This summer, Hong Kong China Rugby qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. For these 3 homegrown players, that was just the nudge they needed to return back to the Club where they grew up, rejoining HKFC Natixis Club as they look to retain the Nan Fung | AIRSIDE Men’s Premiership league title, and go after the Grand Championship they lost to HKU Sandy Bay in March’s Grand Final:
Matt Worley
Position: Wing
Matt moved to Hong Kong aged five and grew up playing rugby at HKFC. In 2015, Natixis’s sponsorship of HKFC allowed a young Matt and fellow teammate Pierce Mackinlay-West to have a two-month trial at the Racing 92 Academy in France, which led on to an academy contract there, a stint at Northampton Saints and six-seasons at English Championship club Bedford Blues where he made over 100 appearances.
During that time, Matt also made his debut for Hong Kong China’s Men’s XV in 2022, has become one of their top try-scorers, and was a key component of their successful Emirates Asia Rugby Championship campaign to qualify for RWC 2027.
Max Murphy
Position: Second Row
Max is making his return to HKFC after 14 years away, also bringing playing experience from the RFU Championship but with Richmond – a club where many HKFC players past and present have also played. Max is also an alumnus of the University of California, Berkeley; where Hong Kong China 7s international and former HKFC player Russell Webb also honed his rugby skills.
A towering presence, the uncapped second-row has jumped right into the newly professional Hong Kong China’s Men’s XV programme and was named in the starting XV that took on Japan A at Kai Tak Stadium.
Callum McFeat-Smith
Position: Prop
Callum McFeat-Smith is another standout returnee, having most recently played for Boroughmir Bears in the Super 6 competition in Scotland and has had training exposure with United Rugby Championship side Glasgow Warriors.
The front-rower returns to HKFC having already received 100 senior caps for the Club and will certainly add plenty of experience to Club’s formidable pack. He also has Hong Kong China Men’s XVs caps having made his test debut against Kenya in 2017.
Together, their returns signal a strong alignment: HKFC’s drive to be a powerhouse in the Nan Fung | AIRSIDE Premiership and Hong Kong China Rugby’s momentum building toward the global stage. We can’t wait to see them back in blue & white at 3 Sports Road!