AFP - Hong Kong launched their bid for an automatic World Cup qualifying berth Saturday, thumping South Korea 32-8 in the opening clash of the 2010 Asian Five Nations.

With a place at rugby's showpiece in New Zealand next year on offer to the winner of this year's elite Asian championship, the home side made a tentative start at Hong Kong Football Club, set amid the territory's skyscrapers.

They trailed 8-0 early in the first half after a South Korean penalty and unconverted try to Choi Si-Won as the visitors dominated the opening stages.

But after weathering the early pressure Hong Kong came back strongly as the visitors tired, going into the break with a 10-8 lead after a converted try to lock Nigel Clarke and a penalty to Keith Robertson.

In the second half it was one-way traffic as the home side made their superior fitness count with South Korea flagging in the heat.

Midway through the second half outside half Robertson wriggled through to score under the posts and there was another score for Clarke before Tom McQueen went over for Hong Kong's fourth.

Alex McQueen added a late penalty to set the seal on the victory.

"It was a shaky start for us but even in the first 10 minutes they only really had our scraps. But we put ourselves under pressure. We spilt a couple of balls we shouldn't have," said Hong Kong skipper Simon Leung.

"I think it's a case of belief. We stood off them in the first 10-15 minutes. There's that aura around South Korea. We haven't beaten them many times," Coach Dai Rees said.

"It was a superb all-round performance in the end and we controlled the game," he added.

"The World Cup dream lives on. I dream of being there as a coach for Hong Kong and I know a lot of the guys do. I think it is a reality. If we can win the next two games and go into the Japan game who knows?"

It was sweet revenge for 39th-ranked Hong Kong, who lost 36-34 to South Korea last year despite a stirring comeback.

Disappointed Korean coach Kim Myung-Joo said the defeat meant qualification for the World Cup would now be difficult.

"It was a very difficult game. Preparation was really short," he said.

"There's only improvement as the series goes on and well done to Hong Kong as they really prepared well. They were deserved winners."

Kazakhstan are due to play the Arabian Gulf in Almaty later Saturday.

The winner of the Five Nations will go into World Cup Pool A alongside New Zealand, France, Tonga and Canada while the runners-up will go into a play-off process starting with a match against Uruguay in July.

Japan, not playing on the opening weekend of the tournament, are the hot favourites to seize the automatic World Cup spot, coming into the 2010 tournament with a 100 percent record since the Five Nations was launched in 2008.