WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 Preview – Hong Kong China vs Brazil

Hong Kong China start off their WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 Preview at home against Brazil on Sunday, 13 September, as the higher-ranked team, but the South Americans have had many more games in preparation.

Feature Photo Credit – HKCR – Brazil captain Luiza Campos; Netherlands captain Linde van den Velde; Hong Kong China Rugby captain Jasmine Fung Hoi Ching; Fiji captain Kolora Lomani; Spain captain Lourdes Alameda; Samoa captain Michelle Curry aboard a Chinese junk on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour. 

HKCR are ranked 16th, and Brazil is ranked 25th and is also making their debut in the WXV. The two national women’s teams have never met in a Test.

Hong Kong China last played in May in the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship, while the As Yaras have had 6 competitive uncapped fixtures to prepare for the WXV Global Series Challenger tournament in Hong Kong.

Brazil beat a touring SA Women’s Rugby A team twice, 34-12 and 29-19. This followed the Brazil Women XV back-to-back wins over Colombia Women XV (32-20 & 19-12), and a drawn series with the USA Falcons (winning 14-12 and losing 7-19). The South Americans made their RWC debut in England in 2025 and have several RWC veterans in the squad, as well as names you might have seen on the HSBC SVNS Series.

Photo Credit – Brasil Rugby – Brazil vs SA A

The 28-player touring squad includes 16 players who competed in the World Cup, and 11 have Olympic Games rugby 7s experience.

Head Coach Guilherme Coghetto, the former capped Brazilian international who was appointed in May of this year, was also part of the coaching setup for the RWC 2025, and he has built depth too. 

He said before the team left, “The tournament in Hong Kong is another important step in building the group that will seek qualification for our second World Cup appearance in the future. We are aiming for the group’s evolution towards the 2029 World Cup.

We don’t think about results, we think about the evolution of our game. That’s what really counts. We know we have good chances of winning these matches, but the final result is not the most important thing. What matters is that we evolve.”

He said of the challenges in facing Hong Kong China:

“The first challenge, which was adapting to the time zone, and the group is doing well. The second challenge is facing the home team, which will have the support of the fans and will be a strong opponent. We know that Hong Kong China has prepared well and we are preparing well for this challenge. We want a solid performance, taking advantage of the good performance we had in the preparatory games.”

He added, “We want to start well, since we are facing the home team, Hong Kong China. We expect a difficult game, with the stands packed. We want to put on a great performance, showing our strong scrum, our reliable line-up, and our ability to conquer the advantage line. We want to play the Yaras style and surprise the fans.”

Some of the key players will be Raquel Kochann and veteran scrum-half Luiza Campos, who captains the team, but the As Yaras have also blooded more than a dozen players this year.

Gisele Gomes dos Santos will make her debut, and although listed as scrum-half by Brasil Rugby, will start at flyhalf. Among the replacements, Juliana Maria da Silva could also make her debut.

Photo Credit – Brasil Rugby – Brazil scrum-half & captain Luiza Campos

Hong Kong China also have new talent at their disposal as well as key experienced players, but the absence of their formidable 7s players will be a loss.

When we spoke to front-row forwards Kea Herewini, she said of the opposition on the opening weekend, “Brazil, we have absolutely no idea what they’re going to be like because we’ve never played them before. We’re just assuming they’re going to be fast, but we might be more physical.”

There certainly has been plenty of footage online this year for the staff to assess since we spoke.

HKCR Lead Coach Tumua Ioane commented, “We’re really happy with the group. We’ve got some experienced players returning who weren’t involved in the Asian championships, and also some of our sevens players like Pun Wai Yan, who captained at the ARC in 2025, and getting our players in from overseas like Chloe Baltazar and the Lynam sisters is big for us.

We have four debutants mixed in with some experience and some seasoned players, and everyone is ready to go.”

Three of the players are set to debut against Brazil: Ella Lynam on the right wing (with her sister Sabay at fullback), with Rosie Down and Shek Ching Yi both among the replacements.

Scrumhalf Rosie Down said, “I’m super excited to hopefully make my debut this weekend, as it’s been a pretty long journey for me to get to this point. I had a couple of really bad injuries over the past year and a bit, which I’ve overcome.

To be able to finally put on that Hong Kong China Rugby jersey is just a dream come true, really, and for it to happen in the WXV and at home is such an amazing opportunity,” added Rosie Down.

Ioane said of Brazil, “It’s no surprise in terms of what we’re in for against the three teams that we’re playing. All three packs, and even their backs, are big physical types, but also quite athletic as well.

There will always be challenges for us getting enough fixtures, one to challenge ourselves and see where we are, and to develop the group and the best way to do that is against good competition like this. Brazil are going to be tough up front. They play direct, so it’s just about rolling the sleeves up against them.”

Laura Schats starts at fly-half and is co-captain, with inside centre Jasmine Fung Hoi Ching, the other co-captain. The back row looks strong too, with 7s crossover PY Pun Wai Yan at 8, Jenna Potgieter and centre convert Gracie Hood at flanks.

Isobel Littlehailes, Jenna Potgieter, Kirstie Stevenson (in the starting XV), and Lauren Knowler in the reserves all made their debut in May.

The fly-half’s dad, Pieter Schats, represented Natal in South Africa and played for Hong Kong, and even captained the national team before becoming the chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Union. Starting prop Kea Herewini, and second-row Roshini Turner (who has been at Saracens the past year) also both have fathers who represented the Hong Kong Men’s teams in the past.

Off the bench will come a strong front row to add impact, including two of the most experienced players in the squad, props Tammy Lau Nga Wun and Lee Ka Shun, as well as hooker Fion Got.

The matchday 23 includes 7 players each from HKFC & Gai Wu, 6 from Valley, 2 from Kowloon and 1 from USRC Tigers.

Photo Credit – HKCR

One of the most experienced players in the HKCR Women’s XV setup, Tammy Lau Nga-wun added, “We haven’t played Brazil before, and it’s very good international exposure to play different kinds of rugby, because we keep playing Japan and Kazakhstan, and need to face other opponents. If you want to improve, you have to play better teams to get better.”

The tournament squad included 5 RWC 2017 veterans, 16 players who played the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championships, and 4 potential debuts.

Match Permutations

• Brazil will jump three places to a new high of 22nd if they win
• Hong Kong China could fall 1 place even if they win, and if the Netherlands beat Samoa by 15 points or fewer.

Hong Kong China Women’s Squad vs Brazil – WXV Global Series Challenger 2026

More of the squad can be seen here from the official HKCR release.

Player (Club)

1 Kirstie STEVENSON (HKFC)
2 Tanya DHAR (Valley)
3 Kea HEREWINI (Valley)
4 Isobel LITTLEHAILES (HKFC)
5 Roshini TURNER (HKFC)
6 Jenna POTGIETER (Kowloon)
7 Grace HOOD (HKFC)
8 PUN Wai Yan (Gai Wu)
9 WAN Tsz Yau (Gai Wu)
10 Lara SCHATS © (Valley)
11 Zoe SMITH (Valley)
12 FUNG Hoi Ching © (Gai Wu)
13 Abigail CHAN (Valley)
14 Ella LYNAM (Valley)*
15 Sabay LYNAM (Kowloon)
16 Fion GOT (HKFC)
17 LAU Nga Wun (Gai Wu)
18 LEE Ka Shun (Gai Wu)
19 CHOW Mei Nam (Gai Wu)
20 SIU Wing Ni Winnie (USRC Tigers)
21 Rosanna DOWN (HKFC)*
22 Lauren KNOWLER (HKFC)
23 SHEK Ching Yi (Gai Wu)*

* debut in 15s

Brazil Squad vs Hong Kong China – WXV Global Series Challenger 2026

Match Officials

• Referee: Hibiki Ikeda (JRFU)
• Assistant Referee 1: Emma Gallagher (RC)
• Assistant Referee 2: Giana Viljoen (SARU)
• TMO: Julien Castaignede (FFR)

How To Watch WXV Global Series Challenger 2026

Depending on your region, all matches should be available on RugbyPassTV. In Brazil, matches will also be available on ESPN Brasil & Disney+.

WXV Rugby News

• Hong Kong China Rugby Announce WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 Squad.
• HKCR Women’s XV – WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 – “We want something we can be proud of”.
• 2026 WXV Global Series – Fixtures Confirmed.
• Match Official Appointments for 2026 WXV Global Series and Challenger Confirmed.