based side comprising young French players).

Speranza 22 is an international invitational rugby team that has a good reputation on the 7s touring circuit (the team plays in honour of Marco Speranza, who died tragically young at 20 years old in 2013), while the Cavaliers are an Italian-based 7s side who have competed regularly and won the World Police & Fire Games.

Men’s Pool B

• Hong Kong China Dragon 
• Kazakhstan 
• Wonder 7’s
• Speranza 22
• Cavaliers RFC

The men play two pool games each on Friday and Saturday with Bowl, Plate and Cup matches (depending on the standings) on Sunday.

HKCR Men’s Squad –  Emirates Dubai 7s 2025

• MBA OYANA Juan Esono – USRC Tigers 
• CLARKE Oliver – Brothers Club AUS
• RIGBY William (Co-Captain) – Kowloon
• NG Yuk Shing – Kowloon
• MOSES Alexander – HKFC
• COMBES Jack – USRC Tigers
• CHEUNG Camill – USRC Tigers
• EDEN Justin – USRC Tigers
• DUKHANDE Shiven – USRC Tigers
• ELLIOT Blake – USRC Tigers
• EUSTACE Joshua (Co-Captain) – USRC Tigers
• NICHOL Sam – USRC Tigers

The HKCR Men’s 7s team that competed at the Dubai 7s 2024

How To Watch The Emirates Dubai 7s 2025?

Depending on your region, the main tournament will be available on RugbyPassTV, while many of the other tournaments will be streamed via the tournament YouTube channels.

Emirates Dubai 7s News

• Emirates Dubai 7s 2025 – SVNS Division 1 Team Guide.
• Emirates Dubai Sevens 2025 – Teams to Watch.
• Music Acts For Emirates Dubai 7s 2025 Confirmed.
• World Rugby Confirms It Will Trial Smaller Ball For Women’s Rugby In HSBC SVNS.