HSBC Global Ambassadors Abby Gustaitis and Alicia Lucas Explain Why Kai Tak Stadium and Rugby Sevens Are So Special

Rugby Asia 247 caught up with Global HSBC Ambassadors and Olympic Sevens Rugby players Abby Gustaitis and Alicia Lucas (nee Quirk) at the brand new Kai Tak Stadium during the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2025 and we were all in awe of the new facilities. We discussed the development and growth of the game, HSBC’s commitment and why you should head to watch 7s Rugby.

Over three days of action at the Kai Tak Stadium, a new era was ushered in as the teams and fans were treated to a fantastic spectacle on and off the field. HSBC’s deep-rooted commitment to Hong Kong spans 160 years and HSBC is a Premier Founding Partner of Kai Tak Sports Park which has now well and properly been launched into the global spotlight.

Kai Tak Stadium is Truly World-Class

“Honestly, there’s nothing like it that I’ve ever seen on the world stage before. I think the biggest thing that sticks out for me is that every single team has its own changing room – it is unheard of to have 24 changing rooms for the different teams. I remember the days when we first started, and you had a curtain sheet between blocks of five teams, and you’re sharing and being in everyone’s intimate environment and now we have this incredibly amazing purpose-built Seven stadium – it blows your mind.”

Photo Credit – HSBC – Alicia Lucas Global HSBC Ambassador

Those were the words of gold-medal 7s rugby-winning Olympian Alicia Lucas. She has been on the HSBC Ambassadorial circuit for some time and has seen the best stages the world has to offer. 

“It just goes to show the growth of the game, though, and how far the game has gone. That investment back into the players and those little moments off the pitch that a lot of people don’t think about. So that’s really great from Hong Kong and the supporters and investments and people who are giving back to this game, like HSBC,” added Abby Gustaitis. 

Gustaitis is a former American rugby player who captained USA’s women’s rugby squad at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and is a veteran of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup as well as being a key player in the USA’s first-ever HSBC Sevens Series win. Since then she has become a leading voice for the sport making her debut as a rugby analyst for NBCUniversal’s Olympic coverage at the Paris games.

All three of us were in the slightly more comfortable confines of the HSBC Corporate suite which was beautifully decked out with nostalgic photos of Kai Tak and the Hong Kong Sevens over the years, a calm oasis from the unmatched revelry in the 50,000 seater stadium with a South Stand in full voice.

“I think also the appetite for the game and how and how big the game is, Sevens is just iconic in Hong Kong. And they’re realising, to match what they see on the pitch, then they’re going to support it with a state-of-the-art facility off the pitch that everyone gets to enjoy. That the players will experience it like none other so they’ll be talking about Kai Tak and the Hong Kong Sevens not just because of the iconic South Stand, but because it is world-class, and is best of the best for everything that happens in and around this facility,” explained Alicia.

Photo Credit – HSBC – Abby Gustaitis HSBC Global Ambassador

Merging The Old And The New – “Hong Kong hasn’t forgotten how to party”

We briefly touched on some of the anxiety that had surrounded moving the most popular Sevens event in the world to a new stadium, but those worries had been put to bed with the entertainment, facilities and rugby we had seen over the weekend – if anything, levels had gone up a notch as more than 110,000 fans across three days created an incredible atmosphere inside the arena.

“Hong Kong hasn’t forgotten how to party. They haven’t forgotten how to have a good time at Hong Kong Sevens that’s for sure,” said Alica. 

“It just shows the investment going into that next generation. It’s a new stadium, it’s a new era, but also building on the legacy that is the Hong Kong Sevens, but then offering this new opportunity, this new place to create those memories and for players and kids to dream of playing,” added Abby – who had only arrived that Sunday morning for finals day but was already blown away by what she had seen.

Photo Credit – HKCR – Kai Tak Stadium and home support – Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens

In addition to preserving some key elements of what has made the Hong Kong Sevens so iconic, including a South Stand upgrade which kept intact its party atmosphere, the additions of a fantastic Fan Village, world-class music entertainment etc there was so much that stayed the same in the best possible way. 

Alicia explained, “We had the famous kids march past, the Try Rugby program that HSBC offers as well. And then you’ve got the Hong Kong China team that HSBC sponsors. And so those young boys and girls are growing up saying, ‘We can play at this Kai Tak stadium and we can be part of the world stage’. And that’s huge for the growth of the game in Asia and in Hong Kong, and bringing world-class players to this environment as well is just so big for that next generation, that next growth of rugby in this stadium is the future – this is futuristic, It looks like a space bubble.”

“We’re out in space. I landed at the airport, and as soon as we rounded the corner and I could just see the stadium, I was like, ‘Oh, this is sick. This is so good.’ And walking out here and seeing it for the first time was just surreal. I can only imagine what it’s like for those players to run out onto the pitch in front of this crowd and then experience this amazing atmosphere”, said Abby Gustaitis.

Photo Credit – HKCR

What Makes Sevens Rugby Special 

There are a lot of new players in the HSBC SVNS Series this year, because of the post-Olympic cycle but even saw the likes of Sevens Black Ferns captain Sarah Hirini and other experienced players were staring in awe of the new stadium, and they told us they loved the playing surface and they’ve loved the vibe, especially when the Hong Kong China teams have played their home games in the Melrose Claymores.

Alicia told us, “We had a sneak peek on Thursday at the Stadium and did some filming here. As soon as you step out of the doors of the HSBC main box, it’s just like, ‘Oh my god. Why did I retire?’ This is special. I sat pitchside in the hot seat when the Aussie girls were playing, and I was thinking ‘I’m so close, I could run on it’. Speaking to the players and the girls I know, they are loving it.”

Both had played in some pretty special stadiums around the world and both now work in the media space and continue to see stadiums around the globe. We asked them what were the most important things they were looking forward to from a stadium from a player’s point of view and as HSBC Ambassadors.

Kai Tak Stadium South Stand- Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens

Abby Gustaitis thought about it and told us, “What’s key is the logistical piece of it. Like not having to walk too far, you don’t want to travel ages to get to a warm-up pitch or to your locker room. And then, honestly, the food is so instrumental, especially in a Sevens tournament because you have minimal time, you have to optimise that time when you are off your feet and off the pitch. As far as atmosphere goes, you obviously want to see it packed right, like you want to see people in the crowd cheering for, well it doesn’t matter if they support your team or not. That’s the beauty of sevens, it’s this melting pot of cultures.

Alicia Lucas added, “It also adds to the pressure and how you perform under such noise and fanfare as well. I think having all those key elements off the field, plus the atmosphere and the noise makes you perform even better on the field as well. There’s been so many things that this tournament has done really well to support the playing group and create a world-class atmosphere.”

Melrose Claymores Competition Adds to the Occasion

We asked the pair about the impact of having the local and regional teams involved for the second year running as part of the Melrose Claymores competition – which received the most noisy response over the weekend when Hong Kong China women and men ran out to play (both were winners of the title this in 2025).

“Every time Hong Kong China jumps out to the pitch, it’s just blitzing in here. Everyone’s full noise and it’s so good and it’s so important for those other teams to get the opportunity to play here, let alone it’s your home country. You get to play in front of your friends and family, but then just to elevate the game and you see these other world-class teams internationally playing out there but you get to run on the same pitch. It’s like, ‘I can do this too. We can do this too,” said Abby Gustaitis.

Photo Credit- HKCR – Melrose Claymores competition 2025 – Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens

After each match, the Hong Kong China players were inundated with media, it was really something to behold.

Abby said it was special and impactful. “1,000 per cent. I love seeing all the players take time to go greet the kids and take the photos, because you’re never bigger than this game. That is part of the beauty of rugby, is that it’s for everyone and to give a bit of inspiration and a moment to these kids who can say they got to meet someone who played in this iconic stadium, and then maybe they get to come and play in this iconic stadium. It’s really invaluable.”

Why Should You Watch Sevens Rugby?

Lastly, we asked them what is the message they would send to any fan who has never been to a Seven tournament and why they should come along to watch?

Alicia Lucas responded first and said, “It is the most physically demanding but entertaining sport on the planet, and it provides such fun, ferocity and excitement that you will get nowhere else!”

Abby Gustaitis concluded by explaining, “It is truly the most electric sport on the planet, and that’s on and off the pitch, whether you’re playing because your hands are on your knees, or you’re laying on the floor after 14 minutes, or you’re in the stands watching these players perform at their absolute best for those 14 minutes, it’s end to end action.”

Photo Credit- HKCR – Melrose Claymores competition 2025 – Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens

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