40 Things You Never Knew About the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens
As the Rugby Sevens turns the big 4-0, we’ve dug into the nitty gritty of the city’s greatest tournament. From boozy beginnings to saucy streakers, Kate Springer uncovers 40 things you never knew about the Hong Kong Sevens.
Pitches of the Past
1-6. Ohhh, so that's how it all kicked off...
1. A Morning Meeting
The concept of Rugby Sevens dates back to the 1800s, but the idea for our very own was born at the Hong Kong Club, where ADC “Tokkie” Smith, the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union chairman, and Rothman’s tobacco company executive Ian Gow met for a pre-lunch tipple. Gow floated his big idea: a rugby tournament in Hong Kong.
2. Starting Small
Originally, the pair planned on a 15-a-side tournament, but the scope was overwhelming: the then-infant Hong Kong rugby scene couldn’t manage accommodating and organizing all the players, coaches and officials. It had neither the sponsorship nor the space. Smith and Gow met for another drink—this time to discuss a smaller, more manageable seven-a-side tournament.
The Cantabrians lift the 1976 cup. Photo: HKRFU
3. Money Honey
It might not be its best-known accomplishment, but the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens was actually one of the first tournaments in the world to introduce commercial sponsors, a big step in modernizing the sport. The inaugural sponsors at the 1976 games were Cathay Pacific and Rothmans’ Tobacco Company—back in the day when cigarette promotion was totally kosher—and Cathay is still a main sponsor today.
4. The First Try
The first Rugby Sevens in Hong Kong was held on March 28, 1976, featuring just 10 national teams and two club sides: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Tonga, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Fiji, the Australia Wallaroos and New Zealand Cantabrians. It was described as the “most colorful day of international sport I have ever seen” by co-founder Tokkie Smith.
The most exciting game of the tournament actually wasn’t the final—it was the game between Fiji and Australia: “the ball flashing like a cannonball from player to player,” writes legendary SCMP reporter Kevin Sinclair in his book celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong Sevens. The match went into sudden-death overtime—three times—until finally the Australians wrested out a win. They moved onto the finals, where the Cantabrians took home the first-ever Sevens Cup.