The Hong Kong China Men’s XV representative team hosts Japan XV at Kai Tak Stadium XV on Friday, 24 October 2025, with 8,000 expected to attend the first XV game to be played at the venue.
Feature Photo Credit – HKCR
The non-capped fixture has caused a lot of excitement for the match in Hong Kong, and when these two (very different-looking teams) last played in May, Japan XV won comfortably 64-12 in Beppu City.
HKCR Head of Technical Rugby Andrew Douglas said, “It is exciting. Japan had a tough one versus Australia. They will want to put some pride back into that jersey, which makes it tough for us and a good challenge. It’s a fairly big benchmark for us. We definitely want to see the improvement we have made. We believe we are improving, but you can only see it in the results.”
They are keen to impress in front of home fans and friends under a closed roof at a stadium which first hosted the Hong Kong Sevens in April this year.
Douglas said, “We’re coming off a good week in Japan. A lot of hard work was put in, and we have a lot more clarity now, which breeds confidence. We enjoy playing. We play with width and speed, and it’s a brand of rugby people like to watch. It will be nice to see a big crowd and build some atmosphere now that we are in the palace.”
Photo Credit – HKCR
Hong Kong China captain Josh Hrstich said the key learning from the recent tour to Japan was “The potential learnings of the group and the amount of improvement we can see from week to week. In our pre-season, there was a massive focus on getting bigger, faster and stronger, but we are getting some good rugby behind us.
It’s been awesome to see how much our game has grown with the better level of competition within the group, and we are drawing more quality sides to play against. We are grateful for them to accept the challenge, and we know it will make us much better too,” added the HKCR captain.
Five HKCR players who made their first senior men’s appearances on the tour to Japan have been included in matchday 23: starting are 6’8” lock Max Murphy (with RFU Championship experience at Richmond), scrumhalf Brendon Nell, and wing Dylan McCann. James Rivers (who has two sisters who have represented HKCR) and scrum-half Eric Chui Wai Lap are among the reserves.
Fly-half Gregor McNeish, who spent a season in Spain playing for Andorra VPC and a season in Scotland, captaining the Southern Knights in the Super 6, but is now back in Hong Kong, is also among the reserves.
One of those starting for the hosts is Kyle Sullivan, whom Douglas had said was one of the standout performers in the team’s recent Japan tour. “I think when people hear Hong Kong China rugby, they immediately think of Sevens. But having this Fifteen’s game here means a lot to the boys, and the XVs game moving forward and setting a marker moving towards that Rugby World Cup in 2027,” explained Sullivan.
Sullivan added that every game between now and that first historic match for the HKCR Men’s programme in Australia at RWC 2027 will have to be a lesson. “Playing quality opposition like Japan XV is what we need, and we need to make sure that every match is a learning experience for us individually and as a group.”
Photo Credit – JRFU – Japan XV Captains Run at Kai Tak Stadium
Japan XV, in their captain’s run on Thursday afternoon, looked fit, big, well-drilled and keen to put on a show following their big 7-71 loss against Australia A last week. They have a new acting head coach for this match and made five personnel changes to the starting 23.
The Japanese were disappointed with their performance and highlighted by a misfiring pack at the set piece and a blunt attack. They are again captained by flank Akito Okui from the Japan Rugby League One’s Toyota Verblitz.
Brave Blossom’s Assistant Coach and Acting Head Coach for the Hong Kong China fixture is Ippei Asad. He said via the JRFU, “Since our match against Australia A, there have been a few changes in the lineup due to injuries and some other reasons. Just like last week, it’s still a young squad, but it’s one full of promise, and personally, I have high expectations for them.
Over the past week, we’ve identified a number of issues to work on, but the players and coaches are united in moving forward together, and we’ve been able to prepare well for the upcoming match against Hong Kong China.”
The biggest representation of JRLO clubs is from Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo, who have five players in the matchday 23.
- Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights 1
- Shizuoka Blue Revs 1
- Kobelco Kobe Steelers 1
- Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath 2
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars 2
- Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 2
- Yokohama Canon Eagles 2
- Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo 3
- Toyota Verblitz 3
- Ricoh Blackrams Tokyo 5
The second row is sizable for Japan XV, with Fiji-born Epineri Uluiviti at 196 cm and 122kg, and Australian-born David Van Zeeland, who is 196cm and 116 kg.
If there was one key element the HKCR captain Hrstich would like to see when the final whistle is blown at Kai Tak Stadium on Friday night, he said, “If we can walk off this pitch being proud of our performance and putting in a performance that our fans and we can be proud of, I will be ecstatic.
To have this opportunity to showcase in our own backyard means we can’t take it for granted, and the guys are also excited to show off what we have been working on and what we are capable of going forward.”
Photo Credit – HKCR – Men’s XV Captiain Josh Hrstich
Hong Kong China Rugby confirmed the men next take on the Brumbies A in Hong Kong on 8 November and travel to play fellow Rugby World Cup contenders Portugal on 15 November.
The match will be preceded by the 50th Anniversary Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Long Lunch with special guest Springbok Rugby World Cup winner Bryan Habana, and former Hong Kong China player and now Canadian Rugby 7s Olympic silver medalist and RWC 2025 runner-up Flo Symonds.
You can find out more about the match from the HKCR here.
Hong Kong China Squad vs Japan XV – Kai Tak Stadium 2025
1. Sunia FAMEITAU; 2. Calum SCOTT; 3. Zacceus CINNAMOND; 4. Max MURPHY; 5. Kyle SULLIVAN; 6. Tyler McNUTT; 7. Pierce MACKINLAY-WEST; 8. Josh HRSTICH (C); 9. Brendon NELL; 10. Joseph BARKER; 11. Dylan MCCANN; 12. Thomas HILL 13. Benjamin AXTEN-BURRETT; 14. Marcus RAMAGE; 15. Matt WORLEY; 16. Benedict SHELDON; 17. Rory CINNAMOND; 18. Faizal SOLOMONA PENESA; 19. James RIVERS; 20. James SAWYER; 21. CHUI Wai-Lap, Eric; 22. Gregor MCNEISH; 23. Guy SPANTON
Japan XV Squad vs Hong Kong China – Kai Tak Stadium 2025
1. Sho FURUHATA; 2. Shodai HIRAO; 3. Yuta KOKAJI; 4. Epineri ULUIVITTI; 5. David CVAN ZEELAND; 6. Shohei ITO; 7. Akuto OKUI (C); 8. Rikuto NAKAYA; 9/ Asahi DOEI; 10. Shinya KOMURA; 11. Tomo TAKAMOTO; 12. Yuto MORI; 13. Yuya HIROSE; 14. Kazuma UEDA; 15. Tamuro MATSUNAGA; 16. Soma SAGAWA; 17. Yuchiro TANIGUCHI; 18. Sanshiro KAHARA; 19. Shu YAMAMOTO; 20. Keito AOKI; 21. Shuntaro KITAMURA; 22. Ichigo NAKAKUSU; 23. Kotaro ITO
You can see more info on the squad via the JRFU.
How To Watch HKCR Men’s XV vs Japan XV
The match will be streamed on RugbyPassTV and, according to the JRFU, will be available on the Hong Kong China Rugby YouTube channel at a later date.
Hong Kong China and Japan Rugby News 2025
- Hong Kong China Rugby Men’s Representative XV Beat LeRIRO Fukuoka In Final Tour Game.
- Japan XV Suffer Heavy Loss Against Australia A.
- Hong Kong China Men’s XVs Representative Team Set For Debut at Kai Tak Stadium Against Japan XV.
- 4 Asian Rugby Lunches and Dinners You Should Attend in 2025
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