The women’s 2014-15 rugby season starts tomorrow although you’d be hard pressed to know it as the HK Rugby Football Union website is still showing the games for the 2013-14 season and unlike the men’s season which started last weekend there’s no press releases, no announcements about the new league structure…
bc would have liked to bring you the opening day fixture details unfortunately with the website out of date and email requests to the Union for the fixture schedule going un-answered, we can’t.
It’s a shame because the upcoming season features new teams and big changes to league structure and anticipation is high as the women’s game continues to grow and increase in popularity.
The only game we know of is the debut 15s match for the HKCC Babes who take on HK Scottish at Kings Park. The match kicks-off at 18:00 and entry is free. As bc’s match reports of the Babes pre-season games show, the team has been getting better game by game and should offer a stiff challenge to HK Scottish.
There are lots of others games being played and bc apologises to the players and the fans of the women’s game in Hong Kong that we cannot bring you a full list of the fixtures.
Sadly the disdain the Union has for the women’s game locally is embarrassing but par for the course. The women’s 7s national team played well at the Asian games before losing the bronze medal match. But as the Union never released the details of the women’s squad – only the men’s squad list was released to the media – we have no idea which players were there to fly the flag.
Unfortunately we don’t have any hopes of the Union’s attitude to the women’s game changing, but we are working directly with the clubs and players to try and bring match reports and news to keep fans and players updated.
Good luck to all the teams competing this season, we look forward to some great rugby. And if you’re a fan, come down and watch women’s rugby – the games are fast, skilful and exciting to watch.
The blatant sexual discrimination the HKRFU exhibits towards local women rugby players is an insult to all of them and their commitment to the game, their coaches, HK’s rugby fans and to the thousands of school girls who train and play and dream of representing Hong Kong.