Hrstich ‘super, super proud' as Hong Kong men make Rugby World Cup history
A 70-22 victory over South Korea sealed a sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men's Championship title and booked a spot at the global tournament in Australia in 2027.
Three years ago, Hong Kong escaped with a narrow 23-21 victory, thanks to Gregor McNeish's final kick of the game. This time, they had run in three tries midway through the first half and were 39 points clear at the break.
Not for the first time, a dominant forward performance was the bedrock for the victory, and it was no coincidence that the pack scored six of the tries.
Alex Post and Josh Hrstich each bagged a brace, while James Sawyer and Luke van der Smit each added one of their own. The backs, meanwhile, had Matt Worley, Paul Altier, Harry Sayers and Max Denmark crossing the line.
Paul Altier works his way through the South Korea defence. Photo: HKCR
'It's pretty overwhelming to be honest,' Hrstich, the Hong Kong captain, said. 'Just super, super proud of our playing group, our management, coaching staff and people behind the scenes. There's a lot that goes into making a team successful.
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