Hong Kong is set to stage the first Asian official women rugby tournament - Asian Region Women's Rugby Championship, from March 23 to 24, it was announced by Asian Rugby Football Union here Tuesday.

Six invited Asian teams, that is, Japan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Thailand, Arabian Gulf and host Hong Kong, China, have confirmed their entries into the tournament.

Co-organizers Hong Kong Women's Rugby and Hong Kong Rugby Football Union said six other teams from other continents will participate the third Hong Kong Women's Rugby Sevens (HKWRS) at the same time.

The six teams are defending champion New Zealand, United States, the Netherlands, Australia, Wales and Samoa. The 1999 "Encyclopedia of Rugby Union" has classified HKWRS as the "Women's World Sevens Competition," while New Zealand is regarded as women's world sevens champions on the strength of their victories in Hong Kong in 1997 and 1999.