Hong Kong China Rugby Announces Women’s XV Coaching Setup for Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship 2026

Kazakhstan will host the three-team Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship 2026 tournament with defending champions Japan, Hong Kong, China, and the hosts competing from 28 April to 9 May, and HKCR has announced its coaching setup for the annual tournament.

Feature Photo Credit – HKCR

Bella Milo Leads HKCR Women Before Departing for Manusina Samoa Role

As part of their announcement on 31st March, HKCR surprisingly announced that the current Valley RFC Women’s Head Coach and Women’s Club Coaching Officer (WCCO), Bella Milo, who went through the regular season with just one loss, but were defeated in the Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Hong Kong Premiership Grand Final by Kroll USRC Tigers, will lead the coaches for the HKCR Women’s XV campaign before departing Hong Kong to take up the role of Head Coach of Manusina Samoa.

Bella was one of the coaches for the 2025 AREWC campaign, in which they lost to Japan 5-63 but defeated Kazakhstan 29-12. For the November 2025 European uncapped tour in which they beat both Germany and Belgium, Tumua Ioane was the tour Lead Senior Coach, assisted by Conor Joyce, Kevin Moggridge and Terry Sibanda.

The union announced that Bella’s role as Valley RFC Women’s Club Coaching Officer will be recruited for soon, and she will become the third WCCO to leave after the season concluded. Victorious Tigers Head Coach Conor Joyce and Causeway Sandy Bay’s Kevin Moggridge have also left their roles, meaning the domestic Prem next season will see at least three new coaches at the six teams competing.

In addition, the HKCR coaching cohort for the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship 2026 will include John Haggart, who has been working with Hong Kong China Rugby since October as Strategic & Technical Consultant for the Women’s 15s programme, as well as the three CCOs and additional support.

• Bella Milo – Outgoing Valley RFC Women’s CCO (Lead Coach)
• John Haggart – Strategic & Technical Consultant
• Charli Jacoby – Hong Kong Football Club Women’s CCO (Assistant Coach)
• Gus Leger – Valley RFC Men’s CCO (Assistant Coach)
• Terry Sibanda – Kowloon Rugby Club Women’s CCO (Assistant Coach)
• Will Webster – Returns to Hong Kong after coaching on the representative Sevens and Men’s XVs programmes from 2019 to 2022 (Assistant Coach)
• Sophie Raine (Lead Physio)
• Ian Bonnet (Lead S&C)
• Jake Martin (Performance Analyst)
• Selene Wang (Team Manager)

Match Schedule – Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship 2026

Both Japan and Hong Kong China will be competing in the WXV Global Series later in 2026. Hong Kong China will take on Brazil, Fiji, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain as the teams ranked 13-18 in World Rugby’s rankings.

Japan are currently ranked 11th in the world, HKCR are 16th, and Kazakhstan is 19th.

• 28 April – Kazakhstan vs Japan
• 4 May – Japan vs Hong Kong China
• 9 May – Kazakhstan vs Hong Kong China

Asian International Rugby News 2026

• Asian International Rugby Tournaments 2026.
• Hong Kong China Men’s XV Head To South America for July World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 Fixtures.
• Understanding the WXV Global Series 2026-2028.
• 2026 Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens – Fan’s Guide On What You Need To Know.