The Asian champions, Hong Kong China, left it late but secured their first win of the Nations Cup 2026 and left South America on a positive note after Paul Altier slotted the game-winning penalty in the 81st minute at Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, in Uruguay.
Hong Kong China came from 13-26 behind at half-time to defeat the higher-ranked Los Terros and scored 29 points in the second half.
The side again had discipline issues following the cards fiasco against Chile; Lachlan Doheny was handed a yellow card in the first half (following two in the previous match), and Max Threlkeld had one late in the game.
Uruguay have also had their issues with yellow cards, and conceded two late in the loss, and both teams conceded tries while being a player down.
Hong Kong China scored 5 tries in the win (including a penalty try), while Joaquin Myszka scored three of Uruguay’s six tries in defeat. This result for HKCR follows defeats to Samoa and Chile in the first edition of the Nations Cup.
Matt Worley scored his 18th try for Hong Kong China while hooker Alex Post’s try in the first half meant he became the HKCR record try scorer for Men’s XV, overtaking Salom Yiu.
Photo Credit – HKCR
Hong Kong China came back strongly in the second period to lead 39-33 before they were down to 14 men and Uruguay scored a converted try. But Paul Altier was then taken out in the air, and the Uruguay player was sent to the sin bin – Altier slotted the ensuing penalty from 40 metres, for the 42-40 win.
HKCR Men’s XV Head Coach Logan Asplin said, “(Altier) has been one of the standouts of the tour. He showed some massive courage to not only win that penalty in contact in the air, but then to kick the points.
I speak to Paul often about how I love his competitiveness and how he steps up in big moments like that. He is one hell of an individual, not only as a player, but as a competitor and as a man. He is a guy we obviously value really deeply in our group. He has had an amazing tour off the boot, but also with his contributions around the field and creating for others. He is going to be a massive piece for us to build around heading into the World Cup.”
Photo Credit – HKCR – Captain Josh Hrstich – Nations Cup 2026
Hong Kong China Rugby captain Josh Hrstich, who earlier this year had appendicitis surgery but made a recovery to start against Chile last week and again captained the team in Montevideo, said, “We are delighted. It has been a tough few weeks for us, searching for that performance that we can really hang our hats on and show the rugby world what we can do.
There were questions about who we are and whether we deserve to be here, and I think today we showed the world that we are a team to be reckoned with when we turn up,” added Hrstich.
Logan Asplin explained, “I had a really good feeling about today. We had a good edge coming in. Would I have liked to have that last 15 minutes of the first half? Probably not, but it is one thing to go out into a lead, and it is another thing to be able to chase it and to show that we can play from behind as well as play from in front.
As a holistic response, this one is the biggest in Hong Kong China Rugby history and it is really important that we celebrate that.
To take the 17th-ranked team in the world down on their home pitch is something we talked about coming in. We are massively proud: To be in week four of a tour, and in the third of three high pressure games, and to produce a performance like that, and with the character shown to be able to bounce back from deficit, I am just incredibly proud of our resilience, physicality, and how the boys put Uruguay under pressure, against a team that have been to multiple World Cups playing their third game at home.”
Asplin has used 31 players in the three Nations Cup matches to date, with the second half of the tournament match details still to be confirmed. Ten of the squad featured in all three matches; Pierce Mackinlay-West, Kyle Sullivan, Rory Cinnamond, Sunia Fameitau, Jack Combes, Matteo Avitabile, Paul Altier, Max Threlkeld, Marcus Ramage and Matt Worley – for us, Altier has been the player of the tour – he scored 15 points with the boot in the win.
Of the Nations Cup tour, Asplin commented, “To play three consecutive big tests plus travel plus be away, you learn a lot about people, and I have loved the calmness in our approach this week.
I want to be a team that is hard to beat, a team that is hard to put away, and a team that is hard to play against, and I think today we really showed that. I am proud of who we are, and I think Hong Kong and China can be proud as well.”
Hong Kong China Points Scorers:
- Tries: Alexander Post (21′), Matthew Worley (46′), Marcus Ramage (59′), Penalty Try (66′) Brendon Nell (68′)
- Conversions: Paul Altier (22′, 47′, 60′)
- Penalties: Paul Altier (15′, 24′, 81′)
