Opinion | Flushed with success, Sevens a hard act to follow

Contrary to the seemingly hedonistic excesses on display, there are still a few virgins left in the stadium. This I know for a fact because my brother-in-law and his son are here for the first time. Greg is stupid for rugby and his son, Seb, has come along with him from Ireland to celebrate his 25th birthday.

"Trip of his lifetime," says Greg, as Seb smiles on cue. Greg is full of it - Willie John McBride stories that is. McBride was the legendary Irish star and one-time captain of the British & Irish Lions.

"He's from Ballymena, same town as Liam Neeson," says Greg, with more than a hint of ancestral pride. "I have heard him speak a number of times and he talked about how you couldn't play in a Lions match unless you were out on the piss the night before. Not like that anymore."

He's euphoric about having tickets for the Rugby World Cup later this year. But for now his mind is on Hong Kong.

"I am impressed with the organisation here," Greg says. "Everything happens so quickly and with great precision."

Seb adds that calling this a rugby tournament is a bit of a misnomer. "This is like a carnival," he says. "Never seen anything like it, certainly not at a sporting event."

While there is no team from Ireland, they still had little trouble finding a rooting allegiance. "I was screaming for Kenya the most," says Seb. "Well, and Wales of course." Why Wales? "Cause they were playing England," he says and they both nod.

It's not that difficult keeping this event fresh for first-timers and rugby fools like Greg and Seb. But most of the people in the stadium have been here before, some numerous times, and after 40 years it can all be a bit routine.