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.

OK… we’re still glowing in the glorious aftermath of a very successful Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens (besides, it’s still Easter school holidays here in the SAR!) so here is yet another reminder of what went down, fun-wise at the Hong Kong Stadium during this year’s Sevens.

In full view of the Presidents of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), some jokers decided to “spice up” the proceedings during the Samoan team’s Cup celebrations.  Needless to say, the South Stand had great fun with all these shenanigans that happened right in front of them!

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Watch out for the Saffas in the frame enjoying the classic South Stand song “Hey! Hey! Baby… Ooh, Ah!”

Sorry for the streaker on the posts… he got nailed by our over-exuberant security.

This is one of the reasons why the Hong Kong Sevens is so successful: you can actually LIVE OUT your South Stand costume!  I snapped these 2 jokers in Lockhart Road, Wan Chai where they were actually stopping vehicles and pretending to “phone it in to HQ” !!  I don’t know whether the Chinese woman in one of the pictures actually believed them or if she was just agitated!  Serves her right for venturing into Wan Chai on Sevens Saturday!

The extent of their shinanigans?  A few minutes later I saw them do the same to an ACTUAL POLICE VAN! 

 (OK… the traffic light was RED at the time, but the cops were good sports and let them get away with it!)

See you in Wan Chai for the 2011 Hong Kong Sevens!

Colleen Thane, one of the most patriotic South Africans you will find in Hong Kong, corrected me the other day when I referred to the spot on the main level of the Hong Kong Stadium where the Saffas congregate during the HK Sevens as the “South African Corner.”

Below:  the voice of SA Rugby Hugh Bladen in the Boerewors Corner 2010

In fact, she said, these days it is referred to as the Boerewors Corner. She continued to say that:

“It used to be called “The Castle Corner, until some sod stole our 20 foot banner some years back!”

Well Colleen, in the interest of all those Saffas who are already planning their 2011 trip to the Hong Kong Sevens, this is where you want to be:

In our oppinion, Colleen Thane should be the un-official Mayoress of the Boerewors Corner! She’s the Saffa blowing the Vuvuzela in the picture slideshow below.

Here are some pics we took of Saffas in the Boerewors Corner over the last few years:

Here at BlitzBokke.com and over at Howzit-HongKong.com, we concentrate a lot on the fans and their experiences and shenanigans at the world’s premier Sevens event, the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

I wouldn’t exactly say that we neglect the on-field action, but the simple reason for that is that we don’t have the access (yet) to pitch-side to catch all the action from that side. We also don’t have the skills (yet) nor the equipment (yet, again) to do real justice to that profession. Believe me, there were some real talent snapping away at the Hong Kong Stadium this last weekend. I saw their tools and yes… they’re HUGE.

However, what we do have (other than said skills) are friends with connections. What can I say: we’re from Cape Town ek sê! Our friends-with-connections are from Elite Step Asia and they gave us these magnificent on-field pictures to share with all of you.

I am always amazed at the detailed statistical analysis of every game that is circulated to us in the media enclosure. Based on that, it is probably not unbelievable that the International Rugby Board has records of every single try ever scored since the inception of the Sevens World Series.

At the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens this past weekend, Russian Vladimir Ostroushko had the honour of scoring the 24 000th try. Try saying that a few times! Here is that try as well as some other landmarks that were passed in Hong Kong:

(Video from the IRB)

Fiji today retained their “title” of bogey team to the Springbok Sevens team.  The BlitzBokke went down to the Islanders by 14 – 12.

While the difference in the end was a mere successful conversion by the Fijians, the winners will go into the scorers log as having made 26 effective tackles to South Africa’s 9.  What also went against the Bokke were some crucial decision-making, taking the ball inside when they should have taken the ball through the hands to their speedsters.

All said and done, coach Paul Treu should be satisfied with the progress his charges have made over the past 4 games.  The young players are adapting well to the rigours of international Sevens at this level, while at long last the more experienced Bokke are beginning to fulfill their leadership role.  The final two tournaments in London and Edinburgh should be another opportunity for the Springboks to gel as a unit before the new season.

South Africa still has a chance of winning some silverware when they play Kenya in the sime-finals of the Plate competition. 

The teams for the Cup semi-finals are:

Samoa vs. England (16:30 local time)

Fiji vs. New Zealand (16:52)

In the Plate semi-finals:

USA vs. Australia (15:46)

SA vs. Kenya (16:08)

A Saffa show’s his colors in Hong Kong (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Old foes

The South African Springbok Sevens team will today face what has become their bogey team in this year’s IRB Sevens World Series in the quarter-finals of the cup competition.  They will come up against Fiji for a place in the Cup semi-finals against either Kenya or New Zealand.

The Cup quarter-finalist are:

Samoa vs. USA

England vs. Australia

South Africa vs. Fiji

Kenya vs. New Zealand

Hong Kong Sevens 2009

Fans of the BlitzBokke will remember our heartbreak final against Fiji almost a year ago, but coach Paul Treu believes that they have the ability to revenge that loss.

“They are tall players and good runners who can swing the ball form side to side.  They can really manipulate space and are masters in attacking space.”

“We have to make sure our defensive alignment are in place and we engage in the contact, making the early hits.”

We have a plan

The coach will therefore have to believe that his senior players have the ability to step up and make the hits.

After their final game against Kenya last night, while the fans were streaming out of the stadium, I noticed that the coach took time to speak to both Frankie Horne and Mpho Mbiyozo in the center of the pitch.  I believe that he impressed upon them the importance that they take the lead and cancel out the Fijian attacking prowess.

We have all the faith that they can.  When they do, Hong Kong Stadium March 28, 2010 can be:

The right place… at the right time.

Bokke Bo.

I took this picture of a fan in Wan Chai last night (Pic: Mike Jansen)

After an iffy start to their Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens campaign, South Africa managed to top Pool F with a magnificent display of sevens rugby against fellow Africans Kenya.

Clinical and committed defence saw the BlitzBokke beat Kenya by 21-7 with Chris Dry, Branco Du Preez and Rayno Benjamin all crossing for tries.  Cecil Afrika again shone with the boot by converting all three attempts at goal.

For Kenya, Humphrey Kayange scored, converted by Lavin Asego.

The win saw the Springboks progress to the Cup quarter-finals on the final day of the IRB Sevens Series’ showpiece event where they will meet nemesis Fiji at 12:55 (local time).

The draw for the knock-out stages of the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong sevens are as follows:

Cup Competition

Samoa vs. USA 12:11

England vs. Australia (12:33)

Fiji vs. South Africa (12:55)

Kenya vs. New Zealand (13:17)

Bowl Competition

Argentina vs. Wales (10:43)

Scotland vs. Japan (11:05)

Canada vs. Tonga (11:27)

Potugal vs. France (11:49)

Shield Competition

Zimbabwe vs. Thailand (09:15)

China vs. Russia (09:37)

Hong Kong vs. Korea (09:59)

Chinese Taipei vs. Italy (10:21)

Below: SA Skipper Kyle Brown being interview post-game (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Day 2 of the 1020 Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse hong Kong Sevens is 30 minutes into the day’s long schedule.  Argentina just overcame the Italians by 42-0 and Scotland is playing Chinese Taipei in Game 2.  A huge roar just went up from the South Stand when the stadium announcer blared:

Ladies & Gentlemen, this is an announcement from the organisers and the Hong Kong Police.  In the interest of public safety…

The South Stand is now full !