Sevens Seen, with Robby Nimmo - Day 3

We could be heroes

Tina Turner’s Mad Max anthem “We don’t need another Hero” doesn’t reflect the Hong Kong Sevens. In fact, we have a surfeit of heroes, and there’s always room for more.

They are everywhere in the stadium. From the parents who tirelessly go bleary eyed to the pitches around Hong Kong every weekend for months every year, and their kids who run with tiny chests beating in their hearts on the same pitch where the legends strut their stuff, dreaming big.

To the fans and especially the children, the players and coaches are their heroes.

As Gordon Tietjens gave an interview in the media area in the North Stand, he attracted some attention. Youngsters in yellow T-shirts who were volunteering all weekend to deal with wayward rugby balls, ran up to him and asked them to sign his photo in the programme.

When their thick, black marker pens ran out, he took his pen out of his pocket and took time to sign each one.

As he had his head down signing diligently, he was oblivious to the children looking up at him in utter awe, hands behinds their backs as a show of respect, as though he were a god from another world.

“It’s nice that they asked for an autograph, not a selfie, eh,” he said matter-of-factly.