Sports: Fun activities and inspiring ambassadors as HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens ready to return this weekend

The HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens is finally back this weekend, and things are getting heated up as teams from Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, USA, and Wales battle it out at the National Stadium to gain ranking points for their climb up the table over the two-day event.

This year, HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens features ambassadors former Fijian “Sevens King” Waisale Serevi (Fiji) and former Canadian national player Nathan Hirayama, who not only represent and champion the sport, but also took part in events, such as taking part in a rugby clinic imparting their skills and wisdom to the next generation of aspiring rugby players at the Singapore Cricket Club.

Nathan Hirayama, the 6’0 feet, 205 lbs playmaker of Canada — nicknamed ‘Spicy Nate’ — truly exemplifies the values of the game, on and off the pitch. He’s tackled the biggest names in the game, outstepped the silkiest opponents, mentored some of Canada’s best and inspired countless young athletes throughout his career.

World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Waisale Serevi is widely regarded as ‘The King of Sevens’ for his stunning contribution to the Rugby Sevens as a player and coach. Able to turn a game in the blink of an eye with an untouchable side-step or a wonderfully weighted pass, Serevi was the heartbeat of the Fijian team, scoring 1,310 points in the World Rugby Sevens Series and a record 297 points in the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments.

At the press conference held on 8th April, both ambassadors were present to share their thoughts on the 7s returning this weekend, and their own personal histories with the sport. “Singapore is one of my favourite locations, and it’s very special to the Canadian team,” says Nathan Hirayama. “I’m looking forward to watching the 7s, and I think what makes the sport so special, is how if you go anywhere in the world, you’ll find a club where you instantly make 50 friends, and it’s so special to be a part of it.”

“We live in a very challenging world right now, where we can’t predict what will happen over the next year, or even tomorrow,” says Waisale Serevi, on advice he would give to aspiring rugby players. “To all the kids that are here, I want to remind them to always believe in themselves and their talent. If I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have been able to go around the world to pursue rugby, whatever you wanna do in life. And you also need to work hard and never give up in life – sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, sometimes people in the community will like you and sometimes they won’t but you can never give up on yourself. So in short, believe in yourself, work hard, and never give up, because with that, nothing is impossible in this world.” 

Over the weekend, visitors to the Sevens can not only watch the matches, but also take part in the myriad of family-friendly activities available at the National Stadium. Kids will be delighted to meet Sonic the Hedgehog and the Oddbods in special movie screenings. Also available is an inflatable playground featuring slides, trampolines and of course, bouncy castles for the more energetic kids to burn off their excess energy, and bop to the beats of the DJs at the kids-only dance floor. Music fans will also be entertained by live performances from local band, Jive Talkin’ and Zouk DJ, Jeremy Boon, who are set to turn up the energy levels with their distinct and upbeat tunes.

HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens 2022 runs from 9th to 10th April 2022 at the National Stadium. Tickets available here The full activity list is available here For the full schedule of HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens, please refer here