TOURNAMENT BIDS A STUNNING GOODBYE TO SPIRITUAL HOME
Chief Executive John Lee hails rugby event as showcase for ‘vibrant and dynamic side of the city’
The Hong Kong Sevens closed in a barrage of fireworks and confetti yesterday, as New Zealand’s men and women successfully defended their titles and a sell-out crowd sung themselves hoarse for the final time at the sport’s spiritual home.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said this weekend’s rugby tournament at Hong Kong Stadium – its home in various guises since 1982 – had taken on a “special significance”, with the event expected to move to Kai Tak Sports Park next year.
In a Facebook post, Lee called the sevens a showcase for “the vibrant and dynamic side of the city to the world, solidifying its reputation as a city of major events”.
And while he highlighted the “tangible economic benefits” to the city from a tournament that brought in thousands of overseas visitors, he also got to witness the reason the Hong Kong Sevens is considered the best in the world in a sporting sense.
A smiling Lee was on hand to present the trophy to the All Blacks, who have a Chinese connection through squad member Tonge Ng Shui, after their gripping 10-7 victory over France, and so experienced an electric atmosphere that would not have been out of place at any world-class sporting occasion.
New Zealand’s women were more emphatic in their 36-7 win over the USA, which player of the match Michaela Blyde, who ran in a hat-trick of tries, called “really special”.
The home fans had plenty to shout about too, with Hong Kong’s men, powered by Fong Kit-fung, comfortably beating Japan 22-10 to win their Melrose Claymore competition.
While the city’s women lost 24-10 to China, a result greeted by a predictable chorus of boos, their performances over the three days will have won them a new generation of fans.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yunhung was among the dignitaries, politicians and business leaders who attended, and in a Facebook post he called the event “a beautiful business card for Hong Kong”.
Yeung was also taken by the costumes and entertainment on hand, which consisted yesterday of an energetic set by Journey frontman Arnel Pineda.
Organisers said some 101,000 people had passed through the gates over the course of the three days, and businesses in the area reported a 40 per cent increase in revenue as a result.
And by the time the 34,443 people who attended yesterday’s matches arrived, most of the official merchandise had long since been sold, with the Hong Kong rep for manufacturer Kukari saying “sales have been very positive, better than 2023”.
Of the tickets sold, around 42 per cent were said to have gone to overseas buyers, a figure World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin called incredible and something that only emphasised the city’s position as “the jewel in the crown of sevens”.
“There has never been a bigger year for sevens, it has been a really exciting reset for the series, and we’ve seen some amazing rugby, particularly over the past couple of days here,” he said.
Evidence, if it were needed, of Hong Kong’s importance to the sport will be available next month when the final leg of the regular season is held in Singapore.
Crowds in the city state have traditionally been on the small side in comparison, while the raucous atmosphere created by a South Stand that all the players love is unheard of.
Australia’s Madison Ashby, who helped her side come third, echoed many when she said “the crowd here is one of the best in the world, so I love playing here”.
During a press briefing yesterday, Gilpin said the “amazing weekend” had proved Hong Kong was “definitely back”.
And after a day when the final was preceded by a rousing rendition of “La Marseillaise”, Gilpin said the challenge was “how do we take the buzz to what will be a spectacular new stadium”.
Not everyone is convinced they can, of course, but Oliver Lopez, a university student from Australia who was born in Hong Kong and first came to the Sevens as a baby, was among those who recognised the need for the move because “this place is too small and only has 40,000 seats”.
Fiji fan Andrew Lupton, who believed he had only missed four events since his first Hong Kong Sevens in 1992, said his best experiences were when he watched Fiji with their “skilful, amazing, free passing”.
The 60-year-old from Scotland said he would miss the convenience of being able to walk to Wan Chai or Causeway Bay for shops and drinks after watching the action, but he was ready for a “different experience”.
“We’ll have to probably take the train across [after they move to Kai Tak], I don’t know if there’s going to be a village or whatever around the new stadium, so I’ll miss walking to Wan Chai to carry on having a beer,” he added.
Chris Brooke, the Hong Kong China Rugby chairman, said while it had been “excellent to welcome so many of our international visitors back to Hong Kong”, the “fantastic weekend” held importance beyond that.
“We fund all of our programmes from the surplus we generate from the Sevens, so it’s absolutely critical for us to have such a successful three days to reinvest into the game in Hong Kong,” he said.
Fans cheered, laughed and celebrated with gusto, although not without a tinge of sadness, as the final whistle blew on the Hong Kong Stadium hosting the rugby Sevens after more than 40 years yesterday.
They recalled some of their favourite memories forged over the years, attending the tournament wearing outrageous costumes, cheering on their teams surrounded by friends, colleagues or family, sometimes amid sunshine, other years drenched with rain.
While some felt bittersweet about next year’s move of the tournament from the 40,000-seat stadium in Causeway Bay to the Kai Tak Sports Park, which can hold an additional 10,000 fans, others expressed hope the larger venue with better facilities could build its own sense of tradition.
Oliver Lopez, a 19-year-old Hong Kong native studying in Australia, said his parents first took him to the stadium to watch the Sevens when he was just one year old.
“It’s nostalgic to watch the Sevens at the stadium,” said Lopez, who moved to Australia when he was 12. “The new place can hold more sports events and music concerts. Saying goodbye to something you’re familiar with your whole life is hard. But this place is too small and only has 40,000 seats. Whenever there is a major event, the nearby traffic is always chaotic.”
Zero Ling Ting-man, the 42-year-old vice-chairman of the Sha Tin Shapei Rugby Football Club, came with his teammates to watch the tournament one last time in the South Stand, where fans traditionally show off their creativity by dressing up in comical costumes.
The stand was packed yesterday, with the attire ranging from floral shirts to Marvel superheroes, prisoner uniforms and outfits inspired by the Street Fighter video games. Some braved the heat by wearing thick Teletubbies costumes and headpieces.
“The seats are almost full unlike last year and people are having a good time,” Ling said. “I can’t ask for more, just to enjoy the moment with all rugby lovers from around the world. The vibe here at Hong Kong Stadium is one of a kind.”
But Ling, who attended his first Sevens matches at the venue as a teenager, said he was not worried about the move to Kai Tak as it was all about the sport.
But the government should do more to prepare for the event and the crowds, he said.
“As long as sports maintain their cohesion and continue to attract people from around the world, Hong Kong will be able to offer them the joy of enjoying sports. But the government only has a year to get everything ready, like the hotels, transportation networks and of course, bars and restaurants.”
Sam Yau Wai-yeung, a 35-yearold IT consultant attending the matches with his two boys aged six and four, expressed hope the government would make full use of the new venue in Kai Tak by hosting all types of events.
“Hong Kong Stadium has mainly been used for local football matches and rugby events. The new venue needs to be more diverse. Investing more in new infrastructure for various purposes is a good thing, but it cannot be a white elephant,” Yau said.
I can’t ask for more, just to enjoy the moment with all rugby lovers from around the world
ZERO LING, OF THE SHA TIN SHAPEI RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“That said, the government needs to focus on improving the facilities near the Kai Tak Sports Park within a year, including hotels, restaurants and traffic management, in order to accommodate the influx of rugby tourists next year.”
Rod Lerwell, 55, a businessman from South Wales in the United Kingdom who came to the city just to watch the three-day tournament, said he was not worried the Sevens vibes would diminish just because of a switch of venues.
“People come here for the rugby games. Hong Kong Stadium may be nostalgic to many, but rugby fans can build a new tradition and a new vibe,” Lerwell said.
Tarau Savou, a 17-year-old student from Fiji who had gone to the Hong Kong Sevens with her family and friends every year since she was 11, said she was sad the tournament was moving homes.
“Because we’re used to being here and we would always want to sit on the north side to support our team. I’m not sure. I haven’t seen the other place yet,” she said. “So I hope the vibes are still the same.”