SEPtEmBER 2015 BCBusiness 71
it's late saturday afternoon on day two
of the Hong Kong Sevens—an iconic
global rugby tournament celebrating
its 40th anniversary—and I'm watching
my hometown team, Canada, face off
against the powerhouse squad from Fiji
(winners of 14 of the past 39 tournament
cups). Canada has managed to squeak
into Pool A of the tourney, but this
game is a blowout: after 14 minutes, it's
45-to-nil.
Rugby Sevens is the fun and fast
version of rugby union, with only
seven players lining up for each team
(compared to 15 for the full version)
and matches lasting just 14 minutes (20
minutes for the final). Still, here in the
52-year-old Hong Kong Stadium, steps
from tony Causeway Bay, most of the
estimated 40,000 fans are not watching
the action on the field, whatever their
allegiances, and whichever rotating
cast of 28 countries are pairing off in
competition. No, all eyes are trained
on the action in the stands, and
particularly the sun-drenched and
alcohol-soaked 18-plus South Stands,
where nationals from Australia, Canada,
the U.S., Mexico, Portugal and beyond—
dressed as cavemen and cavewomen,
hula girls and naughty nuns, cans of soy
sauce and '80s rockers ZZ Top—sing,
dance and, with some regularity, fall
flat on their faces.
The Hong Kong Sevens is stop
number six on the 10-city World Rugby
Drinking,
Dancing
(and Rugby)
W
Photo CoURtESY oF PowER SPoRt ImagES FoR hKRFU
T r a v e l
The Rugby Sevens—coming
to Vancouver, and Canada,
for the first time next year—
are a raucous good time,
as the flagship Hong Kong
tournament proves
by Matt O'Grady
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 15
O
ou t of office
INSIDE
uwe Boll's Bauhaus ... Getting schooled on booze ... top 100 photos + Lunch with Geoff Plant
"My mom is the best host ever. She will
want to know your likes and dislikes long
before you get there. She'll have five salad
dressings just so you have the right one"
–p.77
ROWDY CROWD
Fans at the 40th Hong Kong
Sevens at the Hong Kong
Stadium are almost as
entertaining as the players
