As Howzit Online Media I run two blogs: BlitzBokke.com as well as Howzit-HongKong.com, my account of a South African’s life on this side of the noodle-curtain.

As such I have been posting about the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens on both blogs.

People have been mailing me asking about pictures and videos from the weekend’s mayhem I mean rugby, that I have decided to posted all of them in one page.

Keep you eye on this page though as I am still finding new pictures that I will be adding to the sets below.

Here then is a compilation of the pictures from the HK Sevens (and Rugby Week):

The unveiling of the Guinness-certified World’s Biggest Rugby Ball:

How the World’s Biggest Rugby Ball was made and transported to Hong Kong:

The Air Asia Hong Kong Beach 5s

Laureus brings together the Soweto Schools Rugby Programme (SSRP) and the BlitzBokke:

SAAHK Sevens Dinner with Morne Du Plessis and the BlitzBokke:

Rugby stars hold a coaching clinic with SSRP and Operation Breakthrough:

Hong Kong Sevens Day 1

Hong Kong Sevens Day 2

South Africans at the Hong Kong Sevens:

BlitzBokke at the Hong Kong Sevens

Bruce Fowler from the South African Association in Hong Kong (SAAHK) mailed to say that the very first Imbizo (get-together) of the Association will be held at The Canny Man in Wan Chai.

He writes:

The Canny Man is in the basement of the Wharney Guang Dong Hotel, 51 – 73 Lockhart Road Wanchai, from 6:30 pm onwards on Wednesday, 16th February.

Please make every effort to join us for this first Imbizo of 2011 and we particularly welcome all newcomers to Hong Kong and to SAAHK.

The Canny Man’s full-size pool table (Pic: Mike Jansen)

You can also use the occasion to speak to Bruce about this year’s Sevens Dinner, where Springbok legend Morne Du Plessis will be the guest-speaker.

See you there…

Kevin McBarron from The Canny Man says:

Tell the taxi driver: ‘Whamy ji ding, lockhart doh, wanzai!’

Here’s Kevin making his YouTube debut:

I visited the busy (Hong Kong party district of) Wan Chai last Saturday after attending the braai with former South African fast bowler Fanie De Villiers and the South African Cricket Sixes team at the HK Cricket Club.

I don’t get out there much these days and I was keen to see just how the local pubs are coping without DSTV’s SuperSport, especially as far as rugby matches are concerned.

RugbyZone.com is also not showing any of the end-of-year tours and they are closing shop at the end of the year.

I took a taxi to Lockhard Road, to my old stomping ground of Delaney’s Irish Pub.

While the place was quite full and showing a live rugby match, the quality of the broadcast was not something to be excited about.  David, the duty manager explained that they were streaming the match directly from the internet hence the poor quality.  In their defense, they were showing it on their big screen which negatively influenced the picture quality.

This weekend, I stayed in and chose to watch the Springboks vs. Wales match on my iMac.  I found a website that was streaming it live and I must admit, watching it on a computer screen, even one as big as the iMac’s, is way better that a bar’s big screen.  It is naturally also way cheaper!  (I can buy a dozen Carlsberg cans at SevenEleven for the same amount charged for a pint in local pubs.)

To show you the quality of the stream I used, this is a screen-shot of Springbok skipper Victor Matfield and kicker Morne Steyn grabbed off my computer during the game:

Victor Matfield broke yet another record with last night’s game against Wales

Morne Steyn scored 19 of the Springboks’ 29 points with the boot

Read our sister-site BlitzBokke.com’s account of last night’s Springbok victory over Wales by clicking here

The Springboks’ last minute loss to the Wallabies in the hosts’ final Tri-Nations encounter on Saturday evening made the Sunday Morning Post‘s sports-pages on Sunday.

With Hong Kong again hosting the final Bledisloe Cup match in October this year (the previous such match took place in 2008) there is renewed interest in the Southern Hemisphere’s premier competition, the Tri-Nations.

In fact, with Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup ticket sales reported to be sluggish this year (in part due to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand next year) the Hong Kong rugby authorities are pinning their hopes on the Wallabies beating their Trans-Tasman opponents in next week’s final Tri-Nations encounter.  This, they hope, would make the third-ever Bledisloe Cup to be played on neutral ground more of a contest with the All Blacks having totally dominated the Tri-Nations this year.

Bruce Fowler from the Southern African Association in Hong Kong (SAAHK) is inviting all Springbok rugby supporters in Hong Kong to watch Victor Matfield celebrate his 100th Rugby Test today (Saturday August 28, 2010).

The Blue Bulls’ Matfield will become only the third-ever Springbok Rugby player to achieve this milestone after John Smit last week (number 2) and Western Province’s Percy Montgomery (number 1).

The Springboks will play Australia in their penultimate Tri-Nations Test at Loftus Verfeld later today.

South Africans in Hong Kong are urged to head to the ironically Aussie-themed WoolooMooloo Restaurant in Central.

WoolooMooloo is also the workplace of Bruce’s girlfriend so needless to say happy hour prices will probably prevail.   Just turn up will you?!

Tri-Nations Rugby: South Africa vs Australia

Saturday, 28th August at 11pm.

WoolooMooloo Steakhouse, Ground Floor, Onfem Tower, 29 Wyndham Street, Central.

Bok Centurion No.3 with Number 1 Percy Montgomery

The Springboks will take on the might of the New Zealand All Blacks during a historic rugby test at the FNB Stadium in Soweto.

Bruce Fowler from the Southern African Association of Hong Kong (SAAHK) invites all Saffas to join them at WoolooMooloo in Central.  The test will be broadcast at around midnight (1 hour delay).

In addition to the fact that history will be made with the first-ever rugby test being played in a township, some other milestones will/may be reached on Saturday:

* Springbok captain John Smit is set to become only the second South African to play in 100 Test matches when he leads the Boks onto the field

* Should John score a try, he will equal the Springbok record for most tries in tests as a hooker

* John will be playing in his 26^th Vodacom Tri-Nations test as captain, the most capped captain in the tournament.

* This will be the first Test match at this venue since the stadium’s completion in 1988. For the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament the stadium was known as Soccer City

* This test will be the 81st between South Africa and New Zealand and the 34th Vodacom Tri-Nations test between them

* South Africa’s Vodacom Tri-Nations record against New Zealand is: Played 33; Won 10; Lost 23. Tries scored 60 and tries conceded 84.

* Victor Matfield will play his 23rd test against New Zealand, the most capped Springbok against New Zealand. This test will also be his 40th Tri-Nations test, the third most capped player in the tournament with George Gregan (48) and George Smith (41) being the top two players.

* Bryan Habana needs one try to become South Africa’s most prolific try scorer in tests. Bryan currently shares the record with Joost van der Westhuizen with 38 test tries. Bryan will become the most capped Springbok wing (63) in this test.

Our sister-site, BlitzBokke.com made the following tribute video to Bok Skipper John Smit.  The video was subsequently featured on Sport24.co.za:

The effects of South Africa’s MultiChoice’s (MIH) decision to change their satellite server will be fully felt in Hong Kong this weekend when the Springboks play Wales in the first of the June international rugby tests.  Supersport, a channel on the MultiChoice digital satellite bouquet has been unavailable since June 1, 2010. (read why here)

A quick search on the Australia Network channel does not bade well for this rugby junkie (for this weekend) as the channel will not show the Wales/SA test.  The Aussies will carry the AUS/Fiji test while they will show the SA/France test next weekend.

Here’s the good news though: RugbyZone will show all the June Rugby Internationals LIVE, including the SA/France game on June 12, as well as the 2 SA/Italy tests (June 19 & 26).

Eish! It’s not going to be such a bad month after all.

From (a relieved) Mike Jansen

Here are some images from last weekend’s Super14 Final at WoolooMooloo:

And just because the Stormers lost, here’s one of their cheerleaders:

Enjoy!

Sloppy handling by the BlitzBokke, coupled with a penalty count of 4 to 1 allowed Australia to clinch the Plate Final at the 2010 Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens here tonight.

The South African Springbok Sevens side had to settle for second place yet again after losing to Fiji in the Cup Final last year.

The final score Australia 12 – 7 South Africa.

Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu hopes that his young charges can make up for their mistakes in Adelaide at the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens next weekend.

New Zealand defeated the Springbok Sevens 21-14 in the Plate Final of the Adelaide Sevens on Sunday while Samoa claimed the Cup final after defeating the USA 38-10.

The BlitzBokke held their Kiwi opponents to a 14-14 half time score after New Zealand’s Save Tokula scored the opening try of the game which was converted by Kurt Baker in the first minute of play.

The Boks hit back hit two minutes later when Sampie Mastriet scored his ninth try of the tournament and South Africa’s first try of the final. Mastriet’s try was converted by Cecil Afrika.

Speedster Sampie Mastriet was a top-scorer in Adelaide (Pic: IRB)

New Zealand then took the lead after captain DJ Forbes scored their second try of the game which was again converted by Baker. But the Boks leveled the score minutes before the half time hooter when Chris Dry crossed the try line. His try was converted by Afrika.

After the break a Tim Mikkelson try ensured that New Zealand regained their lead over the South Africans and after Baker kicked his third conversion of the afternoon, the Kiwis boasted a seven point lead.

The Boks had chances to level the game in the final stages of the match when their opponents were reduced to six after Leka Tupuola was yellow carded for a professional foul. However handling errors by the defending Cup champions kept them from stringing many phases together against a Kiwi defensive effort that never allowed the Boks much forward momentum.

The South Africans booked their place in the Plate final after comprehensively defeating Wales 29-0 in their semifinal match played at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

The Boks held the Welsh scoreless and ran in five tries of their own which were scored by captain Kyle Brown, Mastriet, Ryno Benjamin, Afrika and Branco du Preez.

Knocked out of Cup Competition

Earlier on Sunday, the Boks were knocked out of the Cup quarterfinals after conceding a 17-14 defeat to Argentina.

The Boks scored two tries thanks to the efforts of Brown and Mastriet. Both their tries were converted by Afrika. However the Pumas outscored the Boks by running in three tries of their own thanks to Diego Palma, who scored a brace and Ramiro del Busto. Joaquin Todeschini kicked one conversion.

Another chance in Hong Kong

“The defeat against New Zealand and Argentina and to some extent the draw against the physical Samoans are some of the hard lessons this young side will learn as we prepare for our next tournament in Hong Kong,” said SA Sevens coach Paul Treu.

“However to see our younger players come through in the manner in which Sampie Mastriet, Chris Dry and Branco du Preez has done, definitely makes me positive about the future of our side. Sampie scored a hat trick in his first game and scored nine in his first tournament. I also wanted to see how Chris Dry could handle the pressures of a final and he definitely passed the test!

“We have the chance to correct our mistakes of Adelaide in Hong Kong next week and I am positive about our chances at that tournament.”

“Come here you Frogg!” Cecil Afrika & Chase Minnaar corner a French player (Pic:IRB)

A challenge awaits

If there was ever a challenge set for a brand-new skipper of a Springbok team, the recent call to duty for Kyle Brown is it. His side already decimated due to injury and SuperRugby call-up, the new Springbok Sevens Skipper will be leading what will be a Sevens team made up of primarily young, inexperienced players.

To add to the challenge, coach Paul Treu did not travel with his charges to Australia, choosing instead to remain behind to be by his sick mother’s bedside in hospital.

The senior players, guided by the rest of the BlitzBokke management team will be called upon to lead the preparations for Adelaide with the full knowledge that South Africa is the defending champions in Adelaide while woefully trailing the rest of the top teams on the IRB Sevens World Series log.

Thankfully, the young University of Cape Town player will have in his side one remaining former Bok skipper in Mpho Mbiyozo, ably supported by the other senior players in Frankie Horne, Rayno Benjamin, Chase Minnaar and Cecil Afrika.

Thanks to Treu’s mission of preparing all of his players to be leaders, Brown’s baptism as skipper of the 2008/2009 Series Champions will be less of a baptism of fire. Instead it will be but the next step in his development as a well-rounded international Sevens player.

We wish him and the Boys well in Adelaide and Hong Kong.

Bokke Bo!

(“Kaptein” is an Afrikaans song sung by popular Afrikaans artist Kurt Darren. “Kaptein, span die seile” translated into English means: “Captain, set the sails” While the song is primarily about a bloke and his girl, we chose to use it in this clip because it’s just such a lekker song about a captain getting ready for a challenge!)