He clearly loves Hong Kong and there’s no doubt that he’s one of the darlings of the Hong Kong Stadium.

Indeed, as the Total Rugby commentator says (in the video below) about the city’s rugby week: “Hong Kong just wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t see our favourite Fijian.”

This year, Sevens and Fijian legend Waisale Serevi was back in the SAR playing in the 2010 GFI Hong Kong Tens.  During a break at the Hong Kong Fooball Club, my son and I had the chance to hang out with the coach of Papua New Guinea.

True legend.

Ethan and I with coach of Papua New Guinea & Fijian legend, Waisale Serevi at Hong Kong Football Club.

Organisers of the GFI Hong Kong Football Club Tens 2010 announced the line-up for this year’s tournment.

Sixteen teams comprising of former and future stars will come from every corner of the globe to celebrate 25 years of the Tens alongside the best that local rugby can offer. Started in 1986 to celebrate the centenary of one of Asia’s iconic rugby venues, the Hong Kong Football Club, the tournament has earned a reputation as the world’s premier ten-aside competition and the unofficial kick off of rugby week in Hong Kong.

Sevens fans will be excited to know that rugby legend Waisale Serevi will be returning to Hong Kong as a Tens player, lining up with the Hong Kong Barbarians. Serevi should be a useful addition to the Barbarians, a team drawn from players that play locally in the domestic league but who fall outside of the various eligibility requirements required to represent Hong Kong.

Speaking about his “new” team from Papua New Guinea where he is coaching the Men’s Sevens side, Serevi said “I am excited to try my hand at Tens, especially back in Hong Kong. I understand that the Baa baas won the Plate in 2008 and I want to go one better in 2010.”

Defending Cup champions Aliens, runners-up Alternative New Zealand Legends and Plate champions Penguin International RFC are all returning for another tilt at the Tens title in Hong Kong.

Samurais International, Scatterlings of Africa, Borneo Eagles, Australian Country Invitational, Germany’s Wild Titans and the KIR Club Pyrenees are just a few of the international complement appearing at the Hong Kong Football Club at the end of the month.

Befitting their status as returning champions, the Aliens are the tournament top seeds and head Pool Awhere they will be joined by last year’s debut side and eventual Bowl winners, Scatterlings of Africa, which will again be led by former Springbok flanker Bob Skinstad. Australian Country Invitational and mainland side China Agricultural University, China’s first established rugby club and a nursery for Team China, round out the pool.

Scatterlings of Africa at HKI HKFC Tens 2009 (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Pool B sees 2009 Cup runners-up Alternative New Zealand Legends in the top slot alongside the Wild Titans from Germany, the Hill & Associates Hong Kong Barbarians and British Forces side Flying Kukris.

Pool C is headed by the world-famous Penguin International RFC under ex-Scotland coach Frank Hadden and Steve Hill. The Penguins will be out for revenge after reaching the final in 2007 and 2008 and being the ranked as the tournament’s top seed in 2009 only to bow out in the Cup quarter final against Aliens. Last year’s Plate win will not be enough to satisfy this brood of hungry Penguins.

Another UK-based team features in Pool C, Samurai International, who have announced that this year they will be dedicating their performance in memory of their former manager Colin Hillman, who was also the former Technical Coach for the Wales Sevens team before passing away last summer. 2009 Shield Champions Cardiff University and hosts Hong Kong Football Club complete the Pool.

Pool D is topped by tournament fourth seeds Borneo Eagles. Also in Pool D is the KIF French Pyrenees team featuring towering forward Patrick Tabacco who was capped 25 times for France including at Rugby World Cup 2003. The Irish Vikings and Old Boys complete Pool D.

GFI HKFC Tens Pools

(the number in brackets denotes seeding)

Crack New Zealand team Aliens bounced back from an indifferent first day to win the GFI HKFC Tens in brilliant fashion on Thursday (March 26).  

The second seeds stormed to a 24-7 Cup final victory over the Alternative New Zealand Legends before a boisterous crowd at Hong Kong Football Club.  ”I’m shellshocked, really,” said Aliens coach Willie Los’e. “I thought we’d blown it after the first day. I didn’t think we’d shown enough to indicate we could compete on day two.  But that’s the beauty of sport. We had a good team talk this morning, I put the pressure back on the players and they responded in the best way.” 

Aliens had suffered a shock pool defeat to SOC GEN Pyrenees from France on day one of the two-day tournament to leave themselves a tough quarter-final against the top seeded Penguins.  But they rose to the challenge magnificently, winning 12-7 in a thrilling encounter.

With new-found belief, Aliens proved too strong for Playmore Phantoms in the semis, winning 17-5 to set up a final showdown against the third seeded Legends.  Aliens led 10-7 at half-time of the final thanks to tries from captain Jimmy Maher and William Crispin either side of a converted try for Legends by Adam Hill.  Replacement Kurt Baker extended their lead soon after the break with a converted try and the same player sealed victory by finishing off a superb length-of-the-field team move.

Baker had played for the Phantoms against Aliens in the semi-final but was drafted in as a replacement after flyhalf Phillip Tuigamala was ruled out of the final with a shoulder injury – a move allowed under tournament rules.  ”I picked him on the strength of what he did against us in the semi,” revealed Los’e. “We knew we couldn’t put him on until we’d used our starters but once he got on he was unbelievable. I’m just wondering why I didn’t select him in the first place!  I’m absolutely delighted for the players. They believed in themselves and started to show the skills that they’ve got – and now they’re the Cup champions. It’s unbelievable.” 

It is the fifth time Aliens have won the Tens since they began taking part 17 years ago. 

Legends coach Brendan Laney conceded the better team had won.  “For a start, we’re absolutely delighted to have reached the final for the first time in the nine years we’ve been coming here,” said Laney.  ”The first score of the second half was always going to be important and unfortunately it was Aliens who got it, which put us on the back foot. But I’m proud of the way the boys played.”

Legends had cruised past hosts Hong Kong Football Club 38-0 in the quarter-finals before a hard-fought 17-0 semi-final win over Pyrenees, who had former French international scrumhalf Philippe Carbonneau in their line-up.

Penguins gained some consolation for missing out on the Cup with a 33-12 victory over German debutants the Wild Titans in the Plate final.   

South African newcomers Scatterlings of Africa, with 2007 Rugby World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad in their team, carried off the Bowl with a 19-0 victory over the Irish Vikings.

Cardiff University won the Shield with a late try and Read the full story

Outsiders SOC GEN Pyrenees stormed into the Cup round on a day of upsets at the GFI HKFC Tens on Wednesday (March 25).  The French team won all three of their Pool B matches on day one of the tournament at Hong Kong Football Club, including a stunning 7-5 upset of second seeds Aliens.  Pyrenees – with former French international scrumhalf Philippe Carbonneau pulling the strings – also recorded a 17-7 victory over the HKRFU Chairman’s X and beat China Agricultural University 49-0. 

“Everyone is very happy,” said Pyrenees co-manager Bruno Leroy.  ”The key game was obviously against Aliens. We were leading 7-0 when we got a yellow card and at that time we really showed we were all together.  ”Although Aliens scored a try while we were down to nine men, we defended very well and got the victory.”

Pyrenees won the fourth-tier Shield on their Tens debut last year and were not expected to put up such a strong challenge the big teams this time around. 

“We didn’t expect to finish first in the pool and now we will try to go as far as possible in the Cup, but of course we will need some luck as well,” added Leroy.

Aliens won their other two games to finish second in the pool and secure a place in the Cup competition on Thursday (March 26).

Hosts Hong Kong Football Club produced another shock result with a 7-5 victory over South African newcomers Scatterlings of Africa, who had 2007 Rugby World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad in their line-up.  That victory helped Club to second place in Pool D – and a place in the Cup – behind winners Borneo Eagles. 

Scatterlings, the fourth seeds, finished third in the group and will play in the Bowl competition.

Top seeds Penguins won Pool A with three victories over Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers (61-5), Wild Titans (22-7) and Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians (22-5). 

“Our aim today was three wins and we achieved that, so we’re happy,” said Penguins manager Craig Brown.  “Things didn’t always go our way and the second two games were quite hard, which we’re pleased about because we don’t want to turn up on day two undercooked.” 

The Titans, the first German team to compete in the Tens, finished second in the pool to progress to the Cup.

 No.3 seeds the Alternative New Zealand Legends – sponsored by a group of 15 rugby fans from the hedge fund industry – topped Pool C with victories over the Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys (36-0), Playmore Phantoms (17-12) and the Irish Vikings (47-0).

Playmore Phantoms won their other two matches to advance to the Cup.

Sixteen club and invitational teams from around the world are competing in the Tens.  The tournament concludes on Thursday with knockout matches for the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield. Play begins at 10:15am and tickets costing HK$200 can be bought at the gate. 

The Tens is once again title sponsored by global cash and derivatives broker GFI.

GFI HKFC Tens, Results: Day One  Pool A: Penguins 61 Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers 5, Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians 12 Wild Titans 14, Penguins 22 Wild Titans 7, Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians 60 Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers 0, Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers 0 Wild Titans 59, Penguins 22 Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians 5.

Standings: 1-Penguins, 2- Wild Titans, 3- Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians, 4- Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers.

 Pool B: Aliens 40 China Agricultural University 0, HKRFU Chairman’s X 7 SOC GEN Pyrenees 17, Aliens 5 SOC GEN Pyrenees 7, HKRFU Chairman’s X 35 China Agricultural University 0, China Agricultural University 0 SOC GEN Pyrenees 49, Aliens 19 HKRFU Chairman’s X 14.

Standings: 1-SOC GEN Pyrenees, 2-Aliens, 3-HKRFU Chairman’s X, 4-China Agricultural University.

Pool C: Alternative New Zealand Legends 36 Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys 0, Irish Vikings 12 Playmore Phantoms 24, Alternative New Zealand Legends 17 Playmore Phantoms 12, Irish Vikings 24 Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys 10, Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys 0 Playmore Phantoms 61, Alternative New Zealand Legends 47 Irish Vikings 0.

Standings: 1-Alternative New Zealand Legends, 2-Playmore Phantoms, 3-Irish Vikings, 4-Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys. 

Pool D: Scatterlings of Africa 5 Hong Kong Football Club 7, Borneo Eagles 19 Cardiff University 5, Scatterlings of Africa 20 Cardiff University 0, Borneo Eagles 33 Hong Kong Football Club 7, Hong Kong Football Club 24 Cardiff University 14, Scatterlings of Africa 7 Borneo Eagles 7.

Standings: 1-Borneo Eagles, 2-Hong Kong Football Club, 3-Scatterlings of Africa, 4-Cardiff University.

The Scatterlings of Africa Ten-a-side rugby team made their debut at the GFI HKFC Tens in driving rain this morning. The team was clad in a unique leopard-skin print rugby jersey with a red African-continent motif on the chest.

Scatterlings of Africa is led by former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad who last played competitive rugby in the SAR during the 1997 Sevens Rugby World Cup, when the Springboks lost to Fiji in a thrilling Cup Final.

In a hard-fought game against the HK Football Club (HKFC) the wet conditions prevented the game from being the spectacle of running rugby that everyone expected, and the South African unfortunately went to 7-5 to the local side.

Bobby Skinstad will be the guest speaker at the SA Association in Hong Kong Sevens Dinner tonight where the Association of expatriates will officially welcome the SA Sevens team to Hong Kong.

The world famous Penguins have been named top seeds for the 2009 GFI HKFC Tens as they aim to win the trophy for the first time in their illustrious history.

The famous yellow, white and black colours of the Penguins will feature at the GFI HKFC Tens for the third year in a row when the tournament is staged at Hong Kong Football Club on March 25-26, 2009. (Pic: GFI HKFC Tens)

The elite UK-based touring team – properly called Penguin International RFC - have been finalists at the popular tournament for the past two years and are determined to leave with the silverware this time.  “This will be our third visit to the Tens and after twice finishing as runners-up we’ll be aiming to go one better this time,” said manager Craig Brown.  “The competition will, as always, be tough, but we’re looking forward to playing some strong, attacking rugby in the Penguins tradition and hopefully this will be our year.” 

Joining the Penguins in Pool A will be Hill & Associates Trox AITCS Hong Kong Barbarians, comprising many of the overseas professionals who play in the Hong Kong First Division, German newcomers the Wild Titans and the Wanchai Wanderers from Wales. The Penguins will be aiming to end New Zealand’s eight-year winning streak at the Tens and will face strong opposition with Kiwi teams seeded two and three.  Perennial contenders Aliens are seeded No.2 and will be looking to add to their four victories, the last of which came in 2005.

The Alternative Legends – sponsored by a group of 15 rugby fans from the hedge fund industry – are seeded No.3 and, like the Penguins, are aiming for a first victory. 

Scatterlings of Africa are newcomers to the Tens and have been named fourth seeds. The strong South African team will be spearheaded by Rugby World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad and will include other players with Super 14 experience. 

Legendary Springbok, Bob Skinstad

Scatterlings of Africa will be favourites to top Pool D but will face a strong challenge from the Borneo Eagles, who impressed on their two previous visits to the tournament. Also in the pool are Cardiff University and the hosts, Hong Kong Football Club. 

The chances of a new name appearing on the Tens trophy are strong this year as only Aliens among the top four seeds have previously won the tournament.  New Zealand Metro, winners for the past three years, are absent this time after being unable to secure a sponsor. 

“Naturally, we’d like to be there among old friends at the best ten-a-side tournament in the world,” said Metro manager Barry Gallagher.   “Our best wishes go to the organisers and the 16 teams competing and we hope to be back at the Tens in 2010.”

Since Fiji’s Magicians triumphed at the Tens in 2000, teams from New Zealand have won the past eight editions of the tournament. 

The 2009 GFI HKFC Tens will be held at Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley from March 25-26.  Sixteen club and invitational teams from around the world will compete for four trophies – the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield. 

The Tens was first held in 1986 to celebrate HKFC’s centenary and is now firmly established as a highlight of the Asian rugby calendar.  The tournament is once again title sponsored by global cash and derivatives broker GFI. 

Meanwhile, tickets are going fast for the Tens Dinner, which will see Skinstad make an earlier visit to Hong Kong to be guest speaker.  The event, at Football Club on Saturday, March 7, will feature Australian TV sports anchor Toby Lawson as MC and will include a live interactive quiz and an auction of unique memorabilia. 

Tickets costing HK$880 per person or HK$8,000 per table of 10 can be obtained by downloading the booking form at www.hongkongtens.com or by emailing nicola@laxtonmarketing.com. 

GFI HKFC Tens draw (number in bracket denotes seeding)

Pool A: Penguins (1), Hill & Associates Trox AITCS Hong Kong Barbarians, Wild Titans, Wanchai Wanderers.

Pool B: Aliens (2), HKRFU Chairman’s X, French Pyrenees, China Agricultural University.

Pool C: Alternative Legends (3), Irish Vikings, Playmore Phantoms, Overseas Old Boys.

Pool D: Scatterlings of Africa (4), Borneo Eagles, Cardiff University, Hong Kong Football Club.

Legendary Springbok captain and World Cup winner Robert Brian (Bob) Skinstad has been confirmed as the guest speaker at the annual Tens Dinner to be held at the Hong Kong Football Club on Saturday March 7. The Bok Great has developed a reputation as a livewire after-dinner speaker and is sure to keep guests entertained with stories from his stellar career.Together with friend and fellow Springbok Robbie Fleck, Skinstad recently spearheaded the very first Cape Town Tens Tournament. In addition to playing for the Scatterling of Africa-side in this year’s Hong Kong Tens, I’m sure Bob will be making plenty mental notes during the local Tens to take back to Cape Town.

 Event: Hong Kong Tens Dinner Venue: Hong Kong Football Club, Sports Hall

Time: 7pm till late

Price: HK$880 per person or HK$8000 per table of 10

Contact: Nicola Sawyer on 35 79 80 88 or nicola@laxtonmarketing.com

This sought-after event is usually over-subscribed, so get cracking if you’re keen to attend!  If you’re in South Africa and will be travelling to HK for the Sevens, Contact Us if you need more info on the Tens.

(This article originally appeared on Howzit-HongKong.com)

Rugby World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad will lead a strong South African challenge at this year’s GFI HKFC Tens. The Springboks icon is part of a new team, Scatterlings of Africa, who will attempt to end New Zealand’s eight-year winning streak at the popular Hong Kong tournament.

Springboks icon Bobby Skinstad will play for the newly formed Scatterlings of Africa in the GFI HKFC Tens at Hong Kong Football Club on March 25-26, 2009. (GFI HKFC Tens)

  “All the boys have played at a high level,” revealed team organiser and player Rorke Slater. “We have guys who have represented their provinces and played Super 14, plus of course Bob, who captained the Springboks and has won a World Cup. “We cannot wait to get to Hong Kong. Most of the guys haven’t been there before so we’re looking forward to seeing such a great city and hopefully playing some top rugby.”

Back rower Skinstad played 42 tests for South Africa, including 12 as captain, and was a member of the victorious Springboks squad at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Scatterlings of Africa – named after a song by South Africa’s most famous musician, Johnny Clegg – are mainly Durban-based but will also feature three players from Cape Town and a trio of players based in Hong Kong. “We are an independent side made up of friends, so we are not linked to one particular club,” explained Slater.

Since Fiji’s Magicians triumphed at the Tens in 2000, teams from New Zealand have won the past eight editions of the tournament. The 2009 GFI HKFC Tens will be held at Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley from March 25-26. Sixteen club and invitational teams from around the world will compete for four trophies – the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield. The Tens was first held in 1986 to celebrate HKFC’s centenary and is now firmly established as a highlight of the Asian rugby calendar.

Tens organising committee chairman Paul Smith predicted another high quality tournament. “We’re delighted to welcome three new teams this year and it will be particularly interesting to see the South African challenge to New Zealand’s supremacy,” he said.

“The tournament has attracted some truly exceptional players in recent years, including Jonah Lomu, Joe Roff, Toutai Kefu and Neil Jenkins, so it’s great news for rugby fans that Bobby Skinstad will be appearing this year. “The Tens has developed a reputation as the best ten-a-side rugby tournament in the world and we are all looking forward to what promises to be another two days of fantastic rugby.”

The tournament is once again title sponsored by global cash and derivatives broker GFI. Organisers have also confirmed that Skinstad will be making an earlier visit to Hong Kong as guest speaker at the Tens Dinner, to be held at Football Club on Saturday, March 7. The Springboks great has developed a reputation as a livewire after-dinner speaker and is sure to keep guests entertained with stories from his stellar career.

Australian TV sports anchor Toby Lawson will be the MC while the evening will also include a live interactive quiz and an auction of unique memorabilia.

 Johnny Clegg: Scatterlings of Africa