By: Rhys Burling, Alvyn Chan

With the Rugby Sevens coming to Hong Kong at the end of March, and the recently finished construction of the glamorous Kai Tak Stadium, this year’s Sevens event is sure to be exciting. What can we expect from the new stadium, and what can you expect as a Sevens fan this year?

Being held from the 28th to the 30th of March, this year’s ugby sevens will be at the brand new Kai Tak Stadium. This will be a much better spot to host the sevens as improved transport and accessibility will make it much easier and more efficient for fans to attend. 2 MTR stations within a 15-minute walk and multiple bus routes that go near the stadium will make getting to the stadium much more convenient than last year. With a harbour front dining cove and over 50 restaurants within walking distance of the stadium, this year’s event shows promise of being the best year yet.

The New Kai Tak Stadium has state-of-the-art, brand new sound , lighting, and video systems, which will be put to the test during the performance of many bands and singers. These include the Kaiser Chiefs, an English indie rock band, RubberBand, a Cantopop band, GALA, an Italian pop singer, and finally DJ Pete Tong, one of the most accomplished DJs who works for BBC Radio 1.

Just to make sure that you aren’t that friend who constantly asks questions during the games, here is everything that you need to know about the sport itself. Firstly, Rugby Sevens is played with seven players in 2 halves of 7 minutes, each with a 2 minute half-time break. Secondly, the scoring system. A try is when the player enters the try zone at the end of the field, which is behind the goals, and touches the ball to the ground. This will be worth 5 points. After scoring a try, a conversion kick will occur, which is worth 2 points should you score. You can also kick a penalty or kick a drop goal. These are both worth 3 points. Finally, there are penalty tries. This happens when a try scoring opportunity is stopped illegally, or when a foul is committed by the opposition when there is a clear try scoring opportunity. This results in a reward of 7 points.

The 2025 Rugby Sevens will contain 30 teams of both men and women, with 16 countries participating across 3 days. Teams to watch out for include New Zealand, the reigning champions, Fiji, with the records for most wins, and Argentina, who despite not winning much are always hovering around the best teams.

In conclusion, the 2025 Rugby Sevens in Hong Kong will be an unforgettable experience if you choose to attend. The new state-of-the-art Kai Tak Stadium will feature modern and exciting facilities, such as improved accessibility, dining options, a fan village, and festivals. Top teams such as New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, will go head-to-head in many exciting matchups, including our own Hong Kong team. This year’s event looks to be one of the best yet.