「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽2024」進入倒數 30位隊長向香港大球場舉辦七欖賽30周年致敬
30 Captains Salute 30 years of Sevens in the Stadium as kick off of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024
[香港，2024年4月3日]：今天，參加本周於香港大球場舉行的「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」（4月5-7日）的30支球隊的隊長，齊集球場內舉世聞名的「南看台」，拍攝一張別具意義的隊長合照，以紀念賽事在大球場舉辦第30周年。
大會邀請了男、女子隊各12位領軍參加「滙豐SVNS世界七人欖球系列賽」的隊長們，首次在香港大球場的「南看台」合照，讓他們在這個著名的派對區域，從全新角度去體會一下比賽的精彩之處，對於來自世界各地的隊長而言，這經歷既獨特且難得，大家都享受其中。
大合照當然少不了香港球迷甚為關注，在「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」同場舉行的亞洲三角賽 —「Melrose 銀劍賽」的隊長們，男、女子組共6人亦亮相大球場的拍照儀式，為這項嶄新的亞洲三角賽寫下新的開端。
這項為亞洲強隊新增設的「Melrose 銀劍賽」的參賽隊伍包括中國香港男、女子隊、中國女子隊以及自2012年以來首次重返香港大球場的中國男子七人欖球隊。
男子組還有港隊「宿敵」日本，而日本女子隊則會出戰「滙豐SVNS世界七人欖球系列賽」；女子組有一隊新面孔，來自泰國的娘子軍將首次亮相香港大球場，跟東道主港隊及中國隊較量。本賽事的最高獎項— Melrose 銀劍（Melrose Claymores）是由香港的七人欖球兄弟會— 蘇格蘭欖球會捐贈。
球迷們將度過一個精彩絕倫的周末，三日比賽日上演共72場世界頂級七人欖球賽事，另每天呈獻超過一小時的現場音樂表演，娛樂觀眾，當然不少得香港站舉世聞名、目不暇給的各種歌舞和奇裝異服。
今屆香港國際七人欖球賽肯定是前所未有的激烈，在今季的「滙豐SVNS 世界七人欖球系列賽」已完成的五個賽站，阿根廷連奪三站冠軍（南非開普敦、澳洲珀斯、加拿大溫哥華），亦闖進杜拜首站的決賽，最差一站是三月初在美國洛杉磯，阿根廷提早在八強出局；但總結五站比賽，阿根廷首次在積分榜以20分（總分90分）遙遙領先其他球隊，他將成為香港站的眾矢之的，預計香港大球場將展開一番龍爭虎鬥。
這支南美七人欖球勁旅一向是香港站極具競爭力的球隊，今年挾榜首球隊之名，有機會自該隊2004年以來首次躋身銀盃賽決賽，並成為香港國際七人欖球史上首支奪冠的西半球球隊。
另一支值得留意的球隊是愛爾蘭，現時在「滙豐SVNS 世界七人欖球系列賽」以總分70分位暫列第二位，是該隊歷來所獲得的最高排名。2019年的香港站，愛隊在世界系列賽外圍賽決賽以28:7擊敗中國香港，取得「滙豐SVNS 世界七人欖球系列賽」的「核心」球隊席位，自此一發不可收拾。
連同香港站在內，今季只剩下三站，一眾勁旅包括斐濟（總分64分）、法國（56分）、澳洲（55分）、新西蘭（53分）及南非（48分）都希望在本周末的香港站爭取更高排名。
說到傳統勁旅，新西蘭及斐濟在香港站享負盛名，在過往46個冠軍中，這兩隊合共奪得31次（斐濟19次、新西蘭12次），包括去年銀盃賽決賽，新西蘭以24:17擊敗斐濟，奪得該隊自2014年後首次在香港大球場重踏最高頒獎台，也是新西蘭隊第12次在香港站奪冠。
在香港擁有不少球迷的斐濟隊，現位列「滙豐SVNS 世界七人欖球系列賽」積分榜第三位，他們將由新任主帥、里約奧運金牌隊長Osea Kolinsau 帶領來港比賽。2016年里約奧運會，Osea協助球隊贏得斐濟有史以來第一面奧運金牌後，他的肖像被印在斐濟七元紙幣上以示表揚，今年首次以教練身份作客香港站，首要目的是在被譽為是「快活谷」的香港大球場創造20場勝利的紀錄。
「滙豐SVNS世界七人欖球系列賽」女子組賽事，澳洲及新西蘭勢均力敵，完成五站比賽後，澳洲奪得杜拜及開普敦頭兩站冠軍，而香港衛冕冠軍新西蘭隊近期狀態神勇，奪得溫哥華及洛杉磯兩站錦標，五站中的珀斯一站冠軍由愛爾蘭奪得；而暫時在積分榜領跑的正是澳洲隊，她們以90分暫居榜首，新西蘭以86分緊接其後，還有法國（74分）、美國（64分）及加拿大（62分）分列頭五位。
「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽 2024」很高興成為一項「M」品牌認可活動，協助提升香港作為亞洲體育盛事之都的形象。獲大型體育活動事務委員會頒發的「M」品牌，標誌著緊張、精彩、刺激的大型體育活動。
圖片說明：
圖1 - 「滙豐SVNS 世界七人欖球系列賽」男、女子隊隊長於香港大球場南看台體驗「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽 」著名的派對氣氛。
前排左至右：
平野優芽 (日本女子); Mathrin SIMMERS (南非女子); Olivia Apps, (加拿大女子); Charlotte Caslick (澳洲女子); 賽事獎盃; Risaleaana POURI-LANE, (新西蘭女子); Raijieli DAVEUA (斐濟女子); Luiza CAMPOS (巴西女子); Anna Fernandez de Corres (西班牙女子)
中排左至右：
Amee Leigh MURPHY CROWE, (愛爾蘭女子); Emma UREN (英國女子); Matt GONZALEZ, (澳洲男子); Phil BERNA (加拿大男子); Matias OSADCZUK (阿根廷男子); Lauren DOYLE (美國女子); Carla Niesen, (法國女子); Dylan COLLIER, (新西蘭男子)
後排左至右：
Selwyn DAVIDS (南非男子); Uaina Yui SIONE, (薩摩亞男子); Robbie FERGUSSON, (英國男子); Eduardo LOPEZ, (西班牙男子); Paulin RIVA, (法國男子); Kevon WILLIAMS, (美國男子); Josua VAKURUNABILI (斐濟男子), Harry McNulty, (愛爾蘭男子)
圖2 - 「Melrose 銀劍賽」男、女子隊獎與賽事銀劍獎盃合照
（左至右）： 石田吉平 (日本男子), Rattanaporn WITTAYARONNAYUT (泰國女子); 高香慧 (中國香港女子); 禾獲特 (中國香港男子); 王婉鈺 (中國女子); 李海濤 (中國男子)
資料及相片來源 : Elite Step Asia Limited / Hong Kong China Rugby
[Hong Kong, 3 April 2024]: Today, the captains of the 30 teams taking part in the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens weekend (5-7 April) visited the venue for a special captains photo from the event’s world famous South Stand as the tournament pays tribute to 30 years of the Hong Kong Sevens at the Hong Kong Stadium this weekend.
The captains of the 24 men’s and women’s international teams participating in the HSBC SVNS tournament took their first picture inside the stadium in decades this afternoon as they enjoyed a rare chance to experience the action from a new angle in Hong Kong’s famous party zone.
The six men’s and women’s captains participating in Hong Kong China Rugby’s inaugural Melrose Claymores competition, (played as part of the HSBC HKG SVNS weekend), also appeared ahead of the debut competition designed to showcase the best of Asian sevens rugby.
The inaugural competition features Hong Kong China’s men’s and women’s squads, the China women’s team, and for the first time since 2012 – China’s men’s seven.
Japan is also playing in the men’s triangular, while the Sakura are featuring in the HKG SVNS tournament. The Thailand women’s team will appear for the first time ever in the stadium on an Hong Kong Sevens weekend. The Melrose Claymores have been donated by Hong Kong’s spiritual sevens sibling, Melrose Rugby Club in Scotland.
The fans are in for another incredible weekend with 72 world class seven-a-side rugby matches, more than an hour of live music performances every day, and all the singing, dancing and fancy dress fun Hong Kong is famous for.
The action on the pitch is hotter than ever with the game’s parity on full display as Argentina enter the HKG SVNS - the sixth of eight tournaments - with a commanding lead in the standings for the first time ever.
Argentina won three tournaments on the trot in Cape Town, Perth and Vancouver, and reached the final in the Dubai opener. Their worst performance came in Los Angeles, when they bowed out in the quarter-finals. They have a 20 point lead on the group with 90 points.
The South American sevens specialists are long time contenders in Hong Kong but will be intent on reaching their first Cup final here since 2004 and becoming the first Western hemisphere cup winners in Hong Kong Sevens history.
Ireland enter Hong Kong with their highest ever HSBC SVNS ranking - in second place on 70 points. Ireland beat Hong Kong, China in the final of the series qualifiers here in 2019 to earn their place on the global circuit and they have never looked back. A fierce peloton of Fiji (64), France (56), Australia (55), New Zealand (53) and South Africa (48) are all looking to move up the ranks this weekend.
The traditional powerhouses will be out to break up the newcomers’ party with historic champions New Zealand and Fiji having combined to win 31 of 46 titles here. New Zealand’s 24-17 cup win over Fiji last year was a welcome return to the podium for the men in black for the first time since 2014, and their 12th title all time.
Fiji enters in third place with a new coach in Olympic gold medal winning captain Osea Kolinisau. The man who is pictured on the Fijian seven dollar bill will be keen to add value to his nation’s efforts at their home away from home as the sevens specialists chase a record 20th victory at the stadium they call Happy Valley.
The HSBC SVNS women’s competition is a neck and neck with Australia and New Zealand battling it out with two wins a piece. Australia won the opening two events in Dubai and Cape Town, while defending Hong Kong champions New Zealand are coming in hot after winning in Vancouver and Los Angeles. Ireland is the only other team to lift a Cup with a win this season. Australia lead the table on 90 points with New Zealand on 86, France (74), USA (64), and Canada (62) rounding out the top five.
The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is proud of being an “M” Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports event capital. The “M” Mark awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolising intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
PHOTO 1: HKG SVNS captains experience life in the South Stand
Row I L TO R:
Yume HIRANO (Japan); Mathrin SIMMERS (South Africa Women); Olivia Apps, (Canada Women); Charlotte Caslick (Australia Women); Tournament trophies; Risaleaana POURI-LANE, (New Zealand Women); Raijieli DAVEUA (Fiji Women); Luiza CAMPOS (Brazil); Anna Fernandez de Corres (Spain Women).
Row II L TO R:
Amee Leigh MURPHY CROWE, (Ireland Women); Emma UREN (Team Great Britain Women); Matt GONZALEZ, (Australia Men); Phil BERNA (Canada Men); Matias OSADCZUK (Argentina); Lauren DOYLE (USA Women); Carla Niesen, (France Women); Dylan COLLIER, (New Zealand Men).
Row 3 L To R:
Selwyn DAVIDS (South Africa Men); Uaina Yui SIONE, (Samoa Men); Robbie FERGUSSON, (Team Great Britain Men); Eduardo LOPEZ, (Spain Men); Paulin RIVA, (France Men); Kevon WILLIAMS, (USA Men); Josua VAKURUNABILI (Fiji Men), Harry McNulty, (Ireland Men).
PHOTO 2: Melrose Claymore captains pose with the Cathay / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens’ newest trophies
L to R:
Kippei ISIDA (Japan), Rattanaporn WITTAYARONNAYUT (Thailand); Nathasha OLSON-THORNE (Hong Kong, China Women); Max WOODWARD (Hong Kong, China Men); WANG Wanyu (China Women); Li Haitao (China Men).
Information and photo source : Elite Step Asia Limited / Hong Kong China Rugby
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