Hong Kong Sevens

Before the Sevens, I did some wandering around Wanchai and watched the firing of the Jardine Noon Day Gun once more. It IS a big bang!

The weather stayed dry, although a little cool on the first two days, but brightened to a sunny finale on the Sunday. Gulliver's treated us to free drinks for an hour before the tournament began on Friday and maximum use was made of that for starters! The early pool matches were the typically one-side affairs with high scores to the pool leaders while playing those at the bottom. Throughout the Saturday, more even matches were experienced and the new format on Sunday now ends in 4 finals, with the losers of the Cup Quarter Finals competing for a new competition, the Plate. Some thrillingly tight games were had with leads changing by the minute at times. Disappointments came, of course, for some on the final day, but the real thriller was Hong Kong first beating World Champions Wales in a pool match before going on, with huge crowd support, to win the Shield against Russia, 19-17. Canada fairly comfortable beat Wales in the Bowl final 35-19. Australia spoiled South Africa's party in the Plate to win by just 12-5. Both England and Fiji were knocked out of Cup semi-finals by narrow margins, by Samoa and New Zealand respectively, before Samoa went on to beat NZ 24-21 in a great and tense final, with both teams having a player off for yellow cards at one stage.

The atmosphere of the stadium was every bit typical of the event - carnival, party, lots of costumes in the South Stand and elsewhere, plus a widespread generally good spirit despite the tendency of overindulgence on the part of most. It always amazes me that so much can be consumed by so many with so little trouble, a tribute to rugby maybe?

No streakers appeared, for fear of arrest, but a few pitch invaders succeeded, including one who managed to evade security and climb onto the crossbar of one set of posts. I met up with some old friends from the past and met some new ones for the future. All in all, a great Sevens!