Over 113,000 rugby fans turned out for the three-day Hong Kong Sevens, which ran from Friday to Sunday, with South Africa’s men’s team and New Zealand’s women’s team winning the championship titles.
In a press release on Sunday, the Hong Kong Sevens said 37,000 fans packed Kai Tak Stadium for the final day of the games, which reached a “thrilling crescendo” that evening.
South Africa’s men’s team made history with their first-ever victory at the Hong Kong Sevens, beating Argentina, as New Zealand’s women’s team secured their fourth Hong Kong Sevens title.
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Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s men’s team won the Melrose Claymores – a competition held at the Sevens that focuses on Asian teams – for the third straight year after beating Japan 19-15.
However, Hong Kong’s women’s team did not reach the finals after losing to Thailand 14-24 on Saturday.
First held in the city in 1976, this year’s Hong Kong Sevens marked its 50th anniversary.
It was also the second year the competition was held at Kai Tak Stadium, the centrepiece of the city’s biggest sporting facility, Kai Tak Sports Park, which opened last year.
Chief Executive John Lee, who watched the Sevens on Sunday, said he spoke with overseas and mainland Chinese business representatives between matches. They praised the tournament and said they were “filled with confidence” about Hong Kong’s future development, he added.
“Hong Kong is committed to carrying forward the energy of the rugby sevens, showcasing our city’s charm and multiculturalism as a premier events capital,” he wrote in a Chinese-language post on Facebook.
