Battle of the Pacific islanders a classic story of a game of two halves, with Fiji losing out
The bright city lights did not startle Samoa's village-grown heroes as they beat much-fancied Fiji in one of the strangest Cup finals ever played in the history of the Sevens.
Samoa scored five first-half tries, three by Hong Kong debutant Mikaele Pesamino, and then held off a Fijian fightback in the second half to emerge 27-22 winners.
The South Stand was 'Adults Only' for the first time this year. But the seething mass saw little action up close as all the play was at the northern end.
The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union might as well have closed that section off and allowed the exhibitionists - a couple did invade the pitch during play - to have the run of that part of the field. For the match was truly one of two halves. And Samoa had the better half.
'We are winning this season because we are using only players who are based in Samoa. We are not using anyone who is playing abroad. This win is good, we are poor people, village people,' smiled thrilled Samoan coach Dickie Tafua after his team lifted the US$100,000 winner's purse.