While the HSBC Sevens World Series is taking a wee break after the Hong Kong & Adelaide tournaments, I have some more time to sort through all the media collected during that week of rugby and party madness.
In the meantime I am also finding some great images taken by media colleagues at the 2011 Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.
Below are some images from an outfit called Big Black Box.
The picture below is of Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu and former player-turned-assistant-coach Vuyo Zangqa.
Click here to view BigBlackBox’s Sevens album, you may just see yourself in there somewhere!
After the conclusion of this year’s Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens, I was trawling the internet, when I came across some interesting tidbits about the Hong Kong Stadium.
When you read it you may, like me, wonder what the relationship is between the history of the Stadium site and that of the fortunes of our Springbok Sevens side at the Hong Kong Sevens.
Run by the richest sports organisation in the world, the Course was built in 1845 to provide horse racing for the British people in Hong Kong. (Hong Kong was a British colony at the time.) It was established on swampland but as it was the only flat ground suitable for horse racing on Hong Kong Island the site was developed into a suitable, world-class racing track.
The Happy Valley Fire
However, on 26 February 1918 a huge fire broke out and at least 590 punters and workers perished.
Many of the bodies were buried in So Kon Poin Causeway Bay.
The remains were relocated in 1953 to Aberdeen on the other side of the mountain to make way for the Hong Kong Government Stadium with a capacity of 28,000. Football in Hong Kong had some of it’s best times at this venue in the 60′s and 70′s.
In 1994 the Stadium was rebuilt into the current Hong Kong Stadium, capacity 40,000.
Venue of the world-renowned Hong Kong Sevens, many a team has had some memorable times at the Hong Kong Stadium.
However, for some, it has remained a burial ground.
With the conclusion of third phase of the 2010/2011 HSBC Sevens World Series (Hong Kong and Adelaide), I have more time to sort through the gazillions of images and video clips from last weekend’s Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.
One of the functions I attended in the run-up to the Sevens-weekend was the welcoming party for the Zimbabwean Sevens Team.
The function was held at my favourite Thai restaurant in the Wan Chai party-district, Nana Banana and was attended by the respective Consuls-General, Tembi Tambo (South Africa) and Paul Chikawa (Zimbabwe).
Naturally the food was great, the drinks flowed and the players entertained the guests with some of the team songs:
Then after the tournament (Sunday evening) the Zimbabwean team also entertained guests at the official Awards Dinner at the Marco Polo Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui:
Here are some images I took at Nana Banana:
Cheers Cheetahs! See you at the 2012 Hong Kong Sevens.
As Howzit Online Media I run two blogs: BlitzBokke.com as well as Howzit-HongKong.com, my account of a South African’s life on this side of the noodle-curtain.
As such I have been posting about the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens on both blogs.
People have been mailing me asking about pictures and videos from the weekend’s mayhem I mean rugby, that I have decided to posted all of them in one page.
Keep you eye on this page though as I am still finding new pictures that I will be adding to the sets below.
Here then is a compilation of the pictures from the HK Sevens (and Rugby Week):
The unveiling of the Guinness-certified World’s Biggest Rugby Ball:
How the World’s Biggest Rugby Ball was made and transported to Hong Kong:
The Air Asia Hong Kong Beach 5s
Laureus brings together the Soweto Schools Rugby Programme (SSRP) and the BlitzBokke:
SAAHK Sevens Dinner with Morne Du Plessis and the BlitzBokke:
Rugby stars hold a coaching clinic with SSRP and Operation Breakthrough:
South Africa won the Plate at a cold and slippery Hong Kong Stadium last night.
In the process the BlitzBokke earned 16 Series points after beating Australia 26-19 in a pulsating Final.
Bernard Foley and Hamish Angus (2) scored for Australia but two from Sibusiso Sithole and one each from Cecil Afrika and Branco du Preez clinched the victory for the 2011 USA Sevens Cup winners.
South Africa was earlier eliminated from the Cup challenge by nemisis Fiji who won in extra-time (24 – 19) when they, somewhat controversially scored the ‘golden try.’
What if…
However,many fans of the BlitzBokke will be wondering what might have been had the referee spotted an apparent knock on in extra-time of their thrilling Cup quarterfinal against Fiji.
With the scores locked at 19-all, a Fijian player was tackled and appeared to have lost the ball forward, only for the referee to wave play on. They scored (against the run of play) from the resulting move to deliver a cruel knockout blow to the gutsy South Africans.
Speaking to coach Paul Treu at the Awards Dinner last night, he expressed his satisfaction about the referee’s decision to allow play to continue. “I reviewed the footage afterward and I’m happy with the referee’s decision,” he said.
They played above expectation
A nevertheless proud Treu was full of praise for the huge effort from his players:
“I could not have asked for more from them. They gave it everything they got and we were very unfortunate against Fiji. The injuries to Paul and Bernardo meant we were down to ten players and as a result, the guys just had to shoulder on, which they did in splendid fashion.
“We will have a lot of sore bodies during the next couple of days and we will therefore have to take it somewhat easy during the week in Adelaide.”
The Springbok Sevens management team has made two injury-forced changes to his squad for the next HSBC Sevens World Series tournament in Adelaide. Paul Jordaan and Bernardo Botha both suffered leg injuries on the second day and played no further part in tournament, reducing the South Africans to ten players and forcing Treu to field almost the same line-up for the remaining matches.
The pair has left for home while MJ Mentz and Pieter Engelbrecht have left South Africa on Sunday evening to join the team in Adelaide.
Meanwhile the Series top scorer Cecil Afrika (pictured above) was last night awarded the Lesley Williams Trophy as the tournament’s Best & Fairest player. Other players who made the judges’ short-list and who received an honourable mention include: Tim Mickleson (NZ), Tom Josefu (Samoa), Tomasi Cama (NZ), Philip Mack (Canada) and Frank Halai (NZ).
I was fortunate to have my handy FlipCam at the ready just as this very special words come from the big-screen at the Hong Kong Stadium yesterday:
“Hello Hong Kong. Here is something I wrote before the Sevens was even thought of.”
The organisers of the 2011 Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens couldn’t have come up with a more special rendition of the classic Hong Kong Sevens anthem.
A very special moment indeed.
Here is another clip we made of this tune, together with some other HK7s anthems.
On the train into Hong Kong Island for Day 2 of the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens, I saw some “pelicans” the “Power Rangers,” “Kiss” (the band).
While I can’t say if they were South Africans dressed up, there are plenty of Green & Gold jersey around the stadium.
Other the Springbok Fans in Boerewors Bend, there are lots of Bok jerseys behind me in the Media Box (Western Stand).
I’m going to venture into the infamous South Stand in a while, but here are some images of the Saffas I’ve taken so far:
I have attended and participated in a fair share of ‘side-line’ activities ahead of several Hong Kong Sevens tournaments.
However, this week I was part of a truly special event ahead of the 2011 Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.
On Wednesday I was fortunate to be at King’s Park where 10 boys from the Soweto Schools Rugby Programme had a meet-and-greet with the Springbok Sevens team. The youngsters traveled to Hong Kong with Chairman of the Laureus Foundation South Africa, Morne Du Plessis who was here as a guest of the Southern African Association in Hong Kong (SAAHK).
Of course there were a lot of cameras in attendance but even I was inspired (and somewhat emotional) listening to Morne interact with the boys while the BlitzBokke were going through their training paces on the pitch.
Sevens skipper Kyle Brown also made the boys’ day when he gave a impromptu chat when the two side eventually got together.
Brown said: “The theme of this team is ‘touching people through rugby’ and there a lot of synergies btween that and the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. It is very inspiring for us to meet these young people. Being where we are doesn’t come easy, you have to work hard and keep fit and focused in order to suceed. We are so pleased that the Soweto kids are here in Hong Kong to support us, I hope we do them proud in the tournament.”
He also shared a signed Springbok Sevens jersey with the Soweto kids and in return was rewarded with a signed Laureus jersey.
Another highlight was when the boys performed their “Soweto Haka” with the BlitzBokke, arm-in-arm, facing the ‘challenge.’
Goosebumps stuff.
The Soweto tour party will be guests at the Hong Kong Stadium today where the Hong Kong Sevens kicks off.
Here are some more images from the meet-and-greet:
I have just returned from yet another delightful Sevens Dinner, organised by the Southern African Association in Hong Kong.
The guest speaker this year was former Springbok captain Morne Du Plessis who had the guests hanging onto his every word.
Morne recounted some of his experiences as the manager of the Springbok side who won the 1995 Rugby World Cup as well as his thoughts on the role of former President Nelson Mandela. I could be wrong but I seem to notice a glint in his eyes when he shared his excitement after meeting “his idol” Clint Eastwood. Eastwood, of course, produced the movie Invictus which is based on the 1995 RWC.
Morne’s visit to Hong Kong is two-pronged as he also brought along 10 kids from a Laureus Foundation-sponsored project. He also shared some of the projects that the Foundation is currently spearheading in South Africa. More about this initiative in another post.
I’m not going to recount bits of his speech here. Rather, I’m busy editing the clip I took and will post it on YouTube and on this page shortly.
In the meantime, here are some pics I Tweeted from the Dinner:
These 2 ladies parked themselves at the door and grabbed the Boys as they were leaving the Dinner. Branco Du Preez may be fleet-footed on the pitch, but this time around he couldn’t escape! (Pic: Via iPhone on Twitter/FaceBook)
Morne Du Plessis’ speech at the SAAHK Sevens Dinner:
