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

Twenty-four teams from Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand will take part in the 2011 GFI HKFC Tens.

This year’s tournament field was expanded from 16 to 24 teams to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Hong Kong Football Club.

Making their debut at the 2011 GFI HKFC Tens, the Asian Pacific Barbarians are responsible for almost a full team of famous rugby players. From club president (former All Black skipper) Sean Fitzpatrick and coach David Campese (the legendary Aussie winger), the team also include names such as Australia’s George Gregan and former New Zealand All Black Justin Marshall.

Sean Fitzpatrick and David Campese ahead of the HK Bledisloe Cup clash (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Of course other All Blacks such as Christian Cullen and Rico Gear need no introduction, while Apolosi Satala and Viliame Satala 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, Japan’s Takuro Miuchi and Samoa’s Semo Sititi who have both captained their countries.

After their absence at last year’s Tens, the Scatterlings from South Africa return to Hong Kong.

Pools for the 2011 GFI HKFC 10s

Pool A: Samurai, Pakuranga Pythons, HKFC President’s X

Pool B: Valley (8), Irish Vikings, Wanchai Wanderers

Pool C: Niue (5), Australian Country, Overseas Old Boys

Pool D: Borneo (4), HK Barbarians, PLA

Pool E: NZ Legends (3), CAU, Scatterlings

Pool F: Asian Barbarians (6), Lloyd McDermott, Pakuranga Orange

Pool G: Pyrenees (7), HKFC, Wild Titans

Pool H: Penguins (2), Chairman’s X, Devils Advocate

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.

The Hong Kong Football Club, hosts of the GFI Hong Kong Football Club Tens, announced that the tournament would expand to 24 international club sides.

It was also revealed today that former England international Lawrence Dallaglio would make a special appearance at the Tens in 2011.

The expansion from 16 teams last year is in part a celebration of the tournament hosts’ 125th anniversary celebrations in 2011. This year, 24 international teams from around the world have accepted invitations to take part in the GFI HKFC Tens, the popular kick-off to rugby week in Hong Kong ahead of the Hong Kong Sevens.

“Increasing the field to 24 teams was a natural way for us to help celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Hong Kong Football Club in 2011. With a free day and a post event party on Wednesday hosted by Tsunami, the GFI HKFC Tens is set to grow on both a competitive and social level, further reaffirming our position at the cutting edge of international ten-a-side rugby,” said Chris Harker, Chairman of the GFI HKFC Tens Organising Committee.

With the increased numbers of teams, the competitiveness of the GFI HKFC Tens is set to further increase, adding to its reputation as the world’s premier ten-a-side rugby competition. Team announcements and the official tournament draw will be held later this month.

The GFI HKFC Tens will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, March 23 and 24, 2011 at the Hong Kong Football Club.

Former England international Lawrence Dallaglio (Pic: Mail Online)

Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio has been announced as the face of the Tens in 2011 and will be attending this year’s event. Lawrence was capped an astounding 85 times for England and at all three positions in the back row. He was a key member of the England team that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia and the only member of the England team to play every minute of the Rugby World Cup campaign that year.

After initially retiring due to the physical demands of the game in 2004, Lawrence returned to top-flight rugby for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand and was included in England’s 2007 Rugby World Cup Squad. He officially retired again in 2008 winning the 2008 Premiership Final in the same year with London Wasps, the only club he has ever played for. Lawrence has received several honours for his contribution to England sport including an MBE and OBE.

Dallaglio is no stranger to the abbreviated rugby codes having been an instrumental member of the England Sevens team that shocked the world by winning the inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1993 and playing in the Hong Kong Sevens in 1995 as part of a President’s Seven side in the days of invitational club rugby at the Hong Kong Sevens. On that occasion, Dallaglio and his teammates were edged out by Western Samoa in the Quarter Finals.

“I’ve never had the privilege of playing at the GFI HKFC Tens but am very much aware of the tournament. Tens is something different and clearly there is room for all versions of the game in the rugby calendar. Like sevens, tens is a fast paced, energetic, powerful and skilful game.”

“Hong Kong is a great city, it’s vibrant, it’s buzzing with a lot to do. Around the time of the Hong Kong Tens and Hong Kong Sevens, the whole city is even more exciting. I have not spent a lot of time in Hong Kong so it will be a great opportunity to get out and explore, not just the city itself but the surrounding areas.”

When quizzed about his toughest sevens opponent, Dallaglio paid tribute to a rugby legend who was his immediate predecessor as face of the Tens in 2010, Waisale Serevi. “Without a shadow of a doubt, Serevi was the greatest sevens player I played against. But I should also mention Eric Rush and Glen Osborne of New Zealand who were other great sevens players I came across.”

Face of the GFI HKFC Tens 2010 Waisale Serevi with my son Ethan at last year’s Tens (Pic: Mike Jansen)

During his time in Hong Kong, Dallaglio will help highlight the GFI HKFC Tens and take part in the tournament’s official charity campaign in aid of the Deaf Society of Hong Kong.

Adding to the celebrations this year, the GFI HKFC Tens and official kit supplier Tsunami will be hosting a Tsunami after-party on the Wednesday evening of the Tens.

As part of the HKFC Anniversary Celebrations, organizers have again committed to offer free entry to members of the public on Wednesday, March 23. Entrance for the finals day (March 24) will be HKD$100.

(Picture credits: Mail Online and Warren Little/Getty Images Europe)

Earlier this month, we reported that Bob Skinstad’s Zebra-striped & Leopard-spotted Scatterlings of Africa team was entered for the 2010 GFI HKFC Hong Kong Tens. 

I received the schedule for the 2010 GFI Hong Kong Tens today and was gutted to see that Bob Skinstad’s Scatterlings of Africa side is NOT listed.  This means that Bob’s tourists must have withdrawn for the 2010 tournament. 

I hope you all are as disappointed as I am…

Sies Bob.

Bob Skinstad’s team at the 2009 GFI HKFC HK Tens (Pics: Mike Jansen)

Organisers of the GFI Hong Kong Football Club Tens 2010 announced the line-up for this year’s tournment. 

Sixteen teams comprising of former and future stars will come from every corner of the globe to celebrate 25 years of the Tens alongside the best that local rugby can offer.  Started in 1986 to celebrate the centenary of one of Asia’s iconic rugby venues, the Hong Kong Football Club, the tournament has earned a reputation as the world’s premier ten-aside competition and the unofficial kick off of rugby week in Hong Kong.

Sevens fans will be excited to know that rugby legend Waisale Serevi will be returning to Hong Kong as a Tens player, lining up with the Hong Kong Barbarians.  Serevi should be a useful addition to the Barbarians, a team drawn from players that play locally in the domestic league but who fall outside of the various eligibility requirements required to represent Hong Kong. 

Speaking about his “new” team from Papua New Guinea where he is coaching the Men’s Sevens side, Serevi said “I am excited to try my hand at Tens, especially back in Hong Kong. I understand that the Baa baas won the Plate in 2008 and I want to go one better in 2010.”

Defending Cup champions Aliens, runners-up Alternative New Zealand Legends and Plate champions Penguin International RFC are all returning for another tilt at the Tens title in Hong Kong. 

Samurais International, Scatterlings of Africa, Borneo Eagles, Australian Country Invitational, Germany’s Wild Titans and the KIR Club Pyrenees are just a few of the international complement appearing at the Hong Kong Football Club at the end of the month. 

Befitting their status as returning champions, the Aliens are the tournament top seeds and head Pool Awhere they will be joined by last year’s debut side and eventual Bowl winners, Scatterlings of Africa, which will again be led by former Springbok flanker Bob Skinstad.  Australian Country Invitational and mainland side China Agricultural University, China’s first established rugby club and a nursery for Team China, round out the pool.

Scatterling of Africa at last year’s GFI HK Tens (Pics: Mike Jansen) 

Pool B sees 2009 Cup runners-up Alternative New Zealand Legends in the top slot alongside the Wild Titans from Germany, the Hill & Associates Hong Kong Barbarians and British Forces side Flying Kukris. 

Pool C is headed by the world-famous Penguin International RFC under ex-Scotland coach Frank Hadden and Steve Hill.  The Penguins will be out for revenge after reaching the final in 2007 and 2008 and being the ranked as the tournament’s top seed in 2009 only to bow out in the Cup quarter final against Aliens.  Last year’s Plate win will not be enough to satisfy this brood of hungry Penguins.

Another UK-based team features in Pool C, Samurai International, who have announced that this year they will be dedicating their performance in memory of their former manager Colin Hillman, who was also the former Technical Coach for the Wales Sevens team before passing away last summer.  2009 Shield Champions Cardiff University and hosts Hong Kong Football Club complete the Pool.

Pool D is topped by tournament fourth seeds Borneo Eagles.  Also in Pool D is the KIF French Pyrenees team featuring towering forward Patrick Tabacco who was capped 25 times for France including at Rugby World Cup 2003.  The Irish Vikings and Old Boys complete Pool D.

GFI HKFC Tens Pools

 (the number in brackets denotes seeding)