WXV 3: Second round team news as Hong Kong China make two changes

The Sevens Stadium hosts the second round of WXV 3 this weekend as the competition for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification heats up.

Madagascar and Hong Kong China get the action underway in the United Arab Emirates at 19:00 local time (GMT+4) on Friday, before Fiji take on Samoa and the Netherlands face Spain on Saturday.

All the matches are available to stream live and for free via RugbyPass TV, where there is not a local broadcast deal in place.

Get all the team news for the second round of WXV 3 matches below as and when it drops.

Madagascar v Hong Kong China

Georgia Rivers and Zoe Smith have been drafted into the Hong Kong China line-up for their first ever match against Madagascar on Friday.

Smith kicked two conversions and a penalty to help her side to the 22-0 victory against Kazakhstan that confirmed their place in Dubai.

And having appeared as a second-half replacement in Hong Kong China’s opening defeat to Fiji, she has been given the nod on the left wing with Lucia Bolton dropping out of the squad.

The other change is also in the backs as Rivers is handed her first test start in the number 10 jersey and Fung Hoi-Ching, who kicked her side’s only points against Fijiana, is named among the replacements.

On the bench, prop Chan Hiu Tung and second row Chow Mei Nam could make their first appearances of the tournament.

Madagascar: TBC

Hong Kong China: 15. Sabay Lynam, 14. Chong Ka Yan, 13. Natasha Olson-Thorne, 12. Gabriella Rivers, 11. Zoe Smith, 10. Georgia Rivers, 9. Jessica Ho, 1. Lau Nga Wun, 2. Tanya Dhar, 3. Kea Herewini, 4. Roshini Turner, 5. Micayla Baltazar, 6. Pun Wai Yan (captain), 7. Chan Tsz Ching, 8. Shanna Forrest.

Replacements: 16. Fion Got, 17. Chan Hiu Tung, 18. Lee Ka Shun, 19. Chloe Baltazar, 20. Chow Mei Nam, 21. Wan Tsz Yau, 22. Fung Hoi-Ching, 23. Uematsu Haruka.