Hong Kong Sevens: Argentina banking on Kai Tak to end terrible run of form in city
South Americans make fast start in bid to break Hong Kong jinx, set for Fiji clash and quarter-final contest on Saturday
Argentina signalled their determination to banish the ghosts of a miserable Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens past with thundering victories over Ireland and USA on Friday.
Last year, the South Americans crowned their emergence as one of rugby sevens’ major forces when they finished top of the 2023-24 HSBC SVNS Series standings. Argentina flopped in Hong Kong, however, losing all three group matches. They have reached only one final in the city, a defeat by England in 2004.
The Argentines won the two most recent series legs, in Perth and Vancouver, and again lead the way in the 12-team table, with Spain, Fiji and South Africa in close pursuit.
The former captain, Santiago Alvarez, who remains a formidable presence at the age of 31, acknowledged “Hong Kong has been really tough for us”, echoing the sentiment of Santiago Gomez Cora, the head coach, who talked about the difficulty of performing after 40 hours of travel.
Alvarez, however, said his team had “forgotten about our past record in Hong Kong”. “The new stadium [Kai Tak] is good for us and it could mean a change of luck,” he added.
“We have a lot of experience and nothing should surprise us. We have to forget about travel and sleep, and think about what we need to do this weekend.”