Social distancing in the South Stand? Sevens won’t be the same, but this could be Hong Kong Stadium’s last hurrah
- Long-awaited return of Hong Kong Sevens in April will still be one to savour despite all of the restrictions that are likely to be in place
- With state-of-the-art Kai Tak Sports Park on track to open in 2023, tournament’s iconic home of forty years begins its final farewell
World Rugby’s inclusion of Hong Kong on the 2021-22 Sevens Series calendar has raised the question of whether the city will be ready to host its flagship sporting event in April.
But perhaps more importantly, it must be asked: with all of the government’s tight Covid-19 restrictions still stifling Hong Kong, will a socially-distanced Sevens even be worth it?
The Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is rightly regarded as the premier tournament on the Series calendar, with every team – particularly perennial champions Fiji – seeming to raise their game.
But that reputation also goes for the raucous party atmosphere in the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium, “where the world comes to play” as the PR tagline puts it.
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Cheers, beers and colourful costumes: party vibe at Hong Kong Sevens
There are always grumbles from those annoyed by the flocks of drunken fans who spill out of the stadium when the action ends, filling the streets and emptying their glasses. But it’s no overstatement to say the tournament has been sorely missed by most.