Hong Kong Scottish representatives (left to right) James Murray, coach Craig Wilson, Tom Bury, Murray Allan and Dave Whiteford pose ahead of Hill and Associates Scottish Barbarians’ debut in the GFI HKFC Tens from March 21-22

Tana Umaga’s top-seeded BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians will face a strong Hill and Associates Scottish Barbarians side on the first day of next month’s GFI HKFC Tens after being drawn with the first-timers in Pool A. The 16-team tournament will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from March 21-22.

HSBC Penguins, two-time finalists, have been seeded second, while Borneo Eagles of Malaysia and 2010 runners-up Samurai International are ranked third and fourth respectively.

Rugby World Cup winner Mils Muliaina is among the star players for the Umaga-coached BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians, who last year reached the final on their tournament debut under Australia great David Campese.

However, Scottish Barbarians could prove a tough test as the squad is set to feature four Scotland sevens squad members not selected for the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, as well as leading players from Hong Kong Scottish and other local Premiership clubs.

Irish Vikings, who have former England winger David Rees heading an international line-up, and Playmore’s Shanghai Devils from the Shanghai Rugby Football Club are Pool A’s other two teams.

Dave Whiteford, General Manager for Hong Kong Scottish and a manager for Scottish Barbarians, believes the eighth seeds will impress on their GFI HKFC Tens debut.

“The four Scotland sevens players should help us make an impact, while our Hong Kong Scottish players include former sevens international Tom Bury and four former Scotland U-20 players. We also have some good players from other local clubs,” said Whiteford, one of the former U-20 representatives in the Scottish Barbarians squad.

“It will be a highlight for a lot of our players to play against Mils Muliaina, an All Blacks legend with 100 caps, especially less than six months after he won the Rugby World Cup. Irish Vikings have always been quite strong with some star names and that will be a key match if we want to qualify for the Cup quarter-finals.

“We’re promoting awareness of the Scottish Barbarians through a variety of societies and other channels, and even have the support of the Scottish Rugby Union, so hopefully we’ll have good numbers watching us at Football Club.”

The HSBC Penguins, runners-up in 2007 and 2008 and winners of the last two COBRA 10s in Kuala Lumpur, have been drawn in Pool B with International Panthers of Australia, who won the Plate in 2006.

The HKRFU Chairman’s X, made up of Hong Kong squad players, and China Agricultural University of Beijing are also in Pool B.

Borneo Eagles, who last month won a third straight title at the Hottest 7s in the World in Darwin, Australia, will play in Pool C with Brendan Laney’s sixth-seeded New Zealand Legends, runners-up in 2009 and pipped by BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians in last year’s quarter-finals.

The indigenous-focused Lloyd McDermott Foundation of Australia, Plate finalists last year and coached by former Wallaby Glen Ella, and hosts Hong Kong Football Club, the reigning Bowl champions, also play in Pool C.

Samurai, runners-up in 2010 and top seeds last year, are seeded fourth and will need to progress from Pool D if they’re to win the Hong Kong title for the first time following wins in Gold Coast and Dubai at the end of last year.

The renowned touring club, whose squad will be dominated by New Zealanders, have been drawn with fifth-seeded Tag Heuer Eyewear Pyrenees of France, Australian Country Invitational and Overseas Old Boys.

The tournament will encourage spectators with free entry on Wednesday and HK$100 tickets on Thursday.

Steve Thompson, England’s most-capped hooker and a 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, and former Leicester and England winger Leon Lloyd will attend as Ambassadors for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, the official charity of the GFI HKFC Tens.

In recent years, star players have included rugby legends Joe Roff and Toutai Kefu (both 2006), Jonah Lomu (2007), Brian Lima (2008), Bobby Skinstad (2009) and Waisale Serevi (2010). In 2011, George Gregan, Justin Marshall and Christian Cullen starred for BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians.

Now TV, the largest pay-TV operator in Hong Kong, is again broadcasting live action on Thursday as well as a post-tournament highlights show

GFI, a leading brokerage service provider, has been the tournament’s title sponsor since 2006, while other sponsors this year include HSBC, UBS (both Gold Sponsors) and Swire Properties (Silver Sponsor). Official suppliers include Heineken (Beer), Tsunami Sport (Kit) and Coast (Bar).

2012 GFI HKFC Tens

Hong Kong Football Club, March 21-22

Note: Tournament seedings in brackets

Pool A

BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians (1)

Hill & Associates Scottish Barbarians (8)

Irish Vikings (12)

Playmore’s Shanghai Devils (16)

Pool B

HSBC Penguins (2)

International Panthers (7)

HKRFU Chairman’s X (11)

China Agricultural University (15)

Pool C

SRC Borneo Eagles (3)

New Zealand Legends (6)

Lloyd McDermott Foundation (10)

Hong Kong Football Club (14)

Pool D

Samurai International (4)

Tag Heuer Eyewear Pyrenees (5)

Australian Country Invitational (9)

Overseas Old Boys (13)

Tana Umaga’s top-seeded BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians will face a strong Hill and Associates Scottish Barbarians side on the first day of next month’s GFI HKFC Tens after being drawn with the first-timers in Pool A. The 16-team tournament will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from March 21-22.

Steve Thompson and England teammate Jonny Wilkinson take on New Zealand. Photo: Andrew Fosker/Seconds Left Images.

What are you hoping to achieve for CNCF in Hong Kong?

Despite just getting involved with the Foundation, I’m already quite proud of it. It’s massive that CNCF has become the official charity for the GFI HKFC Tens and it goes to show how much work the staff and volunteers put into it and how much passion they have. Sometimes with charities you can question what they’re doing, but with CNCF you can see straight away where the money goes and what it’s for. With one Foundation and one aim, everyone can work closely and achieve specific goals. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the Foundation works in Hong Kong.

The whole point of me getting involved is to help raise money. There is a social side, as there was in Dubai, because you need to have fun. The more fun the crowd has, the more they’ll give, and that’s what we’re here for. At the end of the day, these kids are really benefitting from it.

After Hong Kong, you’re going to Vietnam to visit CNCF’s operation in Ho Chi Minh City. What are your expectations?

I’ve seen programmes on TV and read leaflets, but until you’re actually there to see it for yourself, that’s when you can comment on it. I’m looking forward to going there for a first visit so I can open my own eyes and take it all in.

You’ve joined as a CNCF Ambassador at the same time as Leon Lloyd and are travelling through Asia together. How long have you known each other?

Because we’re about the same age, we go back to age-group rugby and did England U-19s and U-21s together. I’ve ‘hated’ him for years because he played for Leicester and I was Northampton and we were big rivals. I got to know him on and off the pitch. He retired a few years ago, but the charity has brought us back into the same circles.

Looking back on your playing career for club and country, what are your highlights?

I’ll always remember my first cap, which was against Scotland at Twickenham in the 2002 Six Nations. Every game at Twickenham was a massive highlight. I’m a proud Englishman, so I just love singing the national anthem. There’s no better feeling than when the band starts and the whole ground starts singing. For me, the pride in doing that is one thing I’ll miss massively.

The summer tour before the 2003 World Cup, when we won in Australia and New Zealand, was massive. We’d never won in Australia before that so to do that and beat New Zealand as well was a massive highlight.

Of course, there’s the World Cup. Afterwards was also one of my biggest downers as well. We were so focused on winning it and when we went back into the changing room afterwards, the World Cup was sat there, and it felt like: is that it? There was an empty sort of feeling, a bit like Boxing Day when you’re a kid. It was a great experience, though.

How do you think rugby fans will remember you?

Everyone that talks to me always says that I’m nicer than they thought I was going to be! I’d hate for people to think I’m arrogant, but they say I look arrogant on the field. It’s quite a bad thing to say. I’m also hated in other countries. Whenever I go there, people say I’m actually quite a nice bloke, like they’re surprised! I’d like to be thought of as determined, driven, passionate and loyal. That’s the thing about rugby – it’s a team game and I love that aspect.

Factbox

Name: Steve Geoffrey Thompson

Born: Hemel Hempstead, England; July 15, 1978

Height: 1.88m (6ft 2in)

Weight: 118kg (18st 8lb)

School: Northampton School for Boys

Position: Hooker

Years               Club/team                              Caps (points)

1998-2007     Northampton Saints (ENG)  195 (80)

2007-2010     CA Brive (FRA)                      42 (10)

2010-2011     Leeds Carnegie (ENG)          15 (15)

2011-2011     London Wasps                      0 (0)

Years               National team(s)

2002-2011     England                                  73 (20)

2005               British and Irish Lions          3 (0)

Steve Thompson in action at last year’s Rugby World Cup. Photo: Andrew Fosker/Seconds Left Images

How did you get involved with CNCF?

When I got injured and then retired in December, I was looking to move to Dubai anyway. Joe Worsley and Leon Lloyd were there for the Dubai Rugby Sevens and wanted to know if I’d like to come along to a big CNCF dinner they were going to.

I then met Gary Harris (a long-time volunteer at CNCF Dubai) and I saw how passionate he was about the Foundation. The whole time I was in Dubai, he took me under his wing, and he got me really involved and I was really touched by it all.

Things happen for a reason, so for me just finishing my career and with a bit of spare time, it was a perfect time for me to get on board. It’s caught my imagination. The best thing about it is that it involves rugby as well, so it’s perfect for me.

Can you talk about your decision to retire from rugby in December?

I had an accident in training and injured my neck again, although it was a totally different injury this time. It was quite hard to take. However, when someone tells you it’s unsafe to carry on, sometimes you have to think you’ve been quite lucky, so that’s the way I looked at it.

Mentally I’ve got over it. I’ve got engaged and am getting married in the summer. CNCF has given me another thing to focus on and people need that. I’m quite a hyperactive person who likes to get involved in different things. For me, I’m starting a whole new life in Dubai, I’ve got to pull my socks up and this is a great focus for me.

Why do you think CNCF has such a strong association with rugby?

I’ve always liked rugby because of how it pulls in all the different nationalities. Out of 13 players at the Tens tournament in Dubai in December, I reckon we had seven or eight nationalities in that one team. It also pulls in people from all sorts of backgrounds. In England, some say it’s a middle-class sport, but it’s not, especially around the world. It also breeds the right character. You’ve got big lads playing it and it’s one of those sports where you play hard, but you’re gentlemen on and off the field. Those are the values you need in life.

Leon Lloyd (a fellow CNCF Ambassador) is very much the same – when he played rugby, he was an absolute nutcase, but off the field he was a complete gentleman. That’s what I like about it. It’s about looking after one another.

What are you hoping to see and do in Hong Kong?

This will be my first time in Hong Kong. With rugby, I’ve travelled to so many countries, but when it comes to sevens and tens tournaments, we were always in our playing season. When you play for England, you only get a week or two weeks off in the summer, then you’re back in training and I’ve done that for years now. For me and a lot of the rugby lads, there are a few things you want to do when you retire like go to the Dubai Sevens, Hong Kong and things like that. I’m managing to do both quite soon after retiring so I’m quite happy.

What’s your experience of tens?

I played sevens and tens when I was younger … and perhaps a little bit lighter! We always played in the Middlesex Sevens as a pre-season tournament and I’m looking forward to playing tens in the future. Sevens and tens have a great social side and professionalism has taken away a lot of that, so these sort of tournaments are brilliant. It’s like Dubai where everyone goes and plays hard and then afterwards they play harder in the bar. These tournaments keep the old-school values of rugby.

Factbox

Name: Steve Geoffrey Thompson

Born: Hemel Hempstead, England; July 15, 1978

Height: 1.88m (6ft 2in)

Weight: 118kg (18st 8lb)

School: Northampton School for Boys

Position: Hooker

Years               Club/team                              Caps (points)

1998-2007     Northampton Saints (ENG)  195 (80)

2007-2010     CA Brive (FRA)                      42 (10)

2010-2011     Leeds Carnegie (ENG)          15 (15)

2011-2011     London Wasps                      0 (0)

Years               National team(s)

2002-2011     England                                  73 (20)

2005               British and Irish Lions          3 (0)

Canterbury hooker Paul Ngauamo will return to the GFI HKFC Tens for the HSBC Penguins.

HSBC Penguins, Borneo Eagles and Samurai International have been ranked as the main challengers to favourites BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians at next month’s GFI HKFC Tens in Hong Kong.

The 27th edition of the world’s leading 10-a-side rugby tournament will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from March 21-22 and feature 16 teams from Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, Malaysia, Singapore, mainland China and Hong Kong.

The star-studded BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians, losing finalists on their debut last year, are bringing an even stronger squad this time and have been ranked as top seeds.

Major players include Mils Muliaina, who won his 100th cap as he helped New Zealand win last year’s Rugby World Cup, fellow All Black Anthony Tuitavake and former Fiji winger Vilimoni Delasau.

Tana Umaga, the former All Blacks captain, will coach the invitational side while South African legend Chester Williams, a 1995 World Cup winner, is the manager.

Tournament Director Craig Wootten said this year’s tournament promised to be one of the strongest so far, as teams recruit stronger players and management teams.

“The APBs, Penguins, Samurai and Borneo all have a lot of motivation as each team is trying to win the GFI HKFC Tens for the first time, so I’m expecting some fierce contests,” Wootten said.

“Mils Muliaina will be a massive hit for the fans as they watch a living legend who helped New Zealand win the Rugby World Cup while becoming only the second All Black to win 100 caps. At 31, Mils is still in great shape and will be a huge draw.

“Anthony Tuitavake and Vilimoni Delasau are other exciting, attacking runners who fans love to watch. Tana Umaga and Chester Williams will both get a lot of attention, but they’ll be focused on getting the most out of an all-star squad and winning.”

Umaga, the former wing and centre who played 74 tests for New Zealand from 1997-2005, was confident the side could go one better than last March.

“Having heard about the APBs from my fellow All Blacks who have been involved previously, I can’t wait to be part of this year’s set-up,” the 38-year-old announced.

“I can promise fans we will be coming to entertain and play some explosive rugby. We will have a tremendous mix of Rugby World Cup greats and some highly talented individuals from around Asia Pacific.”

The second-seeded Penguins are also bringing a strong squad that will again be dominated by New Zealanders including Canterbury hooker Paul Ngauamo, one of the team’s top players last year.

Finalists in 2007 and 2008, the Penguins will be equally determined to get their hands on the Cup for the first time, having lost to the Barbarians after extra-time of last year’s semi-finals. The Penguins won the inaugural London 10s last June and in November successfully defended their COBRA 10s title in Kuala Lumpur.

Borneo Eagles are ranked third after reaching the semi-finals last year and were in top form last month as they won a third straight title at the ‘Hottest 7s in the World’ in Darwin, Australia.

Samurai, runners-up in the 2010 GFI HKFC Tens and top seeds last year, are ranked fourth and will be confident after defending their UK National Sevens Series last year.

Pyrenees of France are back for a fifth time and seeded fifth, one ahead of New Zealand Legends, who were knocked out by BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians in last year’s quarter-finals.

Panthers, one of three teams from Australia, are seeded seventh, while Hill and Associates Scottish Barbarians round out the top eight and look set to impress on their debut by including some Scotland sevens squad players.

Australian Country Invitational and the indigenous-focused Lloyd McDermott Foundation, coached by former Wallaby Glen Ella, are the two other Australian sides.

China Agricultural University of Beijing, making their 17th straight appearance, and first-timers Shanghai RFC will represent mainland China.

Hosts Hong Kong Football Club and the HKRFU Chairman’s X, made up of Hong Kong squad players, are the local challengers.

Overseas Old Boys will again bring back former Hong Kong-based talent, while Singapore-based Irish Vikings return for a 12th appearance.

Steve Thompson and Leon Lloyd, both former England internationals, will attend the GFI HKFC Tens on behalf of the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, the official charity for this year’s event.

Thompson, England’s most-capped hooker and a 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, and Lloyd will help with fundraising activities including targeted campaigns to ‘Buy A Bike’ and ‘Give a Ger’ (a ger is a Mongolian tent).

The event has returned to its traditional 16-team line-up after expanding to 24 last year for HKFC’s 125th anniversary, and will again be held on the Wednesday and Thursday before the world-famous Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

In recent years, star players have included rugby legends Joe Roff and Toutai Kefu (both 2006), Jonah Lomu (2007), Brian Lima (2008), Bobby Skinstad (2009) and Waisale Serevi (2010). In 2011, Australia legend George Gregan and former All Blacks Justin Marshall and Christian Cullen helped BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians reach the final.

Hong Kong Football Club has hosted the annual event since 1986, when it was staged to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary. Last year’s tournament featured live television coverage for the first time, with Now TV broadcasting live action on Thursday as well as a post-tournament highlights show.

GFI, a leading brokerage service provider, has been the tournament’s title sponsor since 2006, while other sponsors this year include HSBC, UBS (both Gold Sponsors) and Swire Properties (Silver Sponsor).

Now TV is the Official Broadcaster for the second year, while suppliers include Heineken (Official Beer), Tsunami Sport (Official Kit) and Coast (Official Bar).

All Blacks legend and 2011 Rugby World Cup winner Mils Muliaina will spearhead a star-studded BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians squad at this year’s GFI HKFC Tens, which will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from March 21-22.

The 100-cap fullback is joined in an explosive line-up by fellow All Black Anthony Tuitavake and Fijian flyer Vilimoni Delasau, a Rugby World Cup Sevens winner in 2005. More star players will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

The squad will be coached by former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and managed by South African hero Chester Williams, a 1995 Rugby World Cup winner.

The side reached the Cup final on their debut last year and Muliana promised this year’s team will be going all out to win the tournament.

“We are all hoping we can go one better this year and lift the Cup,” said Muliaina, who now plays in Japan.

“‘Im very much looking forward to two days of exciting and competitive rugby. I have some great memories of Hong Kong from playing in the Bledisloe Cup and Hong Kong Sevens.

“My teammate here in Japan, Takuro Miuchi, has told me what a great experience it is to play with the BGC APBs. It will be a pleasure to return to Hong Kong and pull on the boots again.”

Umaga, who played 74 tests for New Zealand from 1997-2005, succeeds former Australia winger David Campese as the team’s coach in Hong Kong and has promised to continue their attacking style.

“Having heard about the APBs from my fellow All Blacks who have been involved previously, I can’t wait to be part of this year’s set-up,” said the former centre. “I can promise fans we will be coming to entertain and play some explosive rugby.

“We will have a tremendous mix of Rugby World Cup greats and some highly talented individuals from around Asia Pacific. As a coach, I’m truly excited to be working with these players.”

Williams carved his name in South African rugby history as the star winger in the team that lifted the 1995 World Cup.

“We are looking forward to playing at Hong Kong Football Club, meeting old friends and, hopefully, winning the Cup,” Williams said.

“For myself, it will be a fantastic experience to manage a team coached by Tana and featuring greats such as Mils, Anthony and Vilimoni. I’m looking forward to what should be a memorable tournament.”

Len Harvey, BGC Partners executive managing director for Asia Pacific,

added: “After last year’s hugely successful debut in Hong Kong by the Asia Pacific Barbarians, we are delighted to be sponsoring the team once again.

“They won many friends last year with their brand of adventurous, attacking rugby on the pitch and their community spirit off it and we aim to build on that. We are enthusiastic about the concept of the APBs and are very happy to remain closely associated with them.”

As Chairman of the HKFC Tens Organising Committee, I was delighted to start the build-up to this year’s event with the announcement that GFI has signed up to title sponsor the world’s best 10-a-side rugby tournament for another three years.

The current contract will take GFI’s title sponsorship through to 2014 and marks the latest chapter in a successful partnership since 2006 that has helped attract many of rugby’s greatest – from Lomu to Lima, Skinstad to Serevi, Gregan to Cullen.

This news was followed by the announcement that the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (CNCF) will be our official charity this year, marking the first time the tournament has chosen such a partner. England legend Steve Thompson and fellow CNCF ambassador Leon Lloyd, also a former England international, will be present at the tournament, where they’ll engage with fans and help to promote the Foundation’s work.

Hong Kong Football Club has organized the Tens since 1986, when it was held to mark the club’s 100th anniversary.  This year marks the 27th edition of an event that originally acted as a curtain-raiser to the Hong Kong Sevens but which has developed its own reputation as a community-focused event that attracts many of rugby’s biggest names, keen to give back to the game.

Strong steps are always being taken to grow and improve the tournament, and last year’s event, commemorating the club’s 125th anniversary, featured live television coverage for the first time as Now TV broadcast live action on Thursday as well as a post-tournament highlights show.

Please keep visiting our website and Facebook pages for updates, while our Twitter account will also keep fans up to speed with news.

I look forward to seeing you, your family and your friends at Hong Kong Football Club.

Chris Harker

Chairman, HKFC Tens Organising Committee

Former England internationals Steve Thompson and Leon Lloyd to represent charity at Hong Kong rugby event.

The GFI HKFC Tens, the world’s leading 10-a-side rugby tournament, has announced the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (CNCF) as the official charity for this year’s event, which will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from March 21-22.

CNCF Ambassadors Steve Thompson and Leon Lloyd, both former England internationals, will attend the Hong Kong event on behalf of the Foundation, which was created by Christina Noble in 1990 and runs programmes to help underprivileged children in Vietnam and Mongolia.

Thompson, England’s most-capped hooker and a 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, and Lloyd, the former Leicester Tigers back who won five caps for England, will help with fundraising activities at the GFI HKFC Tens before heading to Vietnam to visit the Foundation’s operations in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Being a CNCF ambassador is a whole new life for me and the fact the Foundation is now working with the GFI HKFC Tens is a massive boost for everyone,” said Thompson, 33, who recently moved to Dubai in the UAE.

“I was looking to keep busy after retiring last month and I feel it’s my time to give back. Things happen for a reason and the fact the Foundation has a strong rugby connection is perfect for me.

“Rugby has strong values like teamwork and support on and off the pitch, and I think this fits with what the Foundation is doing for the children in Vietnam and Mongolia. It will be my first time in Hong Kong and I hope we can help raise a lot of money. We’ll have some fun because the more fun the crowd have, the more they donate!”

Star-studded rugby teams featuring former internationals have represented CNCF at various invitational rugby events, particularly in Dubai, where the Foundation has a strong presence.

Lloyd, who scored the winning try for Leicester in the 2001 Heineken Cup final, starred for the CNCF side who won the 2007 International Invitational tournament at the Dubai Rugby Sevens.

Last month, the 34-year-old Lloyd was part of the management team for the CNCF Vets side in Dubai who won a fourth straight title at the 10-a-side International Veterans tournament.

“I’ve been flying the CNCF flag since 2007 when the likes of myself and Austin Healey helped CNCF win in Dubai, beating some strong teams,” said Lloyd, who retired from rugby in 2008 and now works as Foundation Director at Oakham School in Rutland.

“I was glad to be appointed as a CNCF Ambassador as I’ll be able to learn more about the Foundation. Steve and I are good mates from our days in England’s youth teams, and we’re both visiting Hong Kong and Vietnam for the first time. Rugby players know how to enjoy themselves off the pitch and they get behind a good cause, so it’s huge that the Foundation is being supported by the GFI HKFC Tens.”

Christina Noble was delighted to strengthen her charity’s connection to rugby in Hong Kong and will look to raise money at the event, which will feature targeted campaigns to buy bicycles and Mongolian tents (gers).

“Rugby players worldwide have made it possible for thousands of kids to have a better life,” Noble said. “Sport builds humanity and brings the world together.”

The GFI HKFC Tens, which is sanctioned by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, is held on the Wednesday and Thursday before the world-famous Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and is an important part of the city’s rugby week.

In recent years, the tournament has attracted rugby legends Joe Roff and Toutai Kefu (both 2006), Jonah Lomu (2007), Brian Lima (2008), Bobby Skinstad (2009), Waisale Serevi (2010), George Gregan, Justin Marshall and Christian Cullen (all 2011).

Hong Kong Football Club has hosted the annual event since 1986, when it was held to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary. Last year’s tournament commemorated the club’s 125th anniversary and featured live television coverage for the first time, with Now TV broadcasting action on Thursday and a highlights show.

Hong Kong-based Tradition Valley were the surprise champions, winning 28-24 in the final against BGC Asia-Pacific Barbarians, an all-star side coached by Australia legend David Campese and featuring Gregan, Cullen, Marshall and a host of former internationals with Rugby World Cup experience.

The contract runs through 2014 and will extend GFI’s title sponsorship of the international tournament to nine years, having supported the event since 2006 and helped it grow into one of the world’s leading 10-a-side competitions.

Since GFI came on board, the GFI HKFC Tens has attracted rugby legends Joe Roff and Toutai Kefu (both 2006), Jonah Lomu (2007), Brian Lima (2008), Bobby Skinstad (2009), Waisale Serevi (2010), George Gregan, Justin Marshall and Christian Cullen (all 2011).

The tournament, which is sanctioned by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, is held at Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) on the Wednesday and Thursday before the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens and is an important part of the city’s rugby week.

Scott Tatham, Managing Director of GFI Asia-Pacific, said: “GFI has been a proud title sponsor of the HKFC Tens since 2006 and we’re committed to continue growing the event, which is already recognised as the world’s top rugby tens tournament.

“The GFI HKFC Tens is a great event for locals and visiting rugby fans who get to watch top-quality teams and world-class players in Hong Kong. The Tens offers a great chance for people to interact with rugby’s greatest players, such as Gregan, Marshall, Cullen, Serevi, Lima and Lomu.”

Hong Kong Football Club has hosted the annual event since it was staged in 1986 to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary. Last year’s event commemorated the club’s 125th anniversary.

Chris Harker, Chairman of the GFI HKFC Tens Organising Committee, was delighted GFI extended its title sponsorship of the tournament, which last year featured live television coverage for the first time, with Now TV broadcasting action on Thursday and a highlights show.

“GFI has been a fantastic supporter of the HKFC Tens and we’ve worked hand in hand with them to grow this tournament into the world’s best rugby tens event,” Harker said.

“The HKFC Tens was created by Hong Kong Football Club in 1986 to mark the club’s 100th anniversary and has now grown into a showpiece event of its own, featuring the world’s top touring rugby teams and many rugby legends keen to give back to the game.”

www.hongkongtens.com

Congratulations to Viliame Satala of the BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians on being named the Player of the Tournament, Pita Ahki for being the Top Try Scorer with 7, and to Rob Wright who was honoured with the Legend of the Tournament award.

It remains for me to thank our face of the Tournament, Lawrence Dallaglio, our Sponsors GFI, HSBC, Swire Properties, Hill & Associates, Allied World Associates, EC Harris, Eurofins, StructureTone, Tricor, Heineken Tsunami, Compliance Asia, Watsons Water, Igor’s, Island Shangri-La, NowTV, event organizers Laxton Marketing Consultants, Referees, doctors and physios, ball retrievers, the Hong Kong Football Club and last, but not least, the Committee who without their continuous support this event would not have been possible.

See you all next year

The Webb Ellis Rugby World Cup Trophy arrives at the Hong Kong Football Club on Wednesday courtesy of Heineken where we can expect a buzz of excitement and ample photo opportunities.  Due to the Heineken sponsorship of this stall, only people who are 18 years old and over will be allowed to have their picture taken with the trophy in accordance with Heineken’s corporate policy.

The two tournament teams taking part in the Deaf Rugby Match recently played at the annual Deaf Rugby Festival, with the sides contesting a 25-25 draw.  We can expect a highly competitive rematch to see who wins the bragging rights at 18:25 on Thursday with Lawrence Dallaglio coaching the two sides for a half each.

Tickets are selling fast for Thursday so I would urge those without one to go to the BUY TICKETS section  and make your purchase. Kit sales will be available from the Tsunami stand at the stadium throughout the two days as well as the usual F&B.

I look forward to seeing you all down there.

Chris

Chairman of the 2011 GFI HKFC Tens