The 2011 GFI HKFC Tens kicks off at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley tomorrow and runs until Thursday.

Former player and veteran Tournament Director Graig Wootten gives us his teams-to-watch list.

“There are no easy games anymore” is the warning from Wootten to any team expecting an easy ride through this year’s 24-team field.

Top seeds and last year’s beaten Cup finalists Samurai, the David Campese-led BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians, Frank Hadden’s HSBC Penguins and the always dangerous New Zealand Legends are all out to justify their seedings, but first must make sure they avoid early slip ups with dark horses dotted throughout the field.

Wootten, who played in the GFI HKFC Tens before moving behind the scenes over 15 years ago, has singled out Pool G opponents KIR Club Pyrenees and Wild Titans as potential banana skins. He also warned against underestimating tournament newcomers Niue Wanderers and the Lloyd McDermott Foundation.

“You haven’t got the named Test players coming like Jeremy Guscott because of professionalism, but certainly you have got that next tier down of a large New Zealand and Pacific Island content who are every bit as good as them,” said former centre Wootten. 

Another side singled out by Wootten is the Irish Vikings, who this year boast former England Sevens and 15s international Henry Paul and ex-Gloucester star James Forrester along with a coterie of current and former Singapore internationals.

“Every year it amazes me how competitive even the lowest ranked sides are. Gone are the days of taking it easy, the teams have full training schedules and are so competitive against even the big names. There are no easy games anymore. It gets harder every year.”

The Philippe Carbonneau-led French raiders KIR Club Pyrenees have several recently retired professionals in their ranks and could provide a tricky quarter-final opponent for the second seeded HSBC Penguins on day two, although they must first deal with the Wild Titans, who have bolstered their squad which already contains a handful of German national team players with some South Pacific flair.

“The dark horses for me are the Pyrenees boys, a few years ago they knocked off the Aliens in the pool games,” added Wootten.

“They are playing with the Wild Titans which is the German rugby academy, who are on their third visit. Last year defensively they were superb and lost in the Cup semis to the Penguins by just three points, while this year they have been bolstered by a few Kiwis who should give them the attacking flair that you need in Tens.”

Niue Wanderers have been handed the fifth seed with Wootten expecting a strong mix of strength and pace from the Pacific Islanders. Former Wallabies the Ella brothers, Mark, Gary and Glen, lead the Lloyd McDermott Foundation – a team established to support the development of indigenous youth using sport.

The Lloyd McDermott Foundation are joined in Pool F by the BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians, who are coached by Australia legend Campese, and along with fellow Wallaby great Gregan, boast an all-star line-of current and past international captains and World Cup winners. Their sixth seeding has raised some eyebrows, but their cosmopolitan mix drawn from across the Asia Pacific region must prove they can all work in harmony on their inaugural outing.

Campo returns to Hong Kong with the BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians (Pic: Daily Telegraph)

“On day one the big match up for people to see after they finish work is the David Campese Asia Pacific Baa Baas team against the Ella brothers, who will be coaching the Lloyd McDermott Foundation who will be very handy. Campo versus the Ellas is not a bad match up on day one,” said Wootten.

“The Penguins again look like a strong South Pacific side and their game against the HKRFU Chairman’s X, which is the best of the rest of the guys who don’t make the Hong Kong Sevens team but who want to keep their HSBC Asian 5 Nations hopes alive, should also be good. That’s the last game of the first day.

“Scatterlings coached by Bobby Skinstad could be an unknown quantity, while the Irish Vikings with Henry Paul are a very strong experienced side and the Borneo Eagles won the Darwin Sevens, which is an impressive achievement given the quality of the Kiwi and Fijian sides which play there.”

If the seedings work out, last year’s beaten Cup finalists Samurai will finally get their hands on the trophy which has so far eluded the globe-trotting invitational side, but there is a lot of rugby to be played over a highly anticipated two days at Hong Kong Football Club with no guarantees everything will go to plan.

On Day 1, games start at 11am and continues until 8:35pm

Day 2 sees the action return from 10am until 9pm.

Former England international Lawrence Dallaglio is the official Ambassador of the 2011 HK Tens

Add us on Twitter @BlitzBokke for all the latest from the GFI HKFC Tens

Howzit-HongKong.com was at Repulse Bay today to witness the curtains coming down on the first AirAsia Hong Kong Beach 5s in spectacular style this afternoon.

Escapade 6 Bros and a White Boy (Men’s) and Valley Boom (Women’s) were crowned the Cup champions in front of hundreds of spectators at a custom-built beach rugby venue at Hong Kong’s iconic Repulse Bay.

Escapade 6 Bros and a White Boy defeated University Bachelors 11-1 in a spirited men’s final, with Valley Boom defeating Lost & Found by a margin of 7-0 in the women’s division.

The winning men’s team picked up flights to Phuket courtesy of AirAsia and HK$16,000 (approx. US$2,000), while the women’s champions banked HK$10,000 (US$1,250) and AirAsia flights to Kota Kinabalu.

More than 200 competitors took part in this weekend’s rugby competition, with dozens of mini-ruby players also having the chance to learn from rugby legends including David Campese and Christian Cullen as part of the festivities. However, the inaugural AirAsia Hong Kong Beach 5s was about more than just the rugby.

In addition to the volleyball and rugby, DJs, kids rugby games, instant giveaways and a bucking bronco ride were all part draw for the public.

I attended the event with my son Ethan, who had great fun drawing beach art (strategically) in front of the Pimm’s stall!

With hundreds of competitors and the backing of the world’s best low-cost carrier, AirAsia, the inaugural AirAsia Hong Kong Beach 5s was the region’s biggest beach rugby tournament. The first edition of the two-day event, played the weekend before the famous Hong Kong Sevens, featured men’s and women’s teams contesting the beach version of the game in a five-a-side format with three reserves also on each team.

Beach rugby is an exciting shortened version of the game that is becoming increasingly popular around the world, with major events held in France, Italy and the US to name just a few. At 35 metres by 25 metres, the field is a fraction of the size of a standard rugby pitch, with fewer players on each team, shorter matches and a simplified scoring system making the competition fast paced, entertaining and action packed.

See you at Repulse Bay next year for the Air Asia Hong Kong Beach 5s!

How to mix a Pimm’s…

Ten youngsters from a Laureus-supported project in South Africa are about to undertake the trip of a lifetime as they visit Hong Kong next week.

The ground-breaking exchange will be highlighted by a 2-day visit during which they will be guests at the famous Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament.

Laureus World Sports Academy Member Morné du Plessis, Chairman of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa, will join the young people from the Soweto Schools Rugby Programme (SSRP) who will be sharing experiences and playing rugby with another Laureus-funded project, Operation Breakthrough, in Hong Kong from March 21-26.

The youngsters, who will be lead by Dalisizwe Ndebele, the leader of the Soweto Schools Rugby Programme, will participate in an ideas exchange and discuss how sport in general and rugby in particular can play a positive role in their lives. Other highlights will include:

· A training session with the South Africa team competing in the Hong Kong Sevens, at King’s Park on Wednesday, March 23 (11.00-12.30hrs)

· The chance to meet Laureus Academy Member and All Blacks rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick, who is President of the Asia Pacific Barbarians team which will be playing in the Sevens.

· Meeting members of the Asia Pacific Barbarians team, who are coached by Australian legend David Campese, whose team includes All Blacks Christian Cullen, Rico Gear and Justin Marshall, Australian George Gregan and Samoa ’s Semi Sititi

· Taking part in the International Youth Rugby Tournament at King’s Park along with Operation Breakthrough, Sandy Bay Youth Team, a New Zealand school team, a team from Rwanda and Penguins International Coaches, at King’s Park on Thursday, March 24 (10.00-11.30hrs)

Morné du Plessis (pictured above), former manager of the South African 1995 Rugby World Cup winning team, said:

“This is a great opportunity for the Laureus South Africa Foundation to see how we can develop our projects and provide an even better future for disadvantaged children from our great nation.

The youngsters will have the opportunity to share their experiences and at the same time give Sean Fitzpatrick and myself, as Academy Members, the opportunity to motivate and inspire them.

“With the itinerary that has been fixed up for the youngsters, you can see that this is going to be an unforgettable few days. I am sure they will especially love meeting their fellow countrymen from the South African Sevens team,” added Morné.

A dream meeting with Sean Fitzpatrick & David Campese awaits the Soweto youngsters (Pic: Mike Jansen)

The annual GFI HKFC Tens is generally considered as the tournament that kicks off “Rugby Week” in Hong Kong.

However, as we reported elsewhere, a new tournament was added to an already packed week.  The Hong Kong Beach 5s takes place at Repulse Bay the weekend before the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens (19-20 March 2011).

Despite losing their “title,” organisers of the GFI HKFC Tens have added some of the world’s biggest names as a draw-card to the 2011 tournament. 

* The HSBC Penguins will again be coached by former Scotland coach Frank Hadden.

* Australia Wallaby legend David Campese will coach the Asia Pacific Barbarians in their debut tournament.

* Turning out for the Barbarians will be Australia’s George Gregan and former New Zealand All Blacks Justin Marshall, Christian Cullen and Rico Gear.

* Also At Campese’s disposal will be Apolosi Satala and Viliame Satala, who are no strangers to Hong Kong after helping Fiji win the 2005 Sevens World Cup.

* Other Asia Pacific Barbarians include Timur Mashurov, the current captain of Kazakhstan at both 15s and Sevens, and Japan’s Takuro Miuchi and Samoa’s Semo Sititi who have both captained their countries.

* Former All Black skipper and current Asian Pacific Barbarians Club President Sean Fitzpatrick

* Wallaby legends Glenn, Gary and Mark Ella are the Managers of the Lloyd McDermott Ten, an Australian youth team which supports aboriginal youth through sport.

Asian Pacific Barbarians Chairman Sean Fitzpatrick and coach David Campese (Pic: Mike Jansen)

 Former Springbok captain, the legendary Morne Du Plessis will be the guest-speaker at the annual Sevens Dinner hosted by the Southern African Association in Hong Kong.

Cape Town in the fifties and sixties delivered its fair share of crooners who modelled their music and even their dress sense on famous singers such as Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte, etc.

In a 1992 hit-musical called “Crooners,” well-known producers David Kramer and Taliep Petersen showcased some of the Mother City’s forgotten talent.

One such talent (I’m not sure if he was part of Kramer’s musical) was a singer called Dougie Schrikker. 

Largely unknown even in his own city, Schrikker performed live on the nightclub- and carnival scene around the Cape Flats.  As far as I can remember, he never recorded a album. A quick Google-search doesn’t even return a profile or any pictures of the performer. 

However, about 3 years ago I posted a video featuring an audio-clip of Dougie singing the Frank Sinatra tune ”When I fall in love.”  The clip came from a CD I bought soon after Schrikker’s death in 1998. The hastily put-together CD features a few tracks of Dougie Schikker recorded during a live performance. 

The Victoria Harbour Sundowner Sessions #24: Dougie Schrikker 

Here is the video of Dougie Schrikker set to images of some of Cape Town and South Africa’s musical talents as well as some images of my hometown of the Helderberg:

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Over the next few Sundays, Howzit-HongKong.com will feature a YouTube clip of one (or more) of the musicians and their sounds who have influenced and shaped South African and specifically Cape Town music as part of what we like to call The Victoria Harbour Sundowner Sessions. I am fortunate to be living right next to one of the most stunning working harbours in the world… Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour. I often find myself staring across the Harbour at night, with the lights dimmed and one of my favourite musicians from home over the speakers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do…

Goodnight South Africa,

Mike Jansen

One of the pleasures of watching the action at the Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes is seeing the ball fly over the stands and into the adjacent roads, the roof of the club-house or even the Kowloon Cricket Club pool.  The likelihood of that happening several times over has increased with news that the Australian side has drafted the big-hitting David Warner (pictured right) to their squad.

Left-handed dynamo Warner has been called up to replace the injured Daniel Christian and will be a powerful addition to the team bidding to win its first Hong Kong title.

Warner, 23, made history when he was picked to represent Australia in 2008 in a Twenty20 game against South Africa despite not having played a single game of first-class cricket. He was the first player to do so in 132 years. He made a stunning debut and went on to represent Australia at the Twenty20 World .

“We are delighted he is coming,” said Dinesh Tandon, Hong Kong Cricket Association chairman. “He is one of the biggest hitters in the game and fans will be well entertained.”

Warner is not a stranger to Hong Kong having played in this tournament two years ago when Australia reached the final, only to lose to England in a tied game. England won by virtue of losing fewer wickets.

With Warner back in the team, Australia will be a force to reckon with but fans will also have to watch out for young guns Ryan Carters (20 years), Tom Cooper (23) and Glenn Maxwell (21) to produce the fireworks with all three having played in the recent Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa.

In addition, 20-year-old Tim Armstrong was a member of the victorious Australian Under-19 World Cup squad earlier this year.

The team will be coached once again by former international player John Davison who is also senior coach with Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence.

“It’s an enjoyable tournament to be involved with and something a little different for the players which I’m sure they will enjoy,” said Davison, who is also the CA Centre of Excellence spin bowling coach.

“Although we have a pretty young squad we have some players with good experience including some with international experience or exposure so I’m sure that will hold them in good stead.

“The tournament is short and sweet but it’s a challenging format that most players have probably not played before so it should be good fun for them,” Davison added.

Australia are pooled in the preliminary Bradman group with arch-rivals England, South Africa and Hong Kong. The Sobers pool comprises India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

A total prize money of US$150,000 is up for grabs and Australia will be hoping to winits first title. They came close two years ago when they were defeated by England in a thriller where the scores were tied at the end, and England edging through by virtue of losing fewer wickets.

The Australian side for the tournament is:

Tim Armstrong (New South Wales), Ryan Carters (Victoria), David Warner (New South Wales), Tom Cooper (South Australia), Matthew Johnston (Western Australia), Glenn Maxwell (Victoria), Will Sheridan (Victoria).

The South African team for the 2010 Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes arrived in the city today, intent on successfully defending the title won so dramatically by Davy Jacobs’ side this time last year.

David Wiese (pictured right) is the only member of the 2009 team who will play at the Kowloon Cricket Club this weekend, November 6-7.

With last year’s coach Corrie Van Zyl doing duty as the Proteas’ national coach, Lawrence Mahatlane will be responsible for guiding the team in Hong Kong this week.

“Our aim is to win the Cup once again. We are coming over to compete, and although we don’t play this format back home, I believe we have the side to lift the trophy again,” Mahatlane said recently.

“Our domestic competition has resulted in most of the players from last being unavailable, but this will be a good opportunity for the younger players to prove themselves in the heat of action in an international tournament.”

The South African team is:

Andrew Birch

Shane Burger

Shaheen Khan

Keshav Maharaj

Adrian McLaren

Godfrey Stevens

Dave Wiese

Lawrence Mahatlane (Manager)

The South African playing strip for the Sixes

South Africa’s schedule for Day 1 is:

6 Nov(8:20 AM) Hong Kong v South Africa

6 Nov(11:20 AM) England v South Africa

6 Nov(2:20 PM) South Africa v Australia

(This article originally appeared on BlitzBokke.com)

If there’s one thing Hong Kongers fear… it’s fever.

As local residents, my kids have to keep a daily log of their body temperature in their school log-books. Assistants at schools across the territory also check thousands of students’ temperature as they arrive at school every morning.

However, if there’s one fever the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union encourages this week, it’s definitely the rugby kind.

The Australian Wallabies and rivals New Zealand’s All Blacks are in town ahead of their second-ever Bledisloe Cup clash in the city and as it goes with the professional game, they have been kept very busy meeting-and-greeting fans and supporters throughout the week. In-between they’ve also been keeping fit and going through their paces on the practice-pitch at So Kon Po in Causeway Bay.

The Wallabies, eager to break a looong losing-streak against their neighbours arrived in Hong Kong first (on Saturday). The Kiwis followed on Sunday moning and was immediately involved in the DHL Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup Fan Day early the same morning.

My kids and I attended and took some pictures:

                       Micaela (14) and Ethan (10) with All Black Ma’a Nonu (Pic: Mike Jansen)

                       The Jansen kids with Mills Muliaina and some other bloke (lol!) (Pic: Mike Jansen)

While the state of the world’s economy as well as the recent earthquake in New Zealand are blamed for the absence of thousands of Tasman tourists from this year’s Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup match, several Aussie and Kiwi rugby greats are also in town. I attended a RWC 2011 cocktail party hosted by World Cup Ambassador and former All Black skipper (and chirper of note) Sean Fitzpatrick.

The gathering was held at The Canny Man, a basement watering hole in the heart of the Wan Chai party district. Also in attendance and trying to chirp the chirper’s speech was Australian great David Campese. This time around, however, the two former internationals combined to make the evening a very enjoyable outing.

                      Sean Fitzpatrick with Campo lurking over his shoulder (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Have a look at our DHL HK Bledisloe Cup Fans Day album:

Our friends at Rugby Asia Channel (RAC) also attended the Fans Day and put together this video:

Jan Scannell, also known as Jan Braai has brought home a Guinness World Record that ultimately belongs in South Africa: that of the longest uninterupted braai (or barbecue for the non-South Africans).

The previous record-holder was a German (nogal) who braai-ed for 28 hours and 26 minutes.  With the support of the Cape Town media and dedicated listeners, Scannell easily bettered that mark to 28 hours and 30 minutes.

The “tong-master” was quite philosophical about his feat saying: ”(this) victory is not about breaking the record but is rather “a call to action for all South Africans to celebrate our common heritage by having a braai next week“.

“Heritage Day has the spirit of the World Cup without costing the tax payers a cent, and plus you can’t lose at braaing,” Jan said as he turned another braai grill over on the fire.

“Once a year we can celebrate as a nation; whether you are rich or poor, black or white, Xhosa or Zulu or from Durban, the Transkei, the Kalahari or Karoo everybody likes to make a fire and braai,” he said.

You can read more about Jan’s feat on the Braai4Heritage website. 

The V&A Waterfront in Cape Town during Jan Braai’s record attempt (Pic: David Brooke/Sport24)

Mission accomplished. Jan Scannell is now the official record holder

Here’s GoodHopeFM’s take on the event:

Late last year, we reported on the Hong Kong-leg of the World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) to be hosted by the Discovery Bay Golf Club on Friday March 5, 2010.  The winner of this leg will represent Hong Kong at the finals of the WCGC to be played back home at the stunning Fancourt & OuBaai Golf Clubs between 3-8 May 2010.

Today we can proudly add that South African golfing-legend-turned-winemaker David Frost has decided to contribute to the success of the Hong Kong-leg of the World Corporate Golf Challenge by supplying the tournament with his exclusive range of wines.

The South African great – winner of more than 20 titles worldwide – has combined his golf career with a hugely successful wine producing business in his homeland.

In addition, to aid the development of the game in under-privileged communities, Frost donates R1 of every bottle sold to the Raymond Ackerman Golf Academy.

 PGA player David Frost enjoying the fruits of his (other) labour (Pic: David Frost)

Now his Hong Kong importer, WINE2U.com.hk has been unveiled as the Official Wine Supplier of the WCGC Hong Kong.  “We are very proud to present exclusively to the World Corporate Golf Challenge Hong Kong the range of David Frost wines, a natural connection between the game of golf, business and fine wines,” said Ruth Sellers, of WINE2U. 

Frost grew up on his family’s wine farm near Stellenbosch and it was through earning pocket money picking grapes that he bought his first set of golf clubs. He went on to enjoy a stellar career, collecting 10 US PGA Tour titles and winning the 1994 Hong Kong Open. 

He and his brother Michel bought a 300-acre wine farm near Paarl in 1994 and began producing the David Frost Signature Series, with each vintage named after a famous golfer. 

The WCGC Hong Kong will be held on Friday, 5 March at Discovery Bay Golf Club. Twenty teams – comprising four players who each have a maximum handicap of 24 – will take part. 

The winning team will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to the WCGC World Final in South Africa from 3-8 May during which they will also be given a guided tour of Frost’s wine estate. 

Companies wishing to register a team – only one member of the team needs to be a full-time employee of the company – should call Amy Broomhead on 3579 8110 or email amy@laxtonmarketing.com.

Contact the aptly-named Ruth Sellers at Wine2U.com.hk  for David Frost’s signature range of wines like the great Shiraz below: