# 2003 Hong Kong Sevens

The 2003 Hong Kong Sevens was an international rugby sevens tournament that took place at the Hong Kong Stadium between 28 and 30 March 2003. It was the 28th edition of the Hong Kong Sevens and was the fifth tournament of the 2002–03 IRB Sevens World Series. Twenty-four teams competed in the tournament and were separated into six groups of four with the top eight teams qualifying through to the cup tournament.
Due to the SARS outbreak that was occurring in Hong Kong, some teams delayed their arrival to the country with three teams (Argentina, France and Italy withdrawing from the competition.
England defended their Hong Kong title that they won the previous year defeating New Zealand in the final by a score of 22–17. The plate-final saw Canada defeat Scotland while the United States took home the bowl defeating Japan.

## Teams

Compared to other tournament of the series, the Hong Kong Sevens had 24 teams compete for the title instead of the regular sixteen teams that usually competed in a World Series event. The tournament saw three teams withdraw after the official draw was revealed on February 27 due to the SARS outbreak that was occurring in South-East Asia. On March 21, France and Italy withdrew from the competition with Argentina withdrawing two days later. They were replaced by Namibia, Tonga and the Netherlands respectively. Other teams delayed their arrivals to Hong Kong with Fiji and New Zealand only arriving three days before the tournament started.
* Australia
* Canada
* China
* Cook Islands
* Chinese Taipei
* England
* Fiji
* Hong Kong
* Japan
* Kenya
* Malaysia
* Namibia
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Russia
* Samoa
* Scotland
* Singapore
* South Africa
* South Korea
* Sri Lanka
* Tonga
* United States
* Wales

## Format

The teams were drawn into six pools of four teams each. Each team played the other teams in their pool once, with three points awarded for a win, two points for a draw, and one point for a loss (no points awarded for a forfeit). The pool stage was played over the first two days of the tournament. The top team from each pool along with the two best runners-up advanced to the Cup quarter finals. The remaining four runners-up along with the four best third-placed teams advanced to the Plate quarter finals. The remaining eight teams went on to the Bowl quarter finals.

## Pool stage

The draw for the 2003 Hong Kong Sevens was held on 27 February 2003 with the revised draw occurring on the 25 March.
Key to colours in group tables :
* Teams that advanced to the Cup quarterfinals
* Teams that advanced to the Plate quarterfinals
* Teams that advanced to the Bowl quarterfinals

### Pool A

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 141 | 10 | 131 | 9 |
| Namibia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 70 | 66 | 4 | 7 |
| United States | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 62 | 97 | –35 | 5 |
| Malaysia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 118 | –100 | 3 |
Source: HK Sevens
* 28 March 17:00
| New Zealand | 38–3 | Malaysia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 28 March 19:12
| Namibia | 35–10 | United States |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 10:46
| Namibia | 35–10 | Malaysia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 12:58
| New Zealand | 57–7 | United States |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 15:10
| United States | 45–5 | Malaysia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 17:22
| New Zealand | 46–0 | Namibia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
Source: HK Sevens

### Pool B

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| England | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 137 | 12 | 125 | 9 |
| Tonga | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 59 | 24 | 7 |
| Chinese Taipei | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 57 | 81 | –24 | 5 |
| Singapore | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 137 | –125 | 3 |
Source: HK Sevens
* 28 March 17:22
| England | 52–0 | Singapore |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 28 March 19:34
| Tonga | 26–17 | Chinese Taipei |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 11:08
| Tonga | 50–0 | Singapore |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 13:20
| England | 43–5 | Chinese Taipei |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 15:32
| Chinese Taipei | 35–12 | Singapore |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 17:44
| England | 42–7 | Tonga |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
Source: HK Sevens

### Pool C

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| Samoa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 24 | 101 | 9 |
| Canada | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 64 | –7 | 7 |
| Japan | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 97 | –50 | 5 |
| Russia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 82 | –44 | 3 |
Source: HK Sevens
* 28 March 17:44
| Fiji | 33–5 | Russia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 28 March 19:56
| Canada | 24–12 | Japan |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 11:30
| Canada | 21–19 | Russia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 13:42
| Fiji | 59–7 | Japan |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 15:54
| Japan | 28–14 | Russia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 18:06
| Fiji | 33–12 | Canada |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
Source: HK Sevens

### Pool D

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| Kenya | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 29 | 32 | 9 |
| Australia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 78 | 29 | 49 | 7 |
| Hong Kong | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 48 | –5 | 5 |
| China | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 97 | –76 | 3 |
Source: HK Sevens
* 28 March 18:06
| Australia | 40–7 | China |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 28 March 20:18
| Kenya | 15–10 | Hong Kong |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 11:52
| Kenya | 31–7 | China |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 14:04
| Australia | 26–7 | Hong Kong |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 16:16
| Hong Kong | 26–7 | China |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 18:28
| Kenya | 15–12 | Australia |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
Source: HK Sevens

### Pool E

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| South Africa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 7 | 125 | 9 |
| Scotland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 66 | 43 | 23 | 7 |
| South Korea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 69 | 75 | –6 | 5 |
| Sri Lanka | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 142 | –142 | 3 |
Source: HK Sevens
* 28 March 18:28
| South Africa | 54–0 | Sri Lanka |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 28 March 20:40
| Scotland | 28–12 | South Korea |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 12:14
| Scotland | 38–0 | Sri Lanka |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 14:26
| South Africa | 47–7 | South Korea |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 16:38
| South Korea | 50–0 | Sri Lanka |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 18:50
| South Africa | 31–0 | Scotland |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
Source: HK Sevens

### Pool F

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| Samoa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 24 | 88 | 9 |
| Cook Islands | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 72 | 38 | 34 | 6 |
| Wales | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 55 | 65 | –10 | 6 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 131 | –112 | 3 |
Source: HK Sevens
* 28 March 18:50
| Samoa | 41–7 | Netherlands |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 28 March 21:02
| Wales | 10–10 | Cook Islands |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 12:36
| Wales | 40–12 | Netherlands |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 14:48
| Samoa | 28–12 | Cook Islands |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 17:00
| Cook Islands | 50–0 | Netherlands |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
* 29 March 19:12
| Samoa | 43–5 | Wales |
* Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
Source: HK Sevens

## Knockout stage
### Bowl

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| United States | 39 | | | |
| United States | 39 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | |
| Sri Lanka | 7 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | |
| Sri Lanka | 7 | United States | 31 | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | United States | 31 | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | China | 0 | |
| Malaysia | 7 | China | 0 | |
| Malaysia | 7 | | | | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium |
| China | 12 | | | | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium |
| China | 12 | | | | United States | 24 |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | | United States | 24 |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | Japan | 19 |
| Russia | 24 | | | | Japan | 19 |
| Russia | 24 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Netherlands | 12 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Netherlands | 12 | Russia | 12 | | | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | Russia | 12 | | | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | Japan | 19 | |
| Singapore | 0 | Japan | 19 | |
| Japan | 41 | | | |
Source: HK Sevens

### Plate

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Scotland | 49 | | | |
| Scotland | 49 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | |
| Chinese Taipei | 5 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | |
| Chinese Taipei | 5 | Scotland | 24 | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | Scotland | 24 | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | Cook Islands | 5 | |
| Wales | 19 | Cook Islands | 5 | |
| Wales | 19 | | | | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Cook Islands | 24 | | | | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Cook Islands | 24 | | | | Scotland | 14 |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | | Scotland | 14 |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | Canada | 19 |
| Canada | 24 | | | | Canada | 19 |
| Canada | 24 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Hong Kong | 0 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Hong Kong | 0 | Canada | 33 | | | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | Canada | 33 | | | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | South Korea | 10 | |
| South Korea | 24 | South Korea | 10 | |
| Namibia | 21 | | | |
Source: HK Sevens

### Cup

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| New Zealand | 31 | | | |
| New Zealand | 31 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | |
| Tonga | 5 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | |
| Tonga | 5 | New Zealand | 21 | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | New Zealand | 21 | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | South Africa | 17 | |
| South Africa | 40 | South Africa | 17 | |
| South Africa | 40 | | | | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Kenya | 0 | | | | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Kenya | 0 | | | | New Zealand | 17 |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | | New Zealand | 17 |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | England | 22 |
| Fiji | 12 | | | | England | 22 |
| Fiji | 12 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Samoa | 7 | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Samoa | 7 | Fiji | 19 | | | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | | Fiji | 19 | | | |
| 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | 30 March – Hong Kong Stadium | England | 24 | |
| Australia | 14 | England | 24 | |
| England | 19 | | | |
Source: HK Sevens

## Tournament placings

| Place | Team | Points |
| | England | 30 |
| | New Zealand | 24 |
| | Fiji | 18 |
| | South Africa | 18 |
| 5 | Australia | 8 |
| 5 | Kenya | 8 |
| 5 | Samoa | 8 |
| 5 | Tonga | 8 |
| 9 | Canada | 4 |
| 10 | Scotland | 3 |
| 11 | Cook Islands | 2 |
| 11 | South Korea | 2 |
| Place | Team | Points |
| 13 | Chinese Taipei | 0 |
| 13 | Hong Kong | 0 |
| 13 | Namibia | 0 |
| 13 | Wales | 0 |
| 17 | United States | 1 |
| 18 | Japan | 0 |
| 19 | China | 0 |
| 19 | Russia | 0 |
| 21 | Malaysia | 0 |
| 21 | Netherlands | 0 |
| 21 | Singapore | 0 |
| 21 | Sri Lanka | 0 |
Source: Rugby7.com