Hong Kong Sevens

The Hong Kong Sevens is a big rugby tournament that happens every year in Hong Kong during late March or early April. It is one of the most important events in the World Rugby Sevens Series, and it is the fifth tournament on the calendar and the first part of the World Championship 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, who thought a seven-a-side rugby tournament would be cheaper than a fifteen-a-side one. With help from many people, including Tokkie Smith, Vernon Roberts, Bob Gaff, and Mike Pratt, 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. By the mid-1990s, New Zealand became a strong team, winning three times in a row from 1994 to 1996.

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 the most important yearly rugby sevens event. It is part of the World Rugby Sevens Series. In the past, 24 teams played, but most other events had only 16 teams until 2012–13.

Teams are split into six groups of four. They play each other in their group. The winner of the whole tournament gets 30 points for the World Series, instead of the usual 22 points. The runner-up gets 25 points, instead of 19.

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

Major changes happened in 2013. The number of teams grew from 24 to 28. Only 16 teams fight for series points. The main draw includes 15 core teams and the winner of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series. The other 12 teams join the World Series Pre-Qualifier. The top teams from these pools move to quarterfinals. The winners and the Asian Sevens Series winner go to the World Series Core Team Qualifier at the London Sevens.

The prize money is US$150,000. The Cup Champion wins US$100,000, and the runner-up gets US$25,000. Each semi-finalist loser receives US$12,500.

In each group, teams earn points differently than in regular rugby: 3 for a win, 2 for a draw, and 1 for a loss. If teams tie, the head-to-head result decides, then the points scored.

Four trophies are given out at the end. Before 2013, the six group winners and the two best second-place teams played for the Cup and Plate. The Cup goes to the champion. Since 2013, only the 16 teams in the main draw compete for trophies, following the same format as other series events. The top two teams in each pool go to the Cup and Plate rounds, while the others play for the Bowl and Shield. Losers of the Cup quarterfinals move to the Plate, and Bowl quarterfinal losers go to the 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 included 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 called 'The Leslie Williams Award for Best and Fairest Player' is given to the player who shows the best skills and spirit in rugby sevens. This award honors Leslie Williams, who played for Hong Kong many years ago.

Many famous rugby players got their start by playing in the Hong Kong Sevens. For example, players from New Zealand like Jonah Lomu and Joe Rokocoko first showed their talents here. Players from Australia like George Gregan and Joe Roff also began their journey at this tournament. The same is true for players from Wales and South Africa.