Hong Kong name 28 for two-test tour of Kenya

What you need to know:

  • Hong Kong coach Leigh Jones on Saturday named a 28-man squad for their tour of Kenya.
  • The Dragons, who are scheduled to arrive in Nairobi on Friday, will face off against the Simbas on August 20 and August 26.
  • Both matches will be played at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa grounds.

Hong Kong coach Leigh Jones on Saturday named a 28-man squad for their tour of Kenya.

The Dragons, who are scheduled to arrive in Nairobi on Friday, will face off against the Simbas on August 20 and August 26.

Both matches will be played at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa grounds.

The squad includes Liam Owens, Matt Roslee and Mike Parfitt who all earned their first caps in last year’s 34-10 loss to Simbas in Nairobi. Others that played in last year’s test are Alex Ng Wai Shing, Ben Higgins, Fin Field, Jack Parfitt, Jamie Tsang, skipper Nick Hewson, Tyler Spitz and Tony Wong Ho – Yeung.

Hong Kong are ranked 24th in the world, two places ahead of Kenya who are placed 26th. Both teams will be using the test matches as part of their preparations for the 2019 World Cup qualifiers.

The global finals will be held in Japan.

Kenya just missed out on qualifying for the 2015 competition.

Simbas under the tutelage of South African Jerome Parawater resumed training on July 29 at the RFUEA grounds before breaking on Monday, and are expected back on Monday at the same venue.

Kenya finished second in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup behind champions Namibia who topped with 25 points after winning all their matches. Other nations that participated in the Gold Cup were Zimbabwe, Uganda, Senegal and Tunisia.

Advance tickets will cost Sh400 (regular) and Sh1000 (VIP) with entrance at the gate pegged at Sh500. Tickets go on sale on Saturday.

Former South Africa Sevens and Western Province speedster Egon Seconds will be the man in charge of the first test

Hong Kong squad to tour Kenya:

Alex Ng Wai Shing, Benjamin Higgins, Callum McFeat Smith, Daniel Barlow, Dayne Jans, Evi Saua, Fin Field, Jack Parfitt, James Christie, James Cunningham, Jamie Tsang, Kyle Sullivan, Lex Rauca, Liam Galleher, Liam Owens, Liam Slatem, Marcus Ramage, Matthew Lamming, Matthew Roslee, Michael Parfitt, Nicholas Hewson, Pierce Mackinlay-West, Robert Keith, Sam Purvis, Sebastien Alfonsi, Thomas Lamobley, Tyler Spitz, Tony Wong Ho-yeung 

Management: Leigh Jones (coach), Andrew Hall, Craig Hammond, Mark Fatialofa (assistant coaches), Luke Davey (strength & conditioning), Chris Davies (analyst), Amanda O’Reilly (physiotherapist), Seth Chan (assistant physiotherapist)