Live | Live: Hong Kong Sevens 2016 latest – Let’s talk like Honey Badger
Join the team as we bring you up to date with Sevens news and tidbits from teams, players and fans around Hong Kong
Wednesday, 6 April, 2016
We’re off like a bride’s nightie
Sevens braces for NFL power
Nate Ebner could be the shape of things to come for world rugby. The American, who won a Super Bowl ring in 2015, is playing in the GFI HKFC 10s, looking to sharpen his rugby skills and win a place in the United States sevens squad for the Rio Olympics.
Ebner scored a try for his team Samurai in their 33-5 victory over Projecx in his first day of competitive rugby. Our man on the case, Sam Agars, has already spoken to Ebner, so look out for his piece over the next few days.
All that Jazz and Olympic sevens selection nightmares
Back on the Badger trail
Zimbabwe desperate for World Series place
Escaping the Sevens
Orienteering class for Hong Kong women
It’s all about team bonding for the Hong Kong side ahead of the Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens, which kicks off at King’s Park on Thursday. Coach Anna Richards had given her charges a special task that involved finding their way around Hong Kong, Amazing Race-style. Richards and her team have been working hard for the tournament and stay tuned for Sam Agars’ preview. In the meantime, you can watch the video of when the men’s and women’s Hong Kong teams were announced.
Also, keep those Honey Badger lines coming in. And please, no copying from his “33 Honey Badger best lines” ... that’s about as original as a Rolex in Temple Street. Heh heh.
Calling all Honey Badgers
Well, here I am busier than a one-armed brick-layer in Baghdad updating this here live show. Left on my own by colleagues chasing players and coaches all over Hong Kong, I’m having more problems than a one-legged tap dancer. Yes, that’s right ... we are in Honey Badger mode!
Nick Cummins, Australia’s archetypal larrikin (well, aren’t all larrikins Australian) is in town and doesn’t disappoint, says our Sevens social reporter Robby Nimmo, who spoke to the man who is taking ocker-ville to new horizons.
The Badger took the time to explain the culture of pluggers in Australia, saying.
“You’ve got your Double Pluggers see. They are standard issue when you’re a young bloke and you reach around the 13 mark. They’ve got two plugs underneath for strength.”
Here’s one already: “Faster than a chook [chicken] on the run from Ronald McDonald.”
And another one: “He wouldn’t shout if a shark bit him.” (of that one guy in the gang who never buys a round).
Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam in All Blacks 7s final 12
All Blacks Sevens squad: Pita Ahki (North Harbour), Kurt Baker (Taranaki), Sam Dickson (Canterbury), DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau), Gillies Kaka (Hawke’s Bay), Liam Messam (Waikato), Tim Mikkelson (Captain, Waikato), Sione Molia (Counties Manukau), Lewis Ormond (Taranaki), Isaac Te Tamaki (Waikato), Regan Ware (Waikato), Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau).
Lan Kwai Fong Sevens Carnival
Well, as promised ... here’s the fun and revelry from the Sevens Carnival in Lan Kwai Fong on Tuesday night. Kevin Kung was there to capture the moments.
Who scored the first-ever Hong Kong Sevens try in 1976?
The Hong Kong Sevens has featured some of the biggest names to ever fondle the oval ball. Jonah Lomu, David Campese, the Ella brothers, Will Carling, Les Cusworth, Eric Rush and, of course, Waisale Serevi. Simply too many to mention.
One name, though not among the superstars, will forever be etched in Hong Kong Sevens annals ... Stephen Streeter. His place in history was confirmed in 1976 when he became the first man to score a try in the Hong Kong Sevens. He was representing the Wallaroos and his try came in the opening game against Korea, which they won 21-4. The Wallaroos lost to New Zealand’s Cantabrians in the final and Streeter went on to play 12 games for Australia, including one test.
Robby Nimmo has spoken to Streeter (pictured below on the right chasing Fijian winger Seremaia Tui Cavuilati in 1976), who makes regular trips back for the Sevens, so watch out for her piece this weekend. Here’s a teaser of what to expect. Streeter says:
“After that first Sevens, I was awarded a medal. It was either given to me by [Tokkie] Smithy or Rothman. He said to me: ‘This will mean nothing to you now, but it will in years to come.’ He had the vision. Who would have thought that the Hong Kong Sevens would go on to be a global tournament encompassing Vegas, Vancouver and Sydney. It all came from that event back in 1976.”
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The Hoff and the Restless
But ... I thought why not start with another musing on The Hoff, who, after all, is dominating the day today by hosting the concert in So Kon Po featuring The Proclaimers (it takes a wee bit of talent to sing in a Scottish accent) and ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again.
The Hoff item, though, has nothing to do with “Knight Ryder” or “Baywatch”. For those who remember the 70s ... er, so I’m told, David Hasselhoff earned his Hollywood stripes in the daytime soap “The Young & the Restless”, as humble Dr Snapper Foster healing hearts and bodies in Genoa City.
Go behind the scenes with The Hoff as he revisits the set.
Tuesday, April 5
Watch New Zealand train
Right, thanks very much for joining us. Things are winding down at this end. This is Nazvi Careem signing off but we’ll be back giving you updates from Wednesday morning as we head towards kick-off on Friday. The last goodie for tonight is a video by our man Kevin Kung of New Zealand’s training session on Tuesday morning.
Australia will take much value from Hong Kong
Hong Kong squad finalised - injury rules out Max Woodward
Germans back after 24 years
Sonny Bill Williams is fine, says All Blacks coach
Meet our team
Aussie offloader
Australian coach Andy Friend talks about the potential impact former rugby league player Frank Winterstein will have on the Wallabies Sevens team.
“He’s been training with us for the last six weeks. Close to being ready and we will definitely look to use him in Hong Kong or Singapore.
“He has a lot of professional experience at 28 years old. He has been a rugby league for the last decade and a rugby union player. He has something we don’t have a lot of in our squad, which is size and the ability to offload.
“If you watch Fiji or New Zealand play, they play with big men dominating up the middle of the park, able to carry the ball with one hand and attract one or two defenders and then get an offload away. “Frankie brings that to us, which is something quite unique for our team and we just need to see how we fit that into our game, so he will get that opportunity to show that.”
Harry’s snapshots of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Sevens 2016 fixtures & results
Village people
Families are encouraged to visit the HSBC Sevens Village on the grounds of the Indian Recreation Club at So Kon Po. Admission is free from Friday to Sunday.
Celebrate the rugby spirit with your friends and family, especially if you are among those unable to obtain a ticket this year.
Along with events at Chater Garden in Central, the public can:
* Watch live streaming of the tournament on a giant screen all weekend.
* Send a video message at the HSBC “Cheer on the Hong Kong Rugby Team” video booth in Chater Garden in Central on Wednesday and Thursday of tournament week. The best messages will be broadcast at the Sevens Village.
* Have fun and learn new skills at the HSBC #BRINGYOURGAME Zone, where fans and families can join interactive rugby, golf and tennis games and get a chance to win fun prizes.
* Let your kids take part in art workshops, face painting and other fun activities.
* Meet rugby legends and HSBC Ambassadors Brian O’Driscoll, Jason Robinson, George Gregan and Gavin Hastings and try to beat them at the Rugby Sevens Superstar’s Challenge.
*Enjoy live entertainment and musical performances from popular Scottish bag-pipe band the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
*Dine at various food stands feature a wide choice of snacks and drinks from The Butchers Club, Cali-Mex and Bread & Beast.
*HSBC Premier customers can get special Rugby Refuel vouchers in the village on a first-come-first-served basis.
Hong Kong captain injured?
Donate for Fiji
This year at the Hong Kong Stadium, funds raised from Diamond Vision screen messaging will go towards relief operations for the victims of Cyclone Winston in Fiji.
Traditionally the funds have been allocated to the HKRU Charitable Trust Fund supporting education for disadvantaged local rugby players to allow them to maintain their involvement in rugby.
However, in light of the sheer devastation in Fiji, in which hardly a single family was spared – including members of the Fiji Sevens team – it was decided to this year allocate the money to help those who have lost loved ones, homes and businesses.
Messages can be placed from the information booth immediately opposite the main gates.
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Home James
James Cunningham is one of the finds of the seasons for Hong Kong as the home side look to qualify as a core team for the Sevens World Series. The Hong Kong-born, Australia-raised, player said:
“My parents came back over for the Cup of Nations and took at look at our old house in Clear Water Bay. It was the first time they’d been back and they saw a couple of Lamborghinis parked in the drive way - so the guess was that the rents have gone up here!”
And on training at the Hong Kong Sports Institute:
“I can’t think of another programme in the world that has access to what there is here,” says Cunningham. “Have the stuff I couldn’t even tell you what it is. Because there’s so many athletes in this facility they have to cater for everything. It’s a playground for athletes.”
Eagles ready to soar
Welcome Sevens fans, with a word from The Hoff
Welcome to the SCMP’s coverage of the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2016. Stay with us as we bring you news, pics, video and nuggets from around the city from teams, fans, officials and whoever else has even a smidgeon to do with the Sevens as we build up to the event.
This is Nazvi, getting you started but we will also have tidbits from our Sevens team, including James Porteous, Matt Scott, Sam Agars, Robby Nimmo and Alex Jenkins, among others.
What better way to get things moving than a gem from Mr Baywatch himself, The Hoff, or David Hasselhoff as he used to be known. The Hoff will be hosting Wednesday’s kick-off concert featuring ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again and The Proclaimers.
“You know they could have been stuck up guys but they really weren’t. The Rock brought his mother down to meet me and couldn’t have been nicer and Zac Efron spent a day off with me and asked all about it. I told him I thought it had a heart, there was humour and there was action. I told him to have fun but don’t make fun of it. If you make fun of it you’re going to lose the audience. Baywatch wasn’t the smartest TV ever made but it was fun.”
