Results from the 2010 Hong Kong Sevens

It may look like the Hong Kong Sevens is just one great big party, with people in fancy dress drinking too much, meeting friends old and new alike, a bit of networking here, a bit there, fun for the kids as well as the adults, but some serious rugby does actually get played. No, really, it does! Granted, some of the fans may not remember much of what happened on the field, but that is when this results page comes in handy!

-- Be sure to also check out our HD Videos from the 2010 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens --

The first two days of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens yielded few real surprises, with the the one major exception being that Hong Kong beat Wales 19 - 21. Some great rugby has been played and the traditional powerhouses are all looking in form and seem to be improving.

Today, the final day, we will see who is able to carry their form and team strength all the way and claim the title. This is the day when the really big matches are played. Matches such as the very close, and immensely thrilling, Cup Quarter Final between Australia and England which went all the way to the wire, with England proving just too strong at the final whistle. Hong Kong have pulled off the biggest surprises of the whole tournament, much to the delight of the home crowd, who themselves would admit their surprise at beating Wales yesterday, but if they are honest they probably held little hope the team could maintain the strong form and go on to defeat Korea and then Italy to reach the Shield Final against Russia.

Sunday's weather has improved dramatically from the first two days, as the sun is shining on the stadium, temperatures have risen and the skies are blue. The results from the 2010 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens are as follows:

On Sunday, the games started at 09:15 with the first Shield quarter final between Thailand and Zimbabwe. The Shield Final took place at 17:30, the Bowl Final at 17:58, Plate Final at 18:26 and the Cup Final was at 18:54.

Be sure to check out our HD Videos from the 2010 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens

Live Notes

 (please note the below is written at speed during the match, consequently, there are a few spelling mistakes and grammatical errors!)

Samoa take first blood against England with a try from Mikaele Pesamino after 2 rather stale minutes. The try is converted to give Samoa a 7 - 0 lead. England hit straight back though, and on 3:30 score with a try from Chris Brightwell. Successful conversion, 7 - 7. The sixth minute though and a persistent well worked try under the posts gives Samoa a 14 - 7 lead with just 1 minute left in the first half. The buzzer goes just 20 seconds after England almost lost the ball to an intercept by Paul Chan Tung. The games was called back and England keep the ball in play to score a try and claw the score back to Samoa 14 - 12 England. That missed conversion could prove very costly. Half time. Samoa get us underway in the second half, just two points separating the two teams.  Some trickery from Ben Gollings, a clever kick and Mat Turner collects the ball in a chase to score. This try is converted and England take the lead. 14 - 19. Another well placed kick gives Pesamino another try which is easily converted from under the posts. 21 - 19. 3 minutes left to play. Not looking good for England, Samoa play the width of the field to score a try. The conversion by the side-line is successfull and the lead grows to to 28 - 19. A comedy of errors from both sides results in an English try but the buzzer had already gone. It is too late for England, they are out of the 2010 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens while Samoa move forward to play either New Zealand or Fiji. The game ends 28 - 24 to Samoa.

A clash of the Sevens titans, New Zealand and Fiji in the next Cup Semi-Final, should prove as skillful as it will bruising. The first minute of the game was spent deep inside Fiji's half, but a marathon run from well inside his half gave Etonia Nab the first try of the game. The try is converted to give Fiji a 7 - 0 lead. New Zealand do not pause to hit back, and Kurt Baker score straight from the restart to level the scores. This game is far more open than the previous semi and still with 3 minutes of the first half to go a clever kick allows Votu to run onto the ball and score another try under the posts. Converted to give Fiji the lead again. 14 - 7. Only 1 1/2 minute remain in the first and Forbes scores a try next to the posts for an easy conversion. 14 - 14. The buzzer goes and New Zealand are back where they started the game, which is to stay deep in the Fiji half. Baker breaks through the defense and scores a try which is not converted. Half time, and New Zealand lead by 14 - 19. The skies are still blue in Hong Kong, the temperature refreshingly warm and not a single streaker yet - a new record perhaps?! Fiji get the second half underway. Bad news for Fiji though as New Zealand seem to have dug a trench in the Fiji last third, again breaking through to score a converted try and  push the score to 26 - 14. Fiji are finding it harder and harder to get out of their half, they have spent the first 3 1/2 minutes of the second half in their own 25 metre line, but now they do break and an amazing run by Rokobuli leads to a try - questioned by the referee but given. The conversion gives us a 21 - 26 scoreline in New Zealand's favour. Less than 2 minutes to go. Forbes works well with Baker to score a try - need we say, but again under the posts, for an easy conversion to extend the lead to 21 - 33. With only 30 seconds to go, the difference is surely too much for Fiji . New Zealand have, as they always do, saved their best rugby for last, but Fiji never say die and score one of the tries of the tournament as the whistle blows. The game ends, and Fiji leave the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens with their heads held high. Final score 33 - 28, to give us a Samoa v New Zealand Cup Final.

It was noisy before, but all decibel records could well be broken soon if Hong Kong manage to beat Russia in the Shield Final. They have done extremely well just to get to this stage, but the crowd are hungry for more and they want Russian blood!! Next up Russia v Hong Kong! Russia get the game underway. Still no signs of any streakers yet, surely we can't go through the whole of Sunday without at least one - can we? You want noise! DO YOU WANT NOISE??!!!!! The crowd goes wild, as Hong Kong breaks through the defense for the talented Keith Robertson to score a converted try and give Hong Kong the lead 7 - 0 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the first. Less than a minute later and Hong Kong again work their way through Russia to skip to a try under the posts. Hong Kong lead 0 - 14. But this is not going to be easy, Russia are tough and will not take lightly to being behind by two converted tries. In reply and to an eruption of boos from the crowd Russia run from the half way line to score. Half time, 7 - 14. Hong Kong are just 7 minutes away from winning the Shield. The second half gets underway and the HK team show their grim determination, never giving up to cross the line and score a try. 7 - 19. Some hard work against a resilient and determined Hong Kong defense gives Russia a try. 12 - 19. Another brings Russia to within just 2 points as the buzzer goes. The game ends 17 - 19. The ball goes out, the crowd goes crazy and HONG KONG WIN the Shield!!! Mr Jacque Rogge, President, International Olympic Committee, gives the Shield - the very first time Hong Kong have won the shield here.

In the Bowl final Canada have really taken the game to Wales, surging forward with three converted tries within 4 minutes of sustained pressure. Canada leads 0 - 21. Wales need a real shake up at half time as Canada leads 0 - 28. And perhaps that is exactly what they received as they finally manage a reply to Canada's dominance. 5 - 28. Less than a minute remaining and Wales have just not turned up at all. 12 - 35. The game ends 19 - 35 to Canada. Canada wins the Bowl.

Streaker Time, as one guy even manages to climb the posts!! Knew we could not go through the final day without at least a few!!!

The Plate Final takes place between Australia and South Africa, two of the finest rugby nations on the planet, so a better game than the Bowl is to be expected. Robbie Coleman takes first blood for Australia with a try that is easily converted to give the Aussies the lead. 7 - 0 with 5 minutes to go. South Africa respond with some intricate skill to trick their way around the Australian defense and score a good try to bring the scores closer. 7 - 5. A small injury causes a slight delay to the first half but as play returns both sides look threatening, showing off skills that were sorely lacking from the previous final. The first half finishes 7 - 5. Four minutes into the second half and it is again Robbie Coleman of Australia who runs with the ball to score a try extending the Aussie lead to 12 - 5. And that is how it ends, another rather poor game. Australia win the Plate Final 12 - 5.

Next up, what should be a thumper of a match Samoa v New Zealand in the final match of the day - the Cup Final. And, as it is the final there will be 10 minutes per half rather than just 7. Baker gets the scoring underway after some quality sustained pressure from the All Blacks. An easy conversion under the posts gives New Zealand a 0 - 7 lead. 8 minutes remain. Baker scores again to become top try scorer. Another easy conversion under the posts, as New Zealand extend their lead to 0 - 14. On the sixth minute a few fumbles from both sides with Samoa picking up the loose ball to run for a try. 5 - 14 and only 3 minutes left now. A skirmish off the ball could well lead to a sin bin, or will the ref be lenient and just issue a warning. Only 1 1/2 minutes of the first left. And the ref decides to sin bin Uale Mai of Samoa, we presume for a swing of the fist, during the previously mentioned skirmish. Despite being a man down Samoa attack New Zealand and may well have earned a try if it was not for obstruction. The New Zealander responsible is sin binned and now both teams are down to 6 men. The buzzer goes and in the following penalty, Samoa score a converted try to end the first half with New Zealand leading 12 - 14. The first half gets underway and Samoa take the lead from the start. 17 - 14. Both teams are now back to 7 players with eight minutes remaining of the 10 to play. Samoa seem to be camped out in the New Zealand half as the clock shows just 6 minutes to go. New Zealand push them back and win a thro on the 25 metre line of the Samoan half but it is a poor though and Samoa win it only to lose the ball on the half way line. Some crunching tackles prevent NZ from breaking through the Samoan defense, and we return to the line in Samoa 25-line, New Zealand to put in. This time NZ do win the throw and push Samoa back to just 13 metres from the goal line. Samoa push them back to 25-metre line and a penalty that Samoa take quickly gives them a massive try, taking the lead to 24 - 14. Two minutes and 30 seconds remain. New Zealand push back into the Samoan half, but they lose the ball to a scrum with a Samoan put in. Only 1:44 minutes remain. Time running out for New Zealand, strong tackles prevent New Zealand from making any headway. 40 seconds remain with a New Zealand throw. New Zealand kicks but an unlucky bounce prevents them from picking it up for a try. New Zealand cannot win the game as the buzzer goes. 24 - 14 but New Zealand still attack. It is for pride now, they want to get a try back and they do, under the posts for a converted try, but Samoa win the game and the Cup Final 24 - 21.

Samoa win the 2010 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens Cup!!

The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens - quite possibly the best Rugby Sevens party on earth. Be sure to check out our HD Videos from the 2010 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens. See you for the next HK Sevens, 25 - 27 March 2011!

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