Rugby’s premier celebration gets a stylish revamp as the intriguing Hong Kong Sevens makes its grand return.

The Hong Kong Sevens has long been a stage for surprises, both on the field and off.

Regarded as the tournament’s icon, Fiji’s maestro Waisale Serevi has led his team to an unprecedented 19 championships since Australian Stephen Streeter, a relatively unknown player at the time, scored the inaugural try in 1976.

This vibrant city has been a stepping stone to fame for legends like Jonah Lomu, David Campese, Christian Cullen, and George Gregan, while the atmosphere in the stands matches the thrilling action on the pitch.

In a surprising turn of events in 2016, David Hasselhoff mesmerised the bustling South Stand by grabbing the mic and belting out Delilah alongside the Baywatch theme song.

Despite earlier uncertainty on whether he would perform, the former Wallabies loose forward Stephen Hoiles shared his account with current Stan Sport commentator Sean Maloney.

Hasselhoff had been dining in the same hotel restaurant as Hoiles prior to the game.

“Suddenly, The Hoff was right behind me, shouting ‘the spice, ooohhh the spice!’ OOOHHH! Next thing, people rush over with ice packs and milk for him,” Hoiles recounted.

“It was definitely a bit odd. I finished my latte and headed off just as he began to turn pink.”

Just another day of expecting the unexpected.

In a fitting continuation of the unusual, former French tough guy Sebastien Chabal made waves in 2019 by appearing on the field dressed as a caveman, launching into a rendition of The Proclaimers’ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).

“It’s remarkable how the atmosphere remains vibrant over the course of several days,” noted Morgan Turinui, who played in the tournament and recalls being ‘schooled’ by Serevi during his time there, while discussing the event on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“Many tournaments see attendees sneak off during games, but somehow, Hong Kong keeps the energy alive. The enormous beer snakes and spirited crowd embody the festival’s essence.

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“David Hasselhoff, Sebastien Chabal – and that’s merely the matches, not even accounting for the happenings after hours.”

This year’s tournament brings added excitement as it moves from Hong Kong Stadium to the newly constructed Kai Tak Sports Park.

With a capacity of 50,000, the noise and vibrant, multicultural atmosphere should be electrifying when the three-day event kicks off this Friday.

“The new stadium has introduced an excellent concept with a six-hour drinks package available in one of the stands,” Turinui shared.

“There’s never a fight, never a fuss – just a joyful crowd from every corner of the globe coming together to celebrate rugby.

“It’s incredible how many business events coincide with this weekend in Hong Kong. I reckon the new venue holds tremendous potential for Australia, especially for the women’s team, considering the relentless humidity in Hong Kong. The roof provides a unique advantage, aligning well with our women’s squad’s emphasis on speed and conditioning.”

Star try-scorer Maddison Levi is set to make a crucial comeback for Australia.

Levi, the reigning world women’s sevens player of the year, has been lurking on the sidelines since suffering a thumb fracture while competing in Perth last January.

Australia (70 points) is currently second on the standings behind fierce rivals New Zealand (76), with just two tournaments remaining.

The returns of Levi and Sariah Paki (calf injury) provides a much-needed boost, though Australia will miss the talents of Charlotte Caslick, Bienne Terita, Demi Hayes, and Heidi Dennis.

“We shouldn’t be daunted, especially with our youthful squad, something we’ve discussed,” the sidelined Hayes commented on Between Two Posts.

“We won’t have Charlotte to rely on, and we fully recognise her contributions on the field each match, covering for us a lot. This will provide others a chance to rise without fear in each game we play.

“It’s definitely going to be challenging, especially given the relative inexperience within the team.”

Meanwhile, the men’s team coach Liam Barry has brought teenager Hadley Tonga back into the fold, with Michael Icely (knee injury) unavailable.

Currently positioned sixth in the standings, the men’s side has been placed in Pool B alongside New Zealand, South Africa, and Uruguay.

The women’s side will face Spain and Canada on the opening day in Pool C, followed by a match against Japan on day two.

WOMEN’S DRAW

• Friday March 28: Australia vs Spain – 1.53pm AEDT
• Friday March 28: Australia vs Canada – 4.57pm AEDT
• Saturday, March 29: Australia vs Japan – 12.53pm AEDT

MEN’S DRAW

• Friday, March 28: Australia vs New Zealand – 8.30pm AEDT
• Friday, March 28: Australia vs South Africa – 11.39pm AEDT
• Saturday, March 29: Australia vs Uruguay – 4.20pm AEDT