Hong Kong Sevens

The Hong Kong Sevens is a big rugby tournament that happens every year in Hong Kong in late March or early April. It is one of the most important events in the World Rugby Sevens Series. The tournament lasts for three days, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday. It is put together each year by the Hong Kong Rugby Union. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event did not happen in 2020 and 2021. The most recent Hong Kong Rugby Sevens ended on 19 April 2026 at Kai Tak Stadium.

History

The Hong Kong Sevens began in 1976. The idea came from Rodney Bentham-Wood of Rothmans Asia. He thought a seven-a-side rugby tournament would be cheaper than a fifteen-a-side one. With help from many people, and sponsors like Rothmans and Cathay Pacific, the first tournament took place on March 28, 1976. Teams from many countries, such as Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, and Tonga, joined Hong Kong to compete.

The tournament grew quickly and moved to the Hong Kong Stadium in 1982. It became an important event in rugby, helping to spread the sport to many countries.

Today, 24 teams from around the world compete in the Hong Kong Sevens. The tournament continues to be a major event in the rugby world.

Format

The Hong Kong Sevens is a big yearly rugby sevens event. It is part of the World Rugby Sevens Series.

Teams are split into six groups of four. They play each other in their group. The winner gets points for the World Series.

In 2010, the tournament changed. A new Shield trophy was added. The Cup and Plate rounds now work like other competitions.

Major changes happened in 2013. The number of teams grew. Only 16 teams fight for series points. The main draw has 15 core teams and the winner of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series. The other teams join the World Series Pre-Qualifier.

The prize money is US$150,000. The Cup Champion wins US$100,000.

In each group, teams earn points differently than in regular rugby: 3 for a win, 2 for a draw, and 1 for a loss.

Four trophies are given out at the end. Since 2013, only the 16 teams in the main draw compete for trophies. The top two teams in each pool go to the Cup and Plate rounds, while the others play for the Bowl and Shield.

Atmosphere

The Hong Kong Sevens is one of the biggest sports events in Hong Kong. It has a fun, party-like atmosphere that brings together the whole rugby community. Before the main men's matches, there is a two-day women's tournament called the Hong Kong Women's Rugby Sevens. Kids aged between 6 and 12 from local clubs also get to play their own tournaments each day and join a special march before the semi-finals.

Fans gather in the South Stand, where they dress up and dance. There are many fun activities, and people often watch matches together at the 'Sevens Village' nearby, where they can eat, drink, and enjoy live music after the games. There are also efforts to help everyone stay safe and make responsible choices during the event.

Results by year

Men's tournament

Women's tournament

All-time results

Qualifier results

Since 2014, the Hong Kong Sevens has had a special competition. The winner of this competition gets to join the main teams for the next season of the World Rugby Sevens Series.

Players

Each year at the Hong Kong Sevens, a special award is given to the best player. This award is called 'The Leslie Williams Award for Best and Fairest Player'. It honors Leslie Williams, who played for Hong Kong long ago.

Many famous rugby players started their careers in the Hong Kong Sevens. For example, players from New Zealand like Jonah Lomu and Joe Rokocoko first showed their skills here. Players from Australia like George Gregan and Joe Roff also began here. The same is true for players from Wales and South Africa.