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China Lions

Union	China Rugby Football Association            Bay of Plenty Rugby Union
League(s)	Global Rapid Rugby

The China Lions is a professional rugby union team that was formed in 2020 to compete in the Global Rapid Rugby competition across the Asia-Pacific region. It is a joint venture between the China Rugby Football Association and New Zealand's Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

History

For their first season in 2020 the Lions intended to host three of their home games in China at Shanghai and two in New Zealand at the Rotorua International Stadium. Due to health concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the Lions only played one match in the schedule, a 29–22 away win over the Fijian Latui in Suva.

Records

Head coaches

• Mike Rogers  (2020) 

Captains

• Hugh Blake (2020) 

Squads

China Lions – 2020 Global Rapid Rugby 

• Greg Pleasants-Tate
• Nic Souchon

• Nico Aandewiel
• Haereiti Hetet
• Tevita Mafileo
• Solomona Sakalia
• Tevita Sole
• Apitoni Toia
• Viliami Leo Tosi

• Li Haitao
• Iosefa Maloney-Fiaola
• Ray Tatafu
• Stan van den Hoven

• Hugh Blake (c)
• Kohan Herbert
• Joe Johnston
• Liu Luda
• Hoani Matenga
• Abraham Papali'i
• Gao Yinghao

• Luke Campbell
• Leroy Carter
• Te Aihe Toma

• Dan Hollinshead
• Solofa Silipa
• Dwayne Sweeney

• Joe Johnston
• James Little
• Mathew Skipwith-Garland

• Declan Barnett
• Tyler Campbell
• Dan Changshun
• Fa'asiu Fuatai

• Pryor Collier
• Liam Coombes-Fabling

Notes:

1. The initial 35-man squad was named in March 2020.

Bold denotes player is internationally capped. (c) Denotes team captain. denotes marquee player.

See also

• Rugby union in China

References

1. "China Lions confirmed as the 6th GRR team". Rugby Asia 24/7. 31 January 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020.
2. Savory, Logan (10 March 2020). "Southland Stags to run with China Lions in Global Rapid Rugby competition". Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020.
3. "China Lions complete six-team line-up for Global Rapid Rugby". The Australian. 31 January 2020.
4. Chadwick, Justin (25 February 2020). "Global Rapid Rugby won't travel to China". Yahoo. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020.
5. "China Lions rapid rugby team formed with help of BoP union". Otago Daily Times. 1 February 2020.
6. "All systems go for Global Rapid Rugby". Rapid Rugby. 25 February 2020. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020.
7. "Season One". amazon.aws. Rapid Rugby. 28 February 2020. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020.
8. "Lions surprise Fiji in season-opener". Rapid Rugby. 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
9. ^ "China Lions ready to roar into competition". China Lions Rugby (Press release). 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020.

External links

• China Lions

• Rugby union teams in China
• Rugby union teams in New Zealand
• Global Rapid Rugby teams
• Rugby clubs established in 2020
• Rugby union clubs disestablished in 2020
• 2020 disestablishments in China