The 'full house' sign was raised last night at the Hong Kong Sevens - before this year's tournament begins on Friday at the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium.

'We are very pleased that all tickets have been sold but at the same time we feel bad that we won't be able to accommodate all the fans who have been unable to buy a ticket,' Hong Kong Rugby Football Union executive director Allan Payne said.

Tickets were priced at $750 for adults and $250 for children. In addition, all 110 corporate boxes have been sold at the tournament, sponsored by Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse First Boston. Last year, the union lost $4 million due to ticket refunds because of the Sars outbreak. Organisers are worried the sellout could lead to scalping.