Andrew Douglas, the person who led Hong Kong China’s profitable World Cup marketing campaign, has moved ‘upstairs’ and been changed as head coach by fellow Kiwi Logan Asplin.
Former New Zealand U18s coach Asplin has been concerned within the Hong Kong China teaching setup since 2022, alongside his function as membership teaching officer at Hong Kong Soccer Membership and can now lead the group into the World Cup in 2027 in Australia.
“There will likely be 24 groups on the World Cup, and it’s clearly a privilege for me to be one of many 24 individuals who get to steer a giant teaching and enjoying group there,” mentioned Asplin.
“It’s all most likely come round faster than I’d have ever anticipated, however I delight myself on understanding the gamers very well. We’ve respect that goes each methods between me and the gamers, in addition to the remainder of the administration group.
“I believe pleasure has bought to be the driving a part of our expertise on the World Cup. As coaches, we speak about it not solely being the primary time for the gamers, however the first time for all of us as properly. We’ve bought to go have a good time that and ensure that we make the expertise memorable, and now we have to make ourselves seen as properly.”
Alongside Asplin’s promotion, Lewis Evans will keep as assistant coach, whereas Hong Kong China Rugby are engaged on recruiting a brand new scrum coach to switch Alex Allan, who has returned to the UK.
Douglas, in the meantime, will transition right into a head of technical rugby function. Douglas will oversee a brand new full-time males’s programme, which can embrace a centrally contracted group of gamers. Douglas has primarily fulfilled each roles since approaching board in 2023.
“Logan performed a key function within the Asia Rugby Males’s Championship marketing campaign as a coach, driving our assault and instilling an expansive fashion of play. He’s broadly revered by the teaching workers, enjoying group, and throughout the rugby group in Hong Kong,” mentioned Douglas.
“I consider this transfer is a pure development for Logan and likewise a testomony to the pathway that exists for coaches coming into rugby in Hong Kong. He’ll deliver nice vitality and enthusiasm to his new function, and all of us sit up for seeing him teaching on the World Cup.”
Douglas added: “Since qualifying for the World Cup, now we have already contracted 26 full-time gamers to a programme that’s designed to provide us the very best preparation for the match, with extra set to hitch within the coming months.
“This programme clearly requires a full-time devoted teaching group, which now we have not had in recent times. Lewis Evans will proceed in his function as a full-time coach, and we can even herald a scrum coach and a further S&C coach – and I’m excited to see the group come collectively.”
