They were the masters of the game - four giants who stamped their greatness on the tournament. Among all the brilliant individuals to have played here, Rush, Serevi, Campese and Lomu have a special place in the annals of the Sevens and in the hearts of fans
INDOMITABLE ERIC
When most players would have been content to call it a day, Eric Rush just sucked it up and carried on ... year after year.
But even the greatest have to give it up some time and, at 39, even if the mind was as willing as ever, a body which had undergone two decades of punishment said enough was enough and Rush declared 'it is over'.
He announced his retirement at the 2004 Hong Kong Sevens. Coming off the bench against Argentina in the semi-finals, Rush couldn't prevent New Zealand from slipping to a narrow 19-17 defeat.
'Yes. It is over. This will be my last Hong Kong Sevens. I will hopefully play out the rest of the season, but this will be the last time that I play in Hong Kong,' said Rush soon after that loss. 'It is going to be strange not running out there when I come back in the future. But I have had a good run. I have been here 17 years and missed out only once. So 16 years is a good streak,' said Rush.
Blessed with exceptional pace and ball skills, Rush began his career as a flanker with Auckland, before transforming himself into a winger and going on to win nine All Black test caps in that position. But it was at sevens that he excelled, becoming one of the legends of the game in a career spanning 17 years.