[Hong Kong, 17 March 2023]:  The Hong Kong Rugby Union and The Hong Kong Jockey Club will engage more than 10,000 local residents through a series of programmes centred around the Hong Kong Sevens 2023 this month. 

The initiatives are part of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Official Community Partnership with the Hong Kong Sevens 2023 and 2024 organised by the Hong Kong Rugby Union.

As an Official Community Partner, a series of Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes will be jointly organised for students, the underprivileged and the wider community to better understand and participate in the fun of rugby and to experience the excitement of a globally recognised sporting event.

A variety of initiatives will be held in the lead-up to the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens (31 March – 2 April), both inside and outside the Hong Kong Stadium.

“For decades, the Sevens has been a gathering point for rugby fans from around Hong Kong and the world and we are proud to once again share that special atmosphere with fans of all ages across the city,” said Mr Rocky Chow, Chief Community Officer of the Hong Kong Rugby Union. 

“Rugby is centred around essential values like leadership, camaraderie and fair play and we look forward to sharing these values with Hong Kong youth, and to celebrating the positive attributes of the rugby players with other elite athletes and sports from across the city.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Stadium and are very grateful for the efforts and support of our community partner, The Hong Kong Jockey Club,” added Mr Chow.  

The Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes kicks off on 17 March with the Jockey Club Elite Athletes Sharing Session - No Boundaries for Sports at Ying Wa College. 

Two players from the Hong Kong, China Rugby Sevens team, Chong Ka-yan and Lee Ka-to Cado, will join elite athletes from other leading Hong Kong sports, including racing, equestrian, football and fencing, in engaging over 400 students, teachers and parents in this hybrid face-to-face and online engagement programme. The sharing session will revolve around the personal journeys of elite athletes, and how participating in sport has helped prepare them for life’s challenges and embrace the positive attitudes of perseverance and resilience, hence to promote sport for all.

On 25 March, about 600 children aged 10-16 from schools and NGO partner programmes will attend the Jockey Club Sports for All Carnival at Ocean Park.  Participants will have an opportunity to try new sports and form friendships during a day focussed around the themes of inclusion, teamwork and leadership.

See you at the Sevens!

The programme reaches its crescendo inside the Hong Kong Stadium from 31 March to 2 April with the Hong Kong Sevens tournament entertaining thousands of residents young and old.

31 March (Friday) is the return of the Jockey Club Sevens School Tour.  In 2023, over 250 tour guides will provide thousands of students aged 6-18 with a unique and personalised introduction to the Sevens and the Hong Kong Stadium.

The Jockey Club Sevens Community Experience meanwhile will welcome residents from various underprivileged groups, including visually impaired, SEN students and senior citizens from the elderly services programmes supported by the Club, to the Sevens. Many of them will be experiencing the tournament for the first time. The tickets will be distributed through local NGOs and schools so everyone can enjoy the exciting spectacle of the Sevens.

And of course, the Hong Kong Sevens is excited to welcome the return of the city’s youngest ruggers back to the Hong Kong Stadium in the Jockey Club Mini Rugby Showcase for the first time since 2019, following the cessation of pandemic restrictions. Thousands of children and their family members from the local rugby community will share the stage with the world’s best rugby teams and players in the Jockey Club Mini Rugby Showcase every morning of the Sevens weekend (31 March to 2 April).

As with all its donations, The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s support for the Hong Kong Sevens is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax and charity support for the community, so as to act continuously for the betterment of our society.

Elite athletes from leading Hong Kong sports, including rugby, racing, equestrian, football and fencing speak to students and parents at Jockey Club Elite Athletes Sharing Session.

Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes roll out a series of activities to promote Sport for All.