Why all the loudest whistles are always from the South Stand

The South Stand isn't just a melting pot of fans - it's also where the referees like to hang out.

'When my friends tell other spectators there I am a referee, they laugh and think it's all part of the alter egos people adopt in the South Stand,' says Hong Kong referee Gabriel Lee Wing-yi. 'As Sevens referees, we have two games on and six games off. So while I'm probably the only person not drinking in the South Stand, our schedule allows us to catch up with friends when we have down time between games.'

Lee, 27, has top-notch officiating credentials. At the World Cup Sevens in Dubai earlier this month she was one of only four female referees, and the only Asian referee. The Immigration Department staffer is also a handy player - she played in the backs for the Hong Kong women's sevens and 15s teams between 1999 and 2006.

Despite loving the game and the travel, Lee felt being a referee offered her more rugby longevity and she started taking IRB courses in 2004.

Lee is still basking in her 'moment in the sun' in Dubai. 'But, of course, Hong Kong Stadium is my favourite place to referee in,' she says. 'This is my home town and I'm proud of it. Nothing compares to that incredible energy when you run through the tunnel to the pitch and hear the roar of the crowd.'

Gabriel Lee was the sole Asian woman referee at the World Cup in Dubai: 1