[(IRB.COM) Wednesday 26 March 2008] ĄG
There's just no keeping some people away from the Hong Kong Sevens. Fans flock here from around the world in annual pilgramage, players go all out to make the squad for what is still seen as the blue ribband event and former players also find a way back in a new guise.
Between them David Campese and Waisale Serevi have probably lit up the Hong Kong arena more than any other players and neither, of course, needs a reason to travel to Hong Kong, the event they helped make famous. But both are here now and busying themselves in their respective new roles.
For Serevi that means battling with a new language - Taiwanese - in his role as Chinese Taipei head coach, while for Campese the challenge lies in coaxing the best out of another newlook Australian side, albeit in his mother tongue.
"It's a good opportunity. When you come to Hong Kong obviously everybody knows what a great tournament it is and I think we have to make the players realise that it's one of the top tournaments in the world and to represent your country is a great honour. Once they understand that side of the sevens they'll understand that it's a great opportunity," Campese told Total Rugby.
Campese: Fantasy Rugby
"The game's very different now to when I used to play. We used to turn up on the Wednesday for some drinks, then Thursday morning one hour training and then shopping. Friday morning one hour training and then shopping. Then you played Saturday and Sunday and then home.
"The style of rugby, the unpredictability is what people want. What I've been saying is that to me talking is vital in Sevens. Don't try to do too much, look for the gaps, let the ball do the work, that's what Sevens is about and really just saying 'look guys this is Fantasy Rugby, this is the way you want to play, this is it. You've got to back yourselves.'
"Jonah Lomu started in Hong Kong, Christian Cullen started in Hong Kong. This a breeding ground for international players."
Former Fiji coach Serevi is now estranged from his homeland's national set-up but he has followed in the footsteps of his former team mate Tomasi Cama in helping Chinese Taipei as they bid to qualify for next year's Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai.
"Being in Hong Kong is always special, I came here for the first time in 1989 and looked forward to coming every year, so to have another chance to be here is great," he said.
"I've been asked by the Chinese Taipai union to help them towards next year so we have a qualifying round here in Hong Kong on 4 October. I've been with them for six weeks, they're a good bunch of boys, train hard and I'm looking forward to seeing them play."
Serevi finally leaves boots in the locker
The fact that Serevi cannot play here, even if he wanted to, means that he has finally been forced to admit that his Hong Kong playing days are over.
"I was joking with a friend in Fiji that as soon as I board the plane to come here the adrenaline starts to rise, the temperature goes up and all I can think about is playing. But when I arrived I thought 'take it easy, cool down, enjoy just watching.'"
The chances of either Campese or Serevi getting their hands on silverware this weekend is low, but the buzz of Hong Kong will reverberate all the more for them being here.
-END-
|
