Coronavirus: Waisale Serevi ‘cries’ over Hong Kong Sevens postponement; ‘right thing to do,’ says Ben Ryan and Tommy Smith
- The Fijian magician sends crying emojis to express his sadness after the April 3-5 event is postponed, with October suggested as the new date
- The Hong Kong Rugby Union had previously stood firm in its determination to stage the tournament but the spread of the virus has forced its hand
Fijian Waisale Serevi, the greatest sevens player of all time who used Hong Kong as the stage to showcase his art, “cried” via emojis upon learning that the 2020 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens may be postponed for the first time in its history.
Former Fiji coach Ben Ryan and USA Eagles legend Tommy Smith, meanwhile, also expressed their sadness but both felt it was the right move given the severity of the coronavirus – which causes the disease Covid-19 – that started in China but has become a global health threat.
When asked to express his feelings on the Hong Kong Sevens being postponed during a text message conversation, Serevi simply sent five crying emojis, declining to elaborate when pressed further about his views.
Joint organisers the Hong Kong Rugby Union and World Rugby are expected to make an announcement on Thursday evening about their plans for the 2020 tournament, which is part of the 10-city World Series, with speculation that it will be postponed until October.
The Hong Kong Sevens, which has been held uninterrupted since 1976, survived the 2002-03 Sars crisis. And although the Union stated last week that the tournament would go ahead on its original dates of April 3-5, the speed at which virus infections are spreading around the world meant organisers had little choice but to take action.