Hong Kong might have picked a new chief executive yesterday, but it was favourites Fiji who ruled the roost in the city after defeating New Zealand in a gripping Cup final at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens last night.
It was a high-scoring classic, with Fiji emerging 38-25 winners. They never looked in any danger of losing, forcing New Zealand to play catch-up rugby.
'They [New Zealand] just came to play, but for us it was more than just a final. We really wanted it. We were hungry, we were determined,' said an emotional Fiji coach, Alifereti Dere. 'This victory is for the people back home.'
You could sense the charged sentiment bubbling inside the Fijian squad as they lined up for the national anthem.
Almost all the players had tears steaming down their faces as 'God Bless Fiji' was sung by a tuxedo-and-gowned foursome.
The Hong Kong Sevens was the first tournament on the HSBC Sevens World Series which played national anthems before the final. The organisers know how to put on a show, how to stoke the passions of the players. And, like gladiators, Fiji responded in the only way they know.