The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament concluded over the weekend with a double win for New Zealand, whose women’s and men’s teams both defended their titles in a gripping three days of sport.
Crowd favourites Hong Kong also did well, with the local women’s squad coming second to mainland China in the Melrose Cup, and the men defeating Japan in the finals of the same competition.
The three-day tournament is the last one that will be held at the Hong Kong Stadium. After 42 years at the venue, the Sevens will move to the Kai Tak Sports Park next year – a much bigger facility currently being built on the site of Hong Kong’s old airport.
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World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin told the South China Morning Post that the tournament was “the jewel in the crown” of sevens rugby – a shorter form of the game, with 7 instead of 15 players, that emphasises explosive speed and aggressive attacking play. “We’ve seen some amazing rugby, particularly over the past couple of days here,” he told the Post.
The mostly unsettled weather, and rain on the tournament’s final day, failed to dampen the spirits of the famously boisterous crowd, around 40 percent of whom travelled to Hong Kong specially for the event.
Live music performances by famed reggae ensemble the Wailers, and Journey frontman Arnel Pineda, added to the exuberant atmosphere.
