PUBLISHED ON 03 SEP 2026
The Asia Rugby Emirates U18 7s Championship will take place in Qingdao, China, from 5–6 September 2026. The tournament will feature the brightest youth rugby talent from across Asia, with national teams competing over two days of rapid fire sevens matches.
The U18 Boys Championship will feature two competitive pools. Pool A includes Hong Kong China, Malaysia, India, and Sri Lanka, while Pool B features China, Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan, UAE, and Uzbekistan.
In the U18 Girls Championship, Hong Kong China will be competing in Pool D against India, Malaysia and UAE while Pool C consists of China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka.
Day 1 will see each team play three pool matches, with the top two from each pool advancing to the semi-finals on day 2. The winners will then battle it out in the final.
The Hong Kong China U18 Boys and Girls squads feature several young players already making their mark beyond the junior level. Ryan Schroeder represented Hong Kong China Men in the National Rugby Sevens Series Points Tournament in China a few weeks ago, while captain Floris Kennes has also featured in the men's squad, playing in the LIT 7s series in May. On the girls side, a standout player is Lizzie Stanton, who is Hong Kong's first athlete in the rugby sevens programme to benefit from the ESF partnership with the HKSI, a pioneering initiative designed to support athletes balancing school and full-time rugby. Also returning for her third year is top try scorer Sophie Aranha. Their inclusion highlights the depth of emerging rugby talent and the strength of Hong Kong China's development pathway programme.
Boys Head Coach and Head of the HKSI Junior 7s Academy, Tomos Howells, shared his pre-tournament thoughts on both squads:
“The U18 squads reflect the strength of the HKSI development pathway, with 10 of the 12 players in each squad coming from the academy. The goal for both squads is clear: to get back to the final and do one better. A handful of players have had the chance to join the senior squad for the summer preseason, and it's been great to see them front up and leave a strong impression.”
“Unfortunately, the girls will be without Saidhb Martin and Lea El Asmar due to long-term injuries. While it's a blow, it opens the door for young new players to step up and grab valuable exposure, always one of the most exciting parts of pathway competitions. Players to watch: the Hand twins, Tomos and Huw, they're guaranteed to bring some excitement. And for the girls, Lizzie Stanton and Sophie Aranha will no doubt be linking up for some entertaining 7s.”
“We're genuinely excited for the weekend and looking forward to returning to China after a fantastic experience last year."
Captains Floris Kennes (Boys 7s) and Lizzie Stanton (Girls 7s) also shared their excitement. Kennes said: "We're lucky that the team is more or less the same as last year. We've been training hard together in the junior 7s academy, and I'm confident we can go out there and hopefully get the victory." Stanton added: "Really proud of the girls and how hard they have been training. There are a few new faces and we are all really excited to play together."
Fans will be able to follow the tournament live through Asia Rugby's official streaming platforms on YouTube and Facebook, with fixtures and results available on the Asia Rugby website.
U18 Boys Squad
Sebastian ATKINS; Kota WONG; Louis MCLAUGHLIN; Arthur GRISLAIN; Huw HAND; Tomos HAND; Floris KENNES (C); Logan BELL; Matthew MCQUAE; Oliver PHILLIPS; Ryan SCHROEDER; Harvey WALKER
U18 Boys Team Management
Tomos HOWELLS (Head Coach); Stephen MUTCH (Physiotherapist); Sam BEARD (Team Manager)
U18 Girls Squad
Aleena AZAROVA; Louise LINDSAY; Katie HULBERT; Trinity NG; Bella QUIGLEY; Sara HARRIES; Emily BREMS; Sophie ARANHA; Chiara BAZZONI; Jennica NARAG; Elizabeth STANTON (C); Holly TERREBROOD
U18 Girls Team Management
Christopher MAIZE (Head Coach); Oliver PYLE (Assistant Coach); Pui Yee WONG (Physiotherapist); Sam BEARD (Team Manager)