mericans who wonder at the growing popularity of rugby in the Asia/Pacific region need only get an eyeful of the hotties that turn out to root on their teams at Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, the world's premier rugby tournament.
The event has its origins at the old Hong Kong Club in 1975 when a tobacco executive named Ian Gow proposed that his company sponsor a rugby sevens tournament. The following March 28 the inaugural tournament hosted teams from Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Tonga. It remained a largely volunteer-manned effort even as the tournament grew into a premier spectator event that outgrew the Hong Kong Football Club and moved into the old Hong Kong Government Statium.
South African fans pose during the second day match at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens 2008 Saturday, March 29, 2008.
(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Today Hong Kong Sevens has grown to fill the new 40,000-seat Hong Kong stadium, drawing teams and crowds from a dozen nations, now also including China, Hong Kong, Russia, the U.S., Taiwan, Argentina and Samoa. In the current tournament China's Zhang Zhiqiang was the top scorer through Saturday.
What really makes the Hong Kong Sevens rock are the boisterous soccer-style fans with their outsize vocal chords and outlandish costumes. The fans that typically get the most media attention are the bevvies of beauties who show their spirit by donning eye-catching outfits with attitudes to match.
Sevens is a variation of rugby union but with only seven players on each side. Sevens also shortens the 80-minute-long union match down to 15 minutes,boosting to the intensity and excitement. Like another popular international pasttime, rugby sevens originated in Scotland in 1883. Today it boasts enough of an international following to support the Rugby World Cup Sevens, as well as the IRB Sevens World Series of which the Hong Kong Sevens is considered the crown jewel.
British fans cheer during a second day match at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens 2008 Saturday, March 29, 2008.
(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
03/28/2008 07:27 PM
An Aussie fan shows her spirit during the second day of the HongKong Rugby Sevens tournament on Saturday, March 29, 2008.
(AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Sevens fans put on a display of attitude at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.
(AP Photo/Lo Sai Hung)
mericans who wonder at the growing popularity of rugby in the Asia/Pacific region need only get an eyeful of the hotties that turn out to root on their teams at Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, the world's premier rugby tournament.
