Players of China's national women's rugby team are currently undergoing intense physical training in Panzhihua, southwestern Sichuan Province, preparing for the domestic season starting in May and the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.

The 24 players including five newcomers, were called up on February 10.

Panzhihua is a city with favorable and moderate temperatures, with coaches saying its sub-plateau terrain helps players strengthen their physical abilities, which is crucial for rugby.

"We are taking a training method that fits rugby games," said head coach Lu Zhuan. "It includes improving players' aerobic capacity and cardiopulmonary functions, and also combines with sport-specific practices. We have spent more than one month strengthening our players' physical abilities and have achieved good results according to the recent data. All in all, each of them is fit for the sport in terms of body condition."