Hong Kong Sevens 2023: organisers reveal draw, promise to recapture former glory

Tournament from March 31 to April 2 will feature a full-capacity stadium, and women’s and mini rugby as well as men’s, after streamlined event last November
Draw pits Hong Kong’s women against New Zealand, Canada and Great Britain, and the men against France, Great Britain and Uruguay

Hong Kong Sevens

Tom Bell

Published: 5:04pm, 6 Mar 2023

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Organisers of the 2023 Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens are promising to return the iconic event to its former stature when it takes place between March 31 and April 2.

And they have revealed the draw for the 46th edition, which offers some tantalising clashes to back up the hype.

It will include an upgraded women’s tournament. The city will host a leg of the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series for the first time, with Hong Kong drawn to face New Zealand, Canada and Great Britain in their pool. In the men’s competition, the home team will take on France, Great Britain and Uruguay.

Plans for the event were announced at Monday’s tournament launch at the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, in front of Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, sponsors and players.

Members of Hong Kong’s men’s and women’s teams attend the Sevens launch on Monday. Photo: Ike Li / Ike Images

It follows a streamlined Sevens in November, when it took place for the first time in three-and-a-half years after multiple postponements during the pandemic.

That first step back into existence was widely hailed as a success despite the remaining Covid-19 rules in place. Spectators were reminded to wear masks when not eating and drinking, and rapid antigen test results and use of the city’s “Leave Home Safe” app were required to enter the ground – all of which no longer apply.

Chris Brooke, chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU), said that, “having re-established the Sevens in the calendar”, officials were “looking forward to staging a fully fledged version” this month.

The Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens has taken place since 1997, but this year the men and women will play their respective World Series together in an integrated schedule for the first time. The leading 11 teams from the women’s series, alongside the 15 core members of the men’s, will jet in to join the home squads.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to play in this stadium in front of friends and family, and in front of the wider community, including girls who might be playing rugby in the future,” said Natasha Olson-Thorne, co-captain of the Hong Kong women’s team.

“We’ve got a tough draw, but we’re here to play.”

Also expanded since November is the permitted capacity at Hong Kong Stadium. In November, it was capped at 85 per cent under local Covid-19 regulations, limiting attendance to 34,000, but this time the full 40,000 is available. Ticket sales have passed the 25,000 mark, Brooke said.

The Friday morning of the Sevens will feature mini rugby, and the Sunday will once again bring the traditional players’ parade. Both were missing in November.

Hong Kong’s men were handed an unenviable task in that tournament, having been drawn against the giants of Australia, New Zealand and Samoa, but they are keen to show some progress this time.

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“This is a good pool compared with the pool in November, in terms of teams we might match up better against,” Max Woodward said. “But every game looks pretty challenging and we’ll have to improve.

“The big thing for us last time was how good the other teams were – you can’t mistakes, or they’ll be on to it. We want to make that step from looking like we’re trying hard to actually turning teams over.”

In Vancouver on Sunday, in the last tournament action before the World Series moves on to Hong Kong, the men’s leg was won by Argentina. The women’s went the way of New Zealand, who top the season standings for both men and women.

Full draw for 2023 Hong Kong Sevens

(Top seeds listed first)

Men’s

Pool A: Argentina, Fiji, Samoa, Canada.

Pool B: France, Great Britain, Uruguay, Hong Kong.

Pool C: Australia, USA, Spain, Japan.

Pool D: Ireland, New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa.

Women’s

Pool A: New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain, Hong Kong.

Pool B: Australia, Fiji, Ireland, Brazil.

Pool C: USA, France, Japan, Spain.