Hong Kong Sevens’ slick ‘celebration ceremony’ at stock exchange starts the countdown to return of city’s sporting showpiece
- Friday’s event charged with symbolism linking the city’s economy, its gradual return to normality, and its ‘most entertaining weekend’
- Paul John tells his Hong Kong players to ‘relish the occasion’ in tough Pool A opener against Australia on opening evening
Hong Kong’s sevens team will play their first game at home for more than 3½ years in November, and it is going to be a tough one.
Paul John’s side have been drawn alongside Australia, New Zealand and Samoa in Pool A of the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, and will face the first of those in the last game on the opening evening of the event.
John is not placing any expectations on his side, but hopes his players will just take in the experience and “relish the occasion”.
“As the invited team this year, we are not expected to win – although that is certainly our target,” John said. “But we can enter the tournament really loose, knowing we have nothing to lose.
“Playing against three of the best teams in the world in our pool is a great challenge and the perfect opportunity for us to go out and show them how we play sevens here, and why Hong Kong is the best place in the world to play sevens.”
Sixteen men’s teams will compete at the three-day tournament, which starts with eight games on Friday, November 4.
South Africa, who have never won the Hong Kong Sevens, have been drawn in Pool B, alongside France, Great Britain and Uruguay, while Fiji, the United States, Spain and Japan made up Pool C. The last four sides – Argentina, Ireland, Kenya and Canada – are grouped in Pool D.