Twenty-four teams from Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand will take part in the 2011 GFI HKFC Tens.

This year’s tournament field was expanded from 16 to 24 teams to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Hong Kong Football Club.

Making their debut at the 2011 GFI HKFC Tens, the Asian Pacific Barbarians are responsible for almost a full team of famous rugby players. From club president (former All Black skipper) Sean Fitzpatrick and coach David Campese (the legendary Aussie winger), the team also include names such as Australia’s George Gregan and former New Zealand All Black Justin Marshall.

Sean Fitzpatrick and David Campese ahead of the HK Bledisloe Cup clash (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Of course other All Blacks such as Christian Cullen and Rico Gear need no introduction, while Apolosi Satala and Viliame Satala are no strangers to Hong Kong after helping Fiji win the 2005 Sevens World Cup. Other Asia Pacific Barbarians include Timur Mashurov, the current captain of Kazakhstan at both 15s and Sevens, Japan’s Takuro Miuchi and Samoa’s Semo Sititi who have both captained their countries.

After their absence at last year’s Tens, the Scatterlings from South Africa return to Hong Kong.

Pools for the 2011 GFI HKFC 10s

Pool A: Samurai, Pakuranga Pythons, HKFC President’s X

Pool B: Valley (8), Irish Vikings, Wanchai Wanderers

Pool C: Niue (5), Australian Country, Overseas Old Boys

Pool D: Borneo (4), HK Barbarians, PLA

Pool E: NZ Legends (3), CAU, Scatterlings

Pool F: Asian Barbarians (6), Lloyd McDermott, Pakuranga Orange

Pool G: Pyrenees (7), HKFC, Wild Titans

Pool H: Penguins (2), Chairman’s X, Devils Advocate

I am currently watching the rescue of the Chilean miners live on Sky TV.  For those who are not able to and are at your PC, here’s a live feed; not what the TV channels are currently showing. It is behind-the-scenes footage and devoid of commentary:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This is a live video feed of the operation embedded above courtesy of Chile’s government, MSNBC and Howzit-HongKong.com.

Captivating the world!  (A first LIVE stream from Howzit-HongKong.com)

It is a fact that the 2010 World Cup has brought South Africa a huge amount of marketing exposure.

While there were so many doubting Thomases before the kick-off of the world’s biggest sports event (both locally and abroad), most people are now more than convinced that South Africa has indeed managed to pull it off with aplomb.

Brand South Africa has never in the history of the new South Africa encountered this amount of exposure in all the corners of the world…

…except in Chicago.

What wrong with this picture? (Cheers to SA Promo Magazine on FaceBook for the pic)

Eish!  What more is there to say?  One would think that with the might of the American media machine behind them, WGN would get this right.

WGN9 is a television channel in the US city of Chicago.  We wanted to link to their website, but the bumbling idiots do not deserve it.

Forgive them, they live on an island…

Then of course, there is the report from Rugby15.co.za on Facebook telling of the New Zealand reporter asking the Springbok media manager (with a straight face nogal) what “TRIBE” Springbok fullback Gio Aplon is from.  Needless to say, the Bok media man could not keep a straight face and could not stop laughing.

In this day and age.

Fooi tog!

Former BlitzBok & Springbok fullback Gio Aplon faces the Kiwi media in Auckland. (Pic: Gallo Images)

This morning I woke up to another Fathers’ Day in Asia.

My tenth Fathers’ Day here in Asia.

However, as I have this online platform, I would like to share this Fathers’ Day with my own 2 Fathers.

Both absent and passed on on this special Dads’ day.

The one who gave life to me and, in my early years in his own special way, taught me about life.

The other, in my later adolescent and early adult years, who gave me his youngest, to love and care for.

On this day, I share with you (Not only a Marks & Spencers package, a pot of Fruits-of-the-forest tea and an English fry-up from my kids Micaela & Ethan with their own version of MieliePap) but most of all:

A Very Happy Fathers Day.

Happy Fathers Day Donald Daniel Richard Jansen and Harry Hofmeyer.

You are both missed today…

Your son and son-in-law.

Michael Frederick Jansen

I just watched the National Geographic program called “The build up to the Cup.” (10pm Hong Kong)

The program featured the 3 major stadiums purpose-built for the 2010 Soccer, or football if you so please, World Cup: Cape Town, Soccer City in Johannesburg as well as Durban’s Moses Mabida Stadium.

It was really exciting watching the program here in Hong Kong because I just had finished putting together this collage of pictures of some of the 2010 stadiums.  Featured in the video clip below are the Ellis Park, Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, Durban, Loftus Versfeld, Soccer City, Mbombela, Royal Bafokeng, Free State and Peter Mokaba Stadiums:

The South African Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s first Breakfast Seminar for 2010 was held last week.  The guest speaker on this occasion was Angelina Kwan, Managing Director and COO of Cantor Fitzgerald, Asia Pacific.

The topic for Angelina’s presentation was: Jade – An Investors Perspective and everybody who attended agreed that it was exceptionally informative.  Angelina covered topics ranging from what Jade is, the different types of Jade through how to tell if the real Jade from the fake. Angelina’s passion for her hobby (or obsession as she calls it) was very apparent and the audience hung onto her every word.

The audience also had the chance to feel and touch various pieces from Angelina’s collection and they were passed around with strict instructions not to drop them as Jade is fragile – and VERY expensive!

Lizette Smook, who speaks on behalf of the SAWCC (Hong Kong) had this to say:  “The SAWCC would like to take this opportunity to thanks Angelina for her time and we look forward to welcoming her back in the future.”

Yebo Yes! Not only does Saturday May 22, 2010 see the start of the England Sevens at Twickenham, back home there’s also the Semi-finals of the 2010 Super 14 featuring TWO South African teams in the Stormers & Bulls,while locally our Hong Kong Boys also has a crunch-match in the Asian5Nations Top 5 Competition.

Hong Kong’s rugby warriors will take on the might of Japan in the final game of the HSBC Asian5Nations.  That game takes place at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo around 1pm (Hong Kong time).

Victory for Japan’s Brave Blossoms will confirm their entry into Pool A of the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup alongside hosts New Zealand, France, Tonga and Canada.

Japan only needs a point from their final match and as such, even a draw will do. But this will be furthest from the mind of coach John Kirwan who is demanding a complete 80-minute performance from his team.

However, all is not lost for Hong Kong as they can still, mathematically clinch the RWC automatic entry spot from the Japanese team.  All the Hong Kongers have to do to finish top of the HSBC Asian 5 Nations standings, and gain automatic entry to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand next year, is to defeat Japan with a bonus point and deny their hosts a losing or try scoring bonus point.

That’s it. Done. Alles oor. Finish & Klaar.

How’s that for a reason to travel to The-Land-of-the-Silver-Fern next year but to (1) support the Springboks as well as the (2) Boys representing your home-away-from-home!

Now THAT’S Ayoba!

Howzit-HongKong.com will be checking out Hong Kong taking on Japan in this crunch-game at The Canny Man tomorrow.  If you’re in the area, do join us?!  We’ll be at the table enjoying the sponsor’s brew and haggis! S’true!

The Canny Man

B/1 Wharney Guang Dong Hotel

57-73 Lockhart Road

Wanchai

You know you get around a wee bit when you walk into a restaurant and the staff pours your regular tipple without you even ordering.  This is my regular experience when I visit Bulldog’s in Tsim Sha Tsui East.  (It’s near my apartment and I’ll stick to that excuse.)

In this case the tipple of my choice happens to be Kanonkop’s Pinotage.  If you ever visit Hong Kong, go around to Bulldog’s and listen to how they pronounce “Kanonkop.”  You’re bound to recognise a little bit of Cape Town accent there.

I’m proud to say that I am responsible for that.

Our friends over Zoopy.com recently posted this short video (below) about 3 prominent Western Cape wineyards.  Incidentally, they are all within an hour’s drive of my Cape Town home.

Please enjoy this introduction to Simonsig, Rustenberg and of course, Kanonkop.

Kanonkop’s signature canon (Pic: Lorraine R, Flickr)

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