Details

Wednesday 21st March – Group Stage, Gates open at 10.00am – Free entry

Thursday 22nd March – Finals Day, Gates open at 10.00am.  Cup Final at 8.00pm – $100

2012 GFI HKFC Tens

The 27^th GFI HKFC Tens will be taking place at Hong Kong Football Club on 21^st and 22^nd March.  This year sees the tournament back to a 16 team format to ensure the talent and skill level is at the highest possible level.

2012 also marks the second year in the history of the tournament that it will be covered live on TV.  NowTV will be showing live footage of the Semi-Finals and Finals from 3.30pm onwards on the Thursday on NowSports channel 634.  There will also be a highlights programme on April 1^st on NowSports channel 635 which will cover the entire tournament.

Tournament History

The Hong Kong Tens started in 1986 as a social rugby Tournament at the home of the Hong Kong Sevens to commemorate the centenary of the Hong Kong Football Club.

It has since grown into a world class Tournament that is recognized as the Premier Tens Tournament in the world, attracting top players and teams from around the globe.

The Hong Kong Tens offers an opportunity for club and international players from both hemispheres to play against each other, compare styles and skills, and to make off-field friendships. There are few opportunities outside of official internationals and Tournaments where such “north-south” games can be played.

Hundreds of past, present and future internationals from over 20 national teams have played in the Hong Kong Tens over the years including Jonah Lomu, Clive Woodward, Waisale Serevi, Rory & Tony Underwood, Mark & Glenn Ella, Gavin & Scott Hastings, Scott Gibbs, Alama Ieremia, Brian Lima & World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad, as well as current All Blacks Jerome Kaino, Sione Lauaki, Nick Evans, Ben Smith, Hosea Gear and Conrad Smith.

To highlight the quality of player that the Tens has seen grace the artificial turf at the Hong Kong Football Club, the 2003 Cup winning New Zealand Metro team alone contained four future All Blacks in Kaino, Lauaki, Evans and Ben Atiga.  Conrad Smith’s Otago Shepherds didn’t even reach the final!

There have also been instances of players performing beyond expectation at the Tens and finding themselves playing for their country at the Sevens the next day.  This happened to Charlie Baxter who was spotted by New Zealand 7s coach Gordon Tietjens at the Tens on the Wednesday and Thursday and promoted him instantly to his New Zealand squad for the 7s at Hong Kong Stadium over the weekend.

The Hong Kong Tens is played at the Hong Kong Football Club, in the middle of Happy Valley Race Course; a truly
unique setting for rugby!  Since last year’s tournament, the Hong Kong Football Club have relayed the pitch with the latest technology in artificial pitches, providing the most realistic ‘grass’ effect without the mud which allows for free flowing and exciting rugby.

This year’s tournament is pleased to welcome Lawrence Dallaglio as the Face of the Tournament.  The World Cup winner will be available throughout the tournament for autographs and to chat about his rugby experiences.