Hong Kong China Drawn With Australia and New Zealand

Hong Kong China will make their first appearance at a Rugby World Cup next year, drawn into Pool A alongside Australia and New Zealand after the tournament's expansion to 24 teams. The Asian qualifiers sit 24th in the world rankings.

Full-back Paul Altier was watching Sunday's 42-38 win for Australia over South Africa in a London pub when talk turned to the pool draw awaiting him in 2027.

Several of his Hong Kong team-mates grew up in South Africa or New Zealand before qualifying for the squad through residency, a mix that made the pub gathering feel closer to home than a neutral crowd watching from London.

«We’ve got a few South Africans and Kiwis in our squad... we’re more used to watching it as fans. Talking about it genuinely gives me goosebumps, even in 30-degree heat,».

Australia host the tournament from 1 October 2027, opening at the same stadium on the Swan River in Perth where the Wallabies beat the world champion Springboks at the weekend. A repeat of that form under Les Kiss would sharpen the stakes in Pool A, where England and New Zealand are also mapped into the draw depending on how the group plays out.

For Altier, the draw pairs Hong Kong's World Cup debut with the tournament's opening fixture against the hosts. New Zealand's presence in the same pool raises the possibility of a first meeting with the All Blacks further into the campaign.