and electronic
music equipment
or fireworks. The
full list is on the
Sevens website.
Getting there
The Hong Kong
stadium is at 55
Eastern Hospital
Road in So Kon
Po, just behind Causeway Bay and
Happy Valley. The closest MTR
station is Causeway Bay – use Exit
F to get to the stadium, which is a
10-15-minute walk away, up Caroline
Hill Road. The stadium is also a short
walk from tram stops in Causeway Bay
and Happy Valley. In previous years
there has also been a shuttle bus from
Admiralty Station. It is also possible
to take a taxi and the Sevens website
contains the name of the Stadium in
Cantonese for you to show your driver.
Where to sit
Once at the stadium, entry is usually
quick and you can be at your seats
within 10 minutes. When choosing
your location with kids in tow, it might
pay to avoid the
notorious South
Stand – this
is where the
party people
traditionally
gather, although
they now have
begun to spread out into the North
Stand as well. Families may find the
East and West stands more suitable,
with the front rows of both offering
good views and close proximity to
food and toilets. It’s best to get there
early to get lower level seats as they
are unreserved. Head higher for a
great bird’s-eye view. Between the
North and West stand is a Meet and
Greet area where players will meet
fans and sign autographs. And if you
have forgotten to dress up, there are
also often face painting booths by the
North, East and West stands.
Warming up
The action proper starts on Friday
with gates opening at 11am. There is
usually a mini rugby showcase early
on each day of the Sevens featuring
players aged 7-12 years, which are
always popular with young fans. The
highlight of Day 1 though, is the
Opening Ceremony after 5pm. This
is always a spectacle with marching
bands and dancing lions and dragons,
guaranteed to keep the attention of
even the youngest fans.
Gates open at 7am on the Saturday
and Sunday, with another mini
rugby showcase early on both days.
Qualifiers and pool matches dominate
Day 2 with the entertainment a
highlight in the mid-afternoon.
Last year’s
entertainment
featured
The Village
People and
saw the stadium turn into a huge
sing-along session. Day 3, which is
semi-finals and finals day, also has
entertainment in the mid-afternoon.
Check the Sevens website for the latest
schedules at
.
Fuel for the family
There is an array of the usual stadium
food on offer inside Hong Kong
stadium but it is not the finest fare so if
you are looking to fuel up away from
the mayhem of the stadium, Happy
Valley or Causeway Bay is probably
your best bet with a family. While
‘BC’ you might have been tempted to
the bars of Wan Chai or Lan Kwai
Fong, Happy Valley and Causeway
Bay have family-friendly dining in
abundance. In Causeway Bay try Cali-
Mex which has
built a reputation
for its kid-
friendly meals.
In Happy Valley,
the spacious
Classified is
perfect for a family group or Jaspa’s
– one of the Castelo Concepts group
of eateries - serves good, filling meals
and are quick to give kids crayons and
colouring pages as soon as you are
seated, keeping everyone happy.
Fun outside the stadium
If you have missed out on tickets it
is still possible to be part of the fun
at the HSBC Sevens Village, just
opposite the stadium. It’s free to the
public, with games shown on the giant
screens. There are also interactive
games for people to take part in, face
painting, entertainment and food.
Last year it also became the place
to go to beat the food queues in the
main stadium. The Village also
caters for teens – they have a specially
designated area for hanging out with
friends. The village opens in the
mornings.
Another aspect of the Sevens is the
Official Fan Party, which will be held
outdoors at the Observation Wheel by
the ferry pier in Central. The games
are shown on giant screens and there
will be family entertainment for little
children such as face painting and
balloon twisting. This is also the venue
for the Official After Party. In recent
years a party at Cyberport’s Podium
has also become popular, with games
on a big screen, food stalls and family-
friendly entertainment such as magic
shows.
The build-up
Ahead of the Sevens, the week in the
lead-up is now known as Rugby Week.
There are a host of events guaranteed
to provide family fun as part of a
festival of club and international
tournaments. Precursors include the
Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong
Women’s Sevens, the ICC Lightshow
which takes on a Rugby theme and
the Beach 5s at Repulse Bay. The 5s
include beach netball and dodgeball
and is a free, family event. The
Kowloon Rugby Fest and the Hong
Kong Tens are also part of the
lead-up.
For latest details visit
.
March 2016
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