Forrest's Brainchild Has Competition
Shanghai based textile billionaire Feng Hua Huang has launched into the current void in competitive options available in Rugby Union in the India Pacific region with a plan and proposed structure of his own.
Mr. Huang who is Hong Kong born and UK educated, has long had an association with Asia Rim Rugby, and has been a substantial backer of the Hong Kong Dragons and is Chairman of the Shanghai Provincial Rugby Union.
He has significant property investments in Melbourne and Sydney Australia, as well as New Zealand, and is a major stakeholder in the Macau gambling industry.
The South China Post reports that Mr. Huang has given his financial backing to a new Asian Rugby Competition to be run between May and October each year and comprised of teams from India (Mumbai Lions) Sri- Lanka, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, American Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, Japan and Australia. He also intends to extend participation to teams from South East Asia and is in negotiation with the Malaysian, Singapore and Thai Rugby Unions.
Amongst the elite Provincial teams he has secured to take part in the new competition are Otago and Hawkes Bay from New Zealand, the Melbourne Rebels from Australia, the Panasonic Wild Knights from Japan and the Hong Kong Dragons. The Beijing connection is believed to be the National Chinese Defense Forces Sporting Association.
It is understood that Star China Media, the most significant player in Chinese television free to air, cable and satellite programming, and in which Mr. Huang has a majority shareholding, has been granted distribution rights to the competition for an as yet undisclosed amount, believed to be in excess of RMB 2,000,000,000. over 6 years.
It is not clear how this International competition will impact on, or be impacted by, the “World Series” competition inaugurated by Australian mining magnate Mr. Andrew Forrest, but Mr. Huang is reported to have told the South China Post that he saw no reason the two competitions could not complement each other and work together to resolve any potential issues, including player eligibility, transfers and remuneration.
From the New China Daily 03/31 /2018 (English Edition)
Correspondent Adrian Gu Xin
Beijing Bureau
