Magnificent Seven: Zhang Zhiqiang

As part of its commemorations of 40 years of the Sevens around the 2015 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) has announced a campaign to honour the best seven international players to have taken to the pitch at So Kon Po over the past four decades.

The campaign accompanies a fan poll to identify Hong Kong’s top national team representative of the past four decades.

The first inductee into this singular sevens roll of honour is China’s Mr Rugby, Zhang Zhiqiang, who holds the all-time record for tries scored in Hong Kong since the inception of the HSBC Sevens World Series in 2000 (25). Zhang added 43 conversions for a total of 211 points in a glittering career at the Hong Kong Stadium.

Known in Hong Kong as ‘Johnny Zhang’, Zhang played at the Sevens on ten occasions and coached China in Hong Kong on another five. He led China to their only silverware at the Hong Kong Sevens when they won the Bowl in 2006.

Appearing as a special guest of the HKRFU at the Official Draw for the 2015 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens on 16 February Zhang said, “To be named in the Magnificent 7 of the Hong Kong Sevens is the greatest rugby honour in my life.”