Tradition HKFC 10s 2023 Teams Announced

With the teams starting to get announced for the Tradition HKFC 10s 2023, there is a growing buzz of excitement for the Hong Kong Sevens week, with a number of former rugby stars confirmed as coaches, and the initial women’s sides for the inaugural Women’s competition also showcased.
Updated March 23 2023
The Tradition HKFC 10s rugby tournament, which takes place at Hong Kong Football Club from 29-30 March 2023 has confirmed a number of leading men’s teams with 12 competing for the coveted title. All five women’s teams have been announced too.
The 2023 Tradition HKFC 10s marks the 35th edition of Hong Kong Football Club’s flagship rugby event, which is one of the world’s leading invitational rugby tens tournaments. The event was inaugurated in 1986 to celebrate Hong Kong Football Club’s centenary.
Over previous years, the Tradition HKFC 10s has attracted some of rugby’s top players, including seven All Blacks who won the 2015 Rugby World Cup (Conrad Smith, Jerome Kaino (both 2003), Ben Smith, Charlie Faumuina (both 2008), Beauden Barrett, Sam Cane (both 2010) and Nehe Milner-Skudder (2013).)
Other stars include Australian Wendell Sailor (2017-18), former France World Cup player Damien Traille (2018), Fijian Sevens stars including Isake Katonibau ( who won the Hong Kong Sevens a historic four times in a row from 2015-2018), and Apisai Domolailai, a 2016 Olympic gold medallist.
Tradition HKFC 10s 2023 – Men’s Teams
The Men’s competition in 2023 boasts a very competitive field with the return of some well-known invitational sides.
These include Tradition YCAC from Japan, A-Trade Overseas Old Boys and the East Africa RFC. Hosts HKFC Natixis Club will be among the favourites of the Hong Kong-based clubs which also include tournament veterans, Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles and IMPACTHK HKU Sandy Bay.
Runners-up in the 2019 final, the Samurai RFC Warriors will be strong contenders in 2023 and their star-studded line-up includes former internationals Nick Easter (England) and Kevin Maggs (Ireland), as well as South African RWC winner Victor Matfield.
Former Hong Kong Rugby national team Head Coach, Dai Rees, returns with a Welsh touring side bowers.law Crawshays which is celebrating its centenary year.
There are new teams to the HK Tens too with Paris-based Natixis Seventise and London’s Ashbury Tropics confirmed.
Pool A
- Samurai RFC Warriors
- China Five Stars
- A-Trade Overseas Old Boys
- Shanghai Rugby Football Club
Pool B
- Tradition YCAC
- bowers.law Crawshays
- East Africa RFC
- IMPACT HK HKU Sandy Bay
Pool C
- HKFC Natixis Club
- Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles
- Ashbury Tropics
- Seventise Rugby
The Legends match is due to take place on Wednesday at 5PM.
Tradition HKFC 10s 2023 Women’s Teams
All of the women’s sides are now confirmed to play in the inaugural Tradition HKFC 10s.
These include recently crowned domestic Hong Kong Premiership League champions HKFC Natixis Ice, and the highly talented Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix who are the Japanese champions in both 7s & 15s rugby and produce a number of national players for the Sakuras.
RKS Legal Samurai Warriors are also confirmed, the team won the UK Super Sevens Series in 2022, and has 137-cap England Rocky Clark as their coach at the Tradition HKFC 10s 2023. The team is also confirmed to be captained by former Red Roses player Tamara Taylor who won 115 caps for England and was a Rugby World Cup winner in 2014 (having also played at RWC 2010 & 2017) as well as Sevens Olympian Abi Burton.
The latest addition is the Ashbury Tropics (UK) who have previously reached the Dubai 7s International Open sem-finals and will be coached by another England RWC winner and former XVs and Sevens player Heather Fisher.
FindRugbyNow completes the five-team competition for the women at the Tradition HKFC 10s 2023.
- HKFC Natixis Ice
- Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
- RKS Legal Samurai Warriors
- Ashbury Tropics
- FindRugbyNow
- HKFC Natixis Ice
- Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Tradition HKFC 10s Format
The two-day tens tournament is held at Hong Kong Football Club and matches are 10 minutes each way and scheduled back-to-back each day.
Gates open at 8.30am. Tickets cost (HK) $120 per day and are available at the gate, or online.
It’s ON! The #WorldsBest10s is back in 2023.
Stay tuned for more announcements soon 👀 #HKFC10s #itsON pic.twitter.com/l1Tjtk2M4g
— HKFC 10s (@HKFC10s) February 18, 2023
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