The astonishing amount of beer downed at Hong Kong Sevens as rugby's biggest party finds a new home

HONG KONG: An unusual cold snap of weather did not kill off the thirst of a record Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens crowd that packed out the sparkling new Kai Tak Stadium last weekend.

Any fears that the move across Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong Stadium to Kowloon would dampen rugby's biggest party were as wide of the mark as a muffed drop kick conversion.

Sevens fans from around the world joined forces with Hong Kong's hard working, hard playing corporate set to down an astonishing 82,000 litres of beer across the three days.

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A cumulative crowd of 110,000 consumed 350,000 food and beverage items while watching New Zealand and Argentina claim glory and the Kaiser Chiefs pip Coldplay in being the first rock band to grace the new look South Stand.

Behind the scenes running the show was an unassuming American named Sean Moore.

Moore enjoyed the 1997 tournament as a fan and caught sevens fever.

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He returned the following year to work at the tournament and now runs marketing for the Hong Kong Sevens, as the managing director of Elite Sports Asia.

"It's been funny because I went over to the old stadium on Friday morning before kickoff, just to kind of see it because I love that place and there's nothing like that stadium," Moore told Wide World of Sports.

"But if I had to move into anywhere else, these are good digs, I think, and we can definitely do a lot more here."

Good digs indeed.

The jaw dropping $30 billion stadium was built on the old airport site and former Wallabies prop turned architect Al Baxter was one of the key players in the design.

Kai Tak includes the 100 metre-long Champions Bar on the east concourse.

The future shape and scope of the world sevens series is under review but Hong Kong has cemented its status as the jewel in the sport's crown.

Liverpool are playing AC Milan in July and World Rugby boss Brett Robinson, the former Wallabies flanker, has floated the idea of a Bledisloe Cup return.

"I think it's been a fantastic event," Moore said.

"I mean, I had high confidence in Hong Kong China Rugby, we've been doing this for nearly 50 years, so I was never worried too much about that. There's always teething issues but I think next year will be pretty spot on.

"This is probably the only stadium in the world built with sevens in mind. Hong Kong is the home of sevens. We love our players.

"They're the magic and we try to take care of them. I've been here for 30 years and one of my missions is to help Hong Kong people understand this event is the best of its kind in the world.

"That's a Hong Kong thing, and Hong Kong people are really proud. They don't know the laws - I don't even know the laws these days - but they know rugby. I think that's a real win for the game.

"Almost everybody in a city of seven million people, on the border of China, understands what rugby is, and they like it and they like to have fun here with us (westerners). So I think that's a fantastic start.

"It's more than rugby. It's a lot of other things going on too. Music, international community."

Springboks legend Bryan Habana played in Hong Kong in 2016 and now makes the annual pilgrimage as a global HSBC ambassador.

He too loved the previous version, with a stadium jutting out of the jungle and just a short stumble from the mayhem of Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong.

"The old stadium will forever be iconic," Habana told WWOS.

"Legendary moments and memories and it's always difficult when the changing of the guard comes. But this is futuristic. With the closed roof, I was just enthralled. My jaw dropped - like even the photos don't really do it justice.

"The roof closed, a laser show, Gala and the Kaizer Chiefs - things you probably wouldn't have been able to do at the old stadium.

"And it is phenomenal for the players. When I came in 2016 we had a little curtain draped between the Blitzboks and the Americans.

"Now every team has got their own change room."

Habana was part of a world rugby who's who in Hong Kong, joining Brian O'Driscoll, Drew Mitchell, Waisale Serevi, Matt Giteau, Sean Fitzpatrick, Rob Kearney, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Alicia Lucas, Simon Shaw, Scott Hastings, Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton to spread the gospel.

Stan Sport colleague Sean Maloney describes it as 'Disneyland for adults' and it is also Disneyland for a sports reporter.

WWOS chewed the fat with Fitzpatrick in the players' tunnel as he bemoaned what had happened to his beloved Blues.

O'Driscoll bemoaned the local coffee but that was the only downer he could draw from a wild weekend.

The Australian journalists traded Eddie Jones war stories with their British counterparts in an Uber before taking in the local nightlife.

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Rugby fans shared the dancefloor with reality TV stars and Rayguns from around the world.

WWOS conducted a late night interview with Irish Raygun enthusiast Ciaran and some of it was even fit to print.

"Raygun is bigger than Australia," Ciaran noted in between swigs of Carlsberg.

"When choosing a costume, it had to be Raygun. She's respectable, like, but she's funny. Everyone just likes her. Everyone's got admiration for her.

"The Irish and Australians don't take themselves too serious. This sevens has been a brilliant lark. No-one really gives a f--- about who's playing on Saturday but come Sunday night, they're like no, I'm like, I'm quite interested."

The party continues in Singapore this weekend.

Sam Worthington travelled to the HSBC Hong Kong Sevens thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cathay Pacific and The Langham