(from BlitzBokke.com)

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) announced that after today’s public ticket sale, the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is now officially sold out.

The world-renowned Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens expects to welcome 120,000 visitors over three days from March 23 – 25, 2012.

Remaining 4,000 tickets

After an initial pre-sale period for international package buyers and local rugby clubs and supporters, the last remaining 4,000 event tickets were sold today to members of the Hong Kong public. To ensure the widest possible distribution of tickets in the local community, each buyer was allowed to purchase a maximum of two tickets in today’s sale.

Following today’s sale, and the pre-sale period for members of local rugby clubs from adult to youth and mini rugby and other HKRFU stakeholders, fully 75% of the 40,000 tickets available in 2012 were sold to local residents.

Trevor Gregory, Chairman of the HKRFU, commented on today’s sellout saying, “This year’s Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens has once again attracted extraordinary demand. On behalf of the HKRFU, I would like to thank the Hong Kong community for their continued support. The 2012 Hong Kong Sevens will again provide a significant boost to the local economy and Hong Kong’s international reputation. We look forward to hosting another full house at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens this March.”

Online frustration

A quick social media scan among local South Africans revealed that, as in previous years when tickets where sold by local online retailer HKTicketing, this year’s vendor CityLine didn’t fare much better.

“I gave up after 20 minutes.” said Eugene Wong. Katharine Schäfli concurred: “Meanwhile Cityline’s servers groan under the strain of the number of hits……. no improvement from HK Ticketing then!”

However, Monique Tenderini had more patience and was luckier. “(It) took nearly 3 hours but I managed to get 2. Was using 2 iPads, a pc and a laptop…”

See you at The Sevens!

(From BlitzBokke.com)

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) today announced that the public ticket sale for the 2012 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will be held via local ticketing service Cityline this Saturday, January 14, 2012.

To further enhance the ticket purchasing process and convenience for local consumers, tickets for the 2012 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will be retailed via ticketing service Cityline.

Tickets will be sold exclusively online via www.cityline.com. No tickets will be sold via Cityline Outlets or Call Centres.

Online ticket sale will begin at 10.00am on January 14, 2012.

To ensure the widest possible distribution of tickets in the local community, each patron will be limited to purchase only two tickets. Each applicant will also be required to verify their local residency with a valid Hong Kong or Macau SAR postal address for registered mail or courier services.

Tickets will be distributed to successful applicants starting from March 1, 2012 via registered mail or courier service only (additional cost may incur and details are available at www.cityline.com). There will be no personal collection of tickets.

Following the increased demand from Hong Kong rugby clubs, Youth and Mini Rugby Sections and members of the local rugby community as well as other HKRFU stakeholders during the initial pre-sale period, the HKRFU today announced that 4,000 tickets will be available for sale to the public.

The 2012 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will be held from March 23 – 25 at the Hong Kong Stadium.

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(Source: Gulf News)

Continuing their commitment to rugby, both on a domestic and international level, Emirates Airline has recently announced their sponsorship of a new 15-a-side tournament – the Emirates Four Nations Cup.

The weeklong event will take place from December 9 to 16 at the Sevens, immediately after highly popular Dubai Rugby 7′s tournament.

This initiative, developed by UAE Rugby and supported by the Hong Kong RFC, ARFU and the IRB, will provide an extra layer of activity identified by the IRB as being critical to the development of nations who wish to improve their international rugby standing.

As the first cross border and cross continent tournament of its kind, the Emirates Four Nations Cup will allow four ambitious National XV’s teams to play more international games providing greater preparation for their respective Regional Tournaments and IRB competitions.

The four teams competing in 2011′s inaugural Emirates Four Nations Cup are: Kenya (Confederation of African Rugby), Brazil (Confederación Sudamericana de Rugby), Hong Kong (Asian Rugby Football Union) and host nation, UAE (Asian Rugby Football Union).

Click here to read more.

The Hong Kong Sevens team has made a confident start to their campaign in the inaugural HSBC Asian Sevens Series.

The tournament kicked-off in the Chinese city of Shanghai today and concludes with the knock-out rounds tomorrow, Sunday 28 August.

Competing in Pool D, Hong Kong saw off the challenge from Malaysia (28 – 7) as well as Mongolia (59 – 0).

The season-opener was not without it’s upset, with the Philippines beating favourites and Asian strongmen Korea 19 – 7.

Hong Kong captain Rowan Varty takes on Mongolia at the Shanghai Sevens. (Pic: Elite Step Asia)

The line-up for tomorrow’s knock-out matches is:

UAE  v Sri Lanka
Bowl Semi Final (BSF1)

Chinese Taipei v Mongolia
Bowl Semi Final (BSF2)

Japan v Malaysia
Quarter Final (QF1)

Hong Kong v Thailand
Quarter Final (QF2)

Philippines  v Kazakhstan
Quarter Final (QF3)

China v Korea
Quarter Final (QF4)

In other news from the Shanghai Sevens, The National reports that it’s not all good for the UAE at the season-opener.

The UAE made the worst possible start in their bid to persuade the International Rugby Board they deserve a place at December’s Dubai Rugby Sevens, after they lost both their matches in the pool stage of the Shanghai Sevens yesterday.

The newly formed UAE sevens side have been told they will have to prove they are worthy of playing in the opening tournament of the HSBC World Series in Dubai later this year.

The team was created after the Arabian Gulf was disbanded at the end of last year, but they did not automatically assume the Gulf’s place in their home competition.

Instead, the IRB will monitor how they fare in the HSBC Asian Sevens Series, with this weekend’s opening leg in Shanghai to be followed by tournaments in Borneo and Thailand.

If the game’s ruling body decide the team from the Emirates are not competitive enough, the Dubai Sevens will be the only leg on the nine-tournament World Series not to have a home representative.

Additional picture in this report: China’s Lu Zhuan on the run in the 26-7 win over Kazakhstan on day one of the Shanghai Sevens, the opening event of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union have announced that Cathay Pacific and HSBC will be the new co-title sponsors of the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens from 2012 – 2015.

The sponsorship agreement with previous co-sponsor Credit Suisse concluded at the end of the successful 2011 tournament.

The four-year sponsorship agreement announced today resumes a successful partnership between these two iconic Hong Kong institutions and the world’s pre-eminent international sevens. Cathay Pacific and HSBC’s previous joint sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens ran from 1980 through to the first of two Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Hong Kong in 1997.

Under the new sponsorship agreement the event title will be the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

Cathay Flight Attendant Margaret Lai, Trevor Gregory (HKRFU), John Slosar Chief Executive, Cathay Pacific, Stuart Gulliver, Global Chief Executive, HSBC, Brian Stevenson (HKRFU), Ida Chan, Cathay Pacific Flight attendant. Front row: Twins and Hong Kong mini rugby players Janice Chan Shang-yan and Jeffery Chan Shang-Ming

HSBC’s sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens continues its growing support of Sevens internationally through the HSBC Sevens World Series and marks its only title sponsorship of an HSBC Sevens World Series event to date.

The continued involvement of Cathay Pacific as an event sponsor strengthens a 30-year association with the Hong Kong Sevens – a unique longevity in international sports sponsorship.

The Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012 will be held on 23-25 March.

(Source: BlitzBokke.com)

Hong Kong team Kitchee made history at the Hong Kong Football Club earlier today when then beat some of the top sides in Liverpool (England) and Rangers (Scotland) to advance to the Final against another Glasgow side, Celtic.

Kitchee completed a dream season when they beat Scottish giants Celtic 1-0 to win the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens on Sunday (15 May).

Nine days after clinching the Hong Kong league title for the first time in 47 years, Kitchee delighted local fans by adding the Soccer Sevens crown.

Spanish striker Roberto Losada (pictured above) was their hero, scoring the only goal midway through the second half of the final at Hong Kong Football Club.

“It is a special year for us,” he said. “To win the league and then the Soccer Sevens for the first time is a dream come true. We can all go away on holiday now and be very happy with our season.

“We were confident coming into this tournament, although we knew it would be tough, especially against the English and Scottish teams. We played with 100 per cent commitment and we controlled the ball well in the final.”

The final was a tense affair with the teams evenly matched but, once Losada made the breakthrough, the seasoned professionals of Kitchee played out the game in comfort against a youthful Celtic side.

Kitchee became the first Hong Kong team to win the Soccer Sevens since Instant Dict beat Chelsea in 2000.

On a day of upsets at Hong Kong Football Club, Kitchee put paid to Scottish visitors Rangers and English giants Liverpool on their way to clinching the title.

An Ubay Luzardo penalty and a drive from Lam Ka Wai gave them a 2-0 win over Rangers in the quarter-finals.

They then stunned Liverpool – who had looked the tournament’s form team – with a 2-1 success in the semi-finals. Lo Kwan Yee put Kitchee ahead before the Reds’ Nathan Eccleston brought the scores level. But Liverpool’s army of Hong Kong fans were left disappointed when Jose Diaz popped up with the golden goal winner in extra time.

Kitchee celebrate winning the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens after their 1-0 victory over Scottish giants Celtic on Sunday (15 May). Pic: John Donker/Hong Kong Football Club.

Liverpool delighted their army of fans in Hong Kong with a string of powerful displays at the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens on Saturday (14 May).

The Reds – making their debut in the tournament – won all three of their group games without conceding a goal to march into the Cup quarter-finals.

Striker David Amoo got them moving with the only goal against Hong Kong U18s and the same player was on target again, with Spanish wonderkid Suso notching a double, in a 3-0 victory over the local Yau Yee League Select.

Liverpool then turned on the gas in their Group A decider against Celtic, earning a convincing 3-0 win thanks to a brace from Nathan Eccleston and a neat finish from Tom Ince – son of former Liverpool and England star Paul.

“They played well and stayed focused,” said delighted Reds coach Pep Segura. “It’s a new experience for the players, it’s a big pitch for seven-a-side and it’s a little slow because it has not rained. But at this moment they are doing OK.”

The young Liverpool players departed to huge cheers and were besieged by excited autograph hunters as they headed for the dressing room.

“This is the power of the club, the name of Liverpool is famous throughout the world and it is fantastic to get a reception like this,” added Segura, whose team will play Hong Kong First Division side Citizen in the Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Strong start for Villa

Aston Villa made a strong start to the defence of their Soccer Sevens crown with three straight victories to top their group. Harry Forrester and Andreas Weimann were the stars of the show, bagging four goals each.

The duo scored a brace apiece as Villa beat the HKFC Captain’s Select 4-0, then Forrester netted another double and Weimann was on target again in a 3-0 victory over English non-league side Eastleigh.

Weimann and captain Jonathan Hogg were the scorers as the Soccer Sevens champions beat Citizen 2-0 to win Group C.

“It’s a perfect start – we’ve come here and done the job that we had to do,” said Hogg. “The team was solid today and we just need to keep it going for tomorrow. The teams are a lot different and play different styles but we coped well with everything that came at us.

“Andreas and Harry are doing really well, they’ve done most of the work for us and scored some great goals. You’ve got to beat the best if you want to win the tournament and no matter who we get we will put up a fight, as we always do.”

Villa – five-time winners of the Soccer Sevens since the tournament was first held in 1999 – will play Celtic in the quarter-finals.

In the Masters competition, the former English Premier League professionals of the Citibank All Stars qualified for the Cup quarter-finals but had to be content with second place in Group B.

Top Class FC – a team comprising ex-Hong Kong First Division stars – finished ahead of them after the two teams played out a goalless draw in the group decider.

The tournament concludes on Sunday with the knockout stages of both the Main and Masters competitions.

Aston Villa’s Andreas Weimann takes on the Eastleigh defence during the Premiership club’s 3-0 victory at the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens on Saturday (14 May). Pic: John Donker/Hong Kong Football Club

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I’m so fortunate that, weeks after yet another successful Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens, dedicated fans from all over the globe (Saffas, of course) are sending me pics about this year’s tournament.

One such fan, some would say by ‘default’ is Trish Brown, mother of current Springbok Sevens skipper Kyle.

I’m still adding images to our Flickr-Album and will be adding Trish’s images as well.

This particular image of the Hong Kong Stadium is one of my favourites (below).

Remember, if you were at the Sevens and would like to share your memories and images, please send them along. If you want to tell us about your experiences and what stood out for you at this year’s event, you are more than welcome to do so too. Send any contributions to mike(at)howzit-hongkong(dot)com

In his latest column for irbsevens.com, South Africa head coach Paul Treu looks back to some of his memories from Hong Kong and talks about why he believes it to be the best Sevens tournament in the world…

There is no doubt. For me, Hong Kong is always going to be the biggest tournament in the world.

Obviously Dubai and Wellington are right up there but Hong Kong will always be regarded as, not the birth place because Scotland is the birth place of Sevens, but as the one tournament that everyone wants to play in and in my mind it is always going to stay there.

It is of course special for me now because I have been to Hong Kong so many times as a player and as a coach.

As a player the first memory I have is in my first tournament. I remember being unable to run, I was so nervous and I just couldn’t cope with the pressure.

But now in my seventh year as a coach, it is a bit different. It is difficult because with some of our new players like Paul Jordaan and Tshotsho Mbovane, I know it is the same feeling that they are going to feel when they run onto the park.

Vibrant Hong Kong

That makes me have a different kind of focus now. In my playing career, at that point in time you are just hoping you can make it as a player and the team do well.

Now you have to manage that team and the individual players too and there is a pressure to perform now that everyone is putting so much more energy, time and money into Sevens.

But for me as a player, and as a coach, what makes Hong Kong number one is the crowd, the vibe, the stadium and the city itself, which is just so vibrant.

Staying in the hotel with one of the most impressive skylines, it is one of the most impressive images you get. And for these young guys to experience it all, the atmosphere, the stadium and one of the best cities in the world, it is something to play for and something they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

It is also the only tournament where you can sing your national anthem if you make the final. We have experienced that three times now, twice for me as a coach and once as a player.

That gives players something else to play for, to sing the national anthem you would like to stand there and feel that with your teammates and that is something we would like to give the players this year as well.

Legends are born

So many players have made their names here in Hong Kong. It is difficult to name a best player that I have played against because even at the time there were so many good players. Eric Rush, Karl Tenana and even Waisele Serevi, but there were many more quality quality players.

For me the New Zealand team have always been the standout players, however, especially the team in 2000/01 with Rush, Tenana, and Dallas Seymore. But over the years you get so many players that play in Hong Kong who become legends of the game.

I can think back to two years ago too when we had Mzwandile Stick, who went on to become one of the stars on the Series, and he made his name and started his career here.

Just think, Jonah Lomu started here, Christian Cullen started here, it is really a place where a player can launch his career and for the youngsters now, like Paul Jordaan and Tshotsho Mbovane this will be another opportunity to do that this year.

I am sure we will also see players from the other countries using this tournament as a stepping stone too.

The SAAHK Sevens Dinner was again a huge event on the South Africans-in-Hong Kong’s social calendar.

The guest speaker this time around was the former Springbok captain, Morne Du Plessis.

Unlike last year (we missed Huge Bladen’s address) Howzit-HongKong.com attended the grand affair at the Football Club.

Needless to say, a great time was had by all and treu to form (pun intended) we closed the evening’s ‘verrigtinge’ and were the last to leave the venue.

The BlitzBokke were again great sports and we made the following video clip of some (all?) of them interacting with the guests. (below)

Hopefully next year Bruce Fowler will assign us a ‘better’ table.  (Other company excluded) Dawid Van der Sandt may be a well-connected cameraman… but he’s not the friendliest person around. Nuff said.