Hong Kong Sevens 2022: how sweet it is as stadium bounces back to life
- After years of Covid-19 restrictions in the city and a lack of major sporting events, everyone was just glad to be back together
- Crowd cheer hosts off pitch despite hammering by Australia, with mood leaving stadium that this was day for Hong Kong
Roared onto the pitch by a fired-up home crowd – who had belted out a resounding rendition of Neil Diamond’s unofficial Sevens anthem, Sweet Caroline, before kick-off – Hong Kong looked to provide a fitting finale to a momentous day, when the city once again hosted its flagship sporting event after three and a half years away.
But even the hosts were hopelessly outmatched on Friday evening as they lost 43-0 to Australia in their first outing on the main HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, where they are a guest team this weekend, not a single person among the roughly 23,000 at Hong Kong Stadium seemed disappointed.
They cheered their heroes off the pitch, too, despite the reigning Series champions teaching them a harsh lesson in a display of poise and precision in day 1’s final match.
After years of Covid-19 restrictions in the city, and a lack of major sporting events, it seemed everyone was just glad to be back together, as Hong Kong finally begins to open up.
Two quick scores from Dietrich Roache and another from Nick Malouf made it 17-0 to the Aussies at the half-time break – though you would not have known it from listening to the supporters packed into the stands.
They never stopped cheering, as Hong Kong looked to find a hole in Australia’s defence. They erupted soon after the restart when Max Denmark powered over the line, but the jubilation soon turned to despair – and smatters of boos – when the referee pulled it back for an infringement.
To add insult to injury, Josh Turner immediately broke down the other end and added a fourth try for Australia. Then another, which was converted by Roache.
Scores from Kye Oates and Henry Paterson completed the rout, leaving Hong Kong’s players looking downcast as they trudged off. But they huddled together, with their city’s name reverberating around So Kon Po, and geared themselves up for Saturday’s tests to come against Samoa and New Zealand in pool A.