Grit, Glory And Sisterhood: How Women Made Their Mark At HK7s

Hong Kong Sevens brand ambassador Christy Cheng shares how women forged a path in HK7s and how the next generation is carrying the flame.

Rugby has never been a game for the faint-hearted, so it makes perfect sense that women fell in love with it. In Hong Kong, that story stretches back to the mid-1990s, when a pioneering group of women at Hong Kong Football Club first pulled on their boots to play rugby. That founding generation made an immediate impression, earning the Best and Fairest Player award on the international stage in the United States, and announcing to the world that Hong Kong women could not just compete, but inspire. Trailblazers like Ruth Mitchell, Gabriel Lee and Hoty Chan carried that torch through the 1990s and 2000s, building a culture of grit, excellence and sisterhood.

Fast forward to 2026, and the picture is still dazzling. So, ahead of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens this weekend — Friday, 17 to Sunday, 19 April at Kai Tak Stadium — we sat down with Christy Cheng, a former Hong Kong captain, World Cup and Asian Games representative, and now brand ambassador for the HK Sevens. In this interview, we talked legacy, leadership and more, paying tribute to the women who have shaped the game.

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As the brand ambassador for HK7s and one of the faces of women’s rugby in the city, how do you to use this platform to inspire the next generation?

I stand on the shoulders of giants. I was incredibly fortunate to have trailblazers like Ruth Mitchell, Gabriel Lee and Hoty Chan paving the way, showing me exactly what women in Hong Kong rugby could achieve. Now, I feel a deep responsibility to pay that forward.

My goal is to show young girls that there are no “off-limit” spaces for them. I want to give them a window into what the life of a professional athlete actually looks like — the discipline, the grit and the rewards.

Perhaps most importantly, I want to lead by example. Entering my 40s and still competing at the Premiership level is my way of proving that age and expectations are just numbers. Whether it’s on the pitch or in life, I want every young girl to know that if they commit themselves — both physically and mentally — they can shatter any ceiling. If I can still do it, so can they!

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The Hong Kong Sevens is one of the greatest rugby spectacles on earth. What is the atmosphere like playing in front of that crowd?

To be honest, it’s very intense! [laughs] There is a real weight of expectation because you never want to disappoint a home crowd that’s so passionate, so the pressure is definitely there. But I believe that feeling that kind of pressure is a massive privilege — it means what you’re doing truly matters.

The energy in the stadium is like nothing else. My hope for our girls this year is that they really embrace the moment. I want them to soak in every bit of that atmosphere at Kai Tak, turn that crowd energy into their own fuel and remember that they’ve earned their place on that world-class stage.

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You captained the women’s Sevens side from 2015 to 2017, a time when you also balanced your 15s career. What did leading Hong Kong mean to you?

Representing Hong Kong meant the world to me, leading the side was another step up in responsibility. I was very fortunate to have mentors who didn’t just coach me on the pitch, but guided me into becoming the leader the team needed.

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And how did you manage competing in both formats of the game?

In terms of managing both formats, I always believed in being a student of the game. In Hong Kong, there is a tight-knit player pool, and so many of us are required to transition between 7s and 15s. They are very different disciplines and the tactical trends in attack and defence evolve so rapidly. Physical training is a non-negotiable foundation — I found that consistent study, analysing matches and breaking down film was what truly allowed me to keep pace and compete at the highest level in both versions of the sport.

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You have represented Hong Kong in the World Cup, Asian Games and the HK7s. What does pulling on that Hong Kong jersey mean to you, and which moment stands out as the proudest of your career?

Pulling on the Hong Kong jersey has always meant the world to me. It represented more than just selection, it was the ultimate validation of my belief and the effort I had poured into the sport since I first discovered rugby at the age of 21.

The proudest moment of my career was undoubtedly the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens. It was my final Sevens appearance before stepping away to start a family. I knew instinctively that I had reached the sunset of my professional career. Being able to compete at the Hong Kong Stadium with my parents and husband there and surrounded by teammates I’d stood shoulder to shoulder with for years was incredibly moving. To reflect on all those years of representation and close such a defining chapter of my life on that iconic pitch is a memory I carry with immense pride.

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