HSBC SVNS: Hong Kong ref nerveless for shock final duty after preparing with Taylor Swift
‘Short Asian girl’ Sunny Lee has reached the heights of women’s world 7s series rugby only 6 years after ‘disaster’ of a refereeing debut
Referee Sunny Lee replaced her “angry face” with a happy disposition and was rewarded with the showpiece women’s HSBC SVNS Series final in Cape Town on Sunday.
Hongkonger Lee learned she would take charge of New Zealand’s eventual victory over USA only two hours before kick-off. She spent the time “hiding in a corner, listening to Taylor Swift and watching the other games”, before treating the biggest occasion of her young life like “any other match”.
Lee had made her world series debut only one week earlier, at the season-opening leg in Dubai.
“I wasn’t expecting to get a final so soon – it surprised me a lot – but I wasn’t anxious or nervous,” she said. “I felt ready and it was good.”
In Dubai, Lee officiated two pool matches – Australia versus Ireland, and Spain’s clash with France – and a quarter-final victory for Great Britain over France.
She experienced a “few nerves” overseeing the Australians “because I’ve watched hem so much and admire them a lot”.
