But taking the biscuit had to be the men’s semi-final between Fiji and Great Britain. An unlikely comeback by the Britons forced sudden death after a crazy, chaotic final minute. In extra time, Fiji’s Terio Tamani danced over for a try and embarked on a high-tariff dive as he celebrated – slightly prematurely, because he almost grounded the ball out of play as he swooped to the turf.

The brief look of terror on his face before the winning score’s confirmation was priceless, and entirely in keeping with a barmy, breathless, boisterous half-hour.

2. Women broadened appeal

Without doubt the entire complexion of the Sevens changed with the inclusion for a first time in Hong Kong of a full leg of the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series.

No one did more to impress on its behalf than New Zealand’s women, who were comfortably the most polished performers in either the women’s or men’s competitions.

Their final with Australia finally pitted them against a side close to their level, and they showed they were mortal by spilling a couple of try chances, but they were always in charge and always front and centre in women’s rugby’s latest advance.

3. Home teams delivered

With the stadium packed with Hongkongers, it made for perfect synergy. The women, playing above their normal level, surely inspired all who saw them, and their handful of tries were highlights of the Friday and Saturday.

And the men did that too, while adding what was, for them, a vital breakthrough.

So often hailed for being plucky, they wanted results, and eventually took the scalps of two World Series teams on their way to winning the Shield, altering how they will see themselves. Their exertions were rewarded with the slowest, most hardworking lap of honour imaginable.

4. No Covid regs changed everything

There were still lingering reservations last November.

The Sevens had returned from its pandemic-enforced hiatus yet required a measure of wishful thinking. Whatever the fairly workable reality of being allowed to remove a face mask while eating or drinking, the masks themselves remained miserable symbols of the city and muzzled to a small degree the spirit of the Sevens.

To move forward from that state of affairs, by casting them aside, was vital.

5. Good PR for rugby

Before Hong Kong, all we had heard from rugby in recent times had been rumblings about a boring, overly technical sport whose low ball-in-play time was alienating audiences – not to mention chatter about concussions and increasingly farcical punishments for dangerous tackling.

The athleticism and core skills seen at the Sevens were a real antidote to all that.

6. New Zealand were back

Two hakas – one apiece by the New Zealand women’s and men’s teams – rounded off the Sevens and tells you where the top-level silverware headed. Since the previous Hong Kong Sevens last November, when they flopped by missing out on the Cup quarterfinals for the first time ever in the city, the Kiwi men had transformed their fortunes.

They arrived back in town five months later sitting on top of the World Series standings, and swiftly set about showing they deserved to be. Nine years after they last had, it was high time the men in black reigned in Hong Kong.

7. The fans smashed it

Hong Kong Rugby Union chairman Chris Brooke said at the tournament launch a month ago that the spectators were “in many ways the lifeblood of the Sevens”.

We saw that again this year. Showing up for three long days (granted, everyone built in some downtime), getting behind all of the teams, eating and drinking themselves to a standstill, roaring themselves hoarse and dressing up a storm, they again made the Hong Kong showpiece a Sevens like no other.