Hong Kong Sevens: Women's World Series Full Event Must Wait No Earlier in 2020, Union Says

A full women's competition in Hong Kong Sevens will have to wait until the start of the next quadrennial cycle of the HSBC World Series, with organizers hoping for a resumption of normal service in 2019.

Hong Kong Robbie McRobbie, Rugby Union's managing director , said the body was satisfied with the dates of the April 5-7, 2010 match between Cathay Pacific and HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, announced last week.

As in 2018, the next Hong Kong Sevens falls The first week of April, this time it will not compete with the Easter Games or the Commonwealth Games, which will require some large teams to send weak teams at the Hong Kong Stadium

. Kong, who hosts the World Series Women's Qualifiers, would like to host a women's stand-alone tournament during Rugby Week Seven. However, McRobbie said it would not be next year.

"Next year is The end of the current cycle So in 2020 there would be more opportunity [to host a women’s event] and review formats, "McRobbie said.

"Next year is actually an oasis of consistency and calm," The men's 10-stop series for the upcoming season begins with the Dubai Sevens from October 30 to November 1. It is followed by Cape Town (8-9 December), New Zealand (Hamilton, 26-27 January), Sydney (2-3 February), Las Vegas (1-3 March), Vancouver (9-10 March), Hong Kong (5-7 April), Singapore (13-14 April), London (25-26 May) and Paris (1-2 June)

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"It's exactly the same format as this year," McRobbie said. "We do not run into Easter this time, which is good.Friday is the Ching Ming Festival [tomb sweeping] so it will be a holiday.

" It's a good thing for all stakeholders , spectators, sponsors and teams to have some degree of consistency of dates. We are happy with the first weekend of April. "

Although Hong Kong is not part of the women 's circuit Fans can still play in the world. expect to see some of the rising stars of women's rugby, the city again welcoming the world series playoffs for men and women.

McRobbie said that hold the knockout stages of the 2018 women's qualifications at the stadium s & # 39; proved popular fans, with China winning the tournament and qualifying for the main series.

"No We had the women's games in the stadium on Friday for the first time. this year and it worked well, "said McRobbie. "It meant starting earlier for the whole program and we had a full crowd on Friday."

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It was too early to unveil the entertainment plans for the 2019 tournament. The 2018 event was a resounding success, despite teams from New Zealand and England aligned by Fiji to their fourth consecutive title.

"To be honest, we are really finishing this year's cleanup, so it will only be really in August or September that we start thinking about new ideas. and initiatives for 2019. "

The Hong Kong Sevens remains the jewel of the crown for the Sevens World Series. It's the oldest tournament in the series and it attracts the biggest crowds.

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This year's entertainment menu included British pop-reggae band UB40 and American rockers Smash Mouth, while the post-event night continued late into the night at Sevens Village, facing the main stadium.

The Hong Kong event takes place a week before the Singapore Sevens. to become the first tournament on the circuit.