East Asian Games offer sevens fans chance to prove their loyalty

So how many of you will turn up at Hong Kong Stadium in December to watch the sevens programme at the East Asian Games?

How many of you are true supporters of the game in this town, and how many of you are in the category of those once-a-year fans who only come along to have a ball with rugby being just a distraction?

These are questions the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union will ponder as it looks ahead to staging the inaugural sevens competition at the fifth East Asian Games (EAG).

The HKRFU will wish to replicate the atmosphere from last weekend when another successful Hong Kong Sevens drew to a tense conclusion with the flamboyant Fijians holding on to prevent South Africa from winning a first Cup title.

It will be a difficult task. Only eight men's teams and six women's teams (that is if Inner Mongolia front up) will take part in the EAG. None of the bigger nations will be around. So the HKRFU will worry about getting 40,000 people into the stands. It will require a Herculean effort. But undaunted, the planning is already underfoot to stage a super EAG.

The HKRFU will need your help for that. Here is the chance to show that you are not a fly-by-night supporter of the game. Turn up and cheer Hong Kong as they bid to win a gold medal. The players need you.