Homegrown Hong Kong China star Jack Combes admits it would be "a dream come true" if the country of his birth qualified for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia as Asian champions.

The winner of the Asia Rugby Emirates Men's Championship 2025 will make it to the expanded 24-team tournament, which is guaranteed to include at least one new debutant, as neither of the region's last two title contenders – Korea and Hong Kong China – have played in the men's tournament before.

As competition leaders following two bonus-point wins against Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong China are in pole position to win a sixth consecutive Asian title and add their name to the 16 teams who have already confirmed their place in the draw for RWC 2027.

The teams meet at the Incheon Munhak Stadium this Saturday, and it will take a big turnaround of form to stop Hong Kong China joining Japan as Asia's representatives in Australia.

Hong Kong China are on a 12-match winning run against Korea, dating back to a 33-26 loss in 2015 and won last year's fixture 67-7.

"A DREAM COME TRUE"

For Combes, getting over the line and qualifying would mean the world. "If you'd have told me we'd have this opportunity 10-15 years ago, when I was playing for URC Tigers, I wouldn't have believed you," the scrum-half said.

“I know it’s a cliché, but to play in the World Cup would be a dream come true. We are very, very close to achieving something very special."

Combes was born in Hong Kong China, to a mother who is half-Chinese/half-English and a father who is half-Irish/half-English, and was educated in the country until leaving for the renowned rugby establishment, Hartpury College, in the United Kingdom, at the age of 16.

And the prospect of joining his former Hartpury team-mates, Italian internationals Seb Negri and fellow scrum-half Stephen Varney, is tantalisingly close to becoming a reality.

SET-PIECE DOMINANCE

While more noted for their attacking play, Combes credits Hong Kong China's new-found set-piece solidity for helping them get to within touching distance of the biggest achievement of their careers.

As a scrum-half, he is particularly appreciative of the armchair ride he has enjoyed behind the Hong Kong China pack.

"I think the key decider in the two games has been our set-piece dominance. I think our front five and our back row have been outstanding," he said.

"I am personally not used to playing with front-foot ball that often for my club, but to have scrum dominance and to have lineout success and to have driving maul opportunities has been really positive."

Combes grew up playing rugby alongside winger/full-back Matt Worley, who has a phenomenal try-scoring record of 16 tries in 14 tests, including a hat-trick in the recent 78-7 win against Sri Lanka.

The pair of them also made their test debuts together, in a dramatic 23-21 win over Korea in 2022, which was secured with the last play of the game thanks to Gregor McNeish's coolness in front of goal.

DEFINING WIN

"Hopefully, it won't be as close as it was in 2022, coming down to that final kick. But it was special to have made our debuts on the same pitch three years ago," said Worley, who is returning to play his club rugby at Hong Kong Football Club following a successful professional career in England with Northampton and Bedford. 

"That win probably pretty much projected Hong Kong rugby to where it has been for the last couple of years. Had we missed out on that win, we don’t know where we would be in the rugby world. So credit to Gregor for slotting it.

"I really feel like it put us in a good place, and the opportunity we have this coming Saturday is one I don’t think many kids in Hong Kong would have actually dreamt of, so it is pretty special to have that to play for."

For the loser of Saturday's match, the game may not be entirely over, as the competition's runners-up will advance to a play-off against the second-placed team in the Rugby Africa Men's Cup 2025 to decide who progresses to the Final Qualification Tournament.

Currently, the United Arab Emirates are two points adrift of Korea, whom they beat 38-36 in round two, and five behind competition leaders Hong Kong China. UAE take on Sri Lanka in Colombo the day before the big title decider.

Photo: HKRFU