A 39-woman squad has been chosen by Hong Kong head coach Royce Chan Leong-sze for the two-match rugby Test series against Kazakhstan beginning tomorrow.
Prop Lee Ka-shun, the city's most-capped player with 26, and 25-Test veteran Natasha Olson-Thorne lead the squad for the women's first Test since a November 2019 tour of the Netherlands.
Twenty-three players will be named for each game, with Hong Kong facing Kazakhstan tomorrow at Siu Sai Wan stadium and on December 17 at Hong Kong Football Club.
A group of 15 players are in line for their first caps.
Twelve of the touring squad to the Netherlands have been called up again, including forward Roshini Turner and sevens star Vivian Poon Hoi-yan. Poon is one of 11 sevens players making themselves available despite playing the Asia Rugby Sevens Series a fortnight ago.
Kazakhstan are also expected to draw heavily from their sevens team. They finished in fifth place, one spot behind Hong Kong, in the Asian series.
The home squad also includes returning players from Hong Kong's historic first appearance at a 15-a-side World Cup - forwards Wong Yuen-shan, Lee Ka-shun, Agnes Chan, Tsang Sin-yan, Winnie Siu Wing-ni and Iris Lam Tim-yeung and backs Olson-Thorne and Lee Sze-ting.
Kea Herewini joins Turner as second-generation international representatives.
Herewini is the daughter of former Hong Kong prop and Valley stalwart Dean Herewini. Turner is the daughter of Hong Kong-capped player Mark Turner.
Both could figure heavily in the forwards for Hong Kong in what is typically a physical battle against Kazakhstan and with first-choice front rowers like Karen So, Jasmine Cheung and Tammy Lau Nga-wun all stepping down.
Royce Chan
Roshini Turner
