In pictures: 50 years of mud, sweat and beers at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens

Since the whistle was first blown on March 28, 1976, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament has grown from a regional invitational into a global spectacle, expanding from 12 teams in its inaugural edition to 30, competing in three distinct competitions, in 2026.

In those 50 years – from the early days at the Hong Kong Football Club, in Happy Valley, through the Hong Kong Stadium era to games at its current home, the Kai Tak Sports Park – the contest has transformed dramatically, a pair of significant milestones coming in 1997, when the event morphed into the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament for the first time and women’s teams began competing. And from the first kick, Team Hong Kong – full of grit, heartbreak and flashes of glory – has been lifted by passionate home support.

Here’s a look back at how South China Morning Post photographers have captured the excitement.