Article content

When it comes to rugby sevens, there’s no sweeter place to make a playing debut than Hong Kong.

It’s the granddaddy of rugby tournaments, with a legend all its own.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'One of Canada's greatest': John Moonlight retiring from international rugby Back to video

Its somewhat fitting, then, that John Moonlight’s last appearance on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series was in Hong Kong, especially since that’s where it also all started for him.

“I’ve never been more scared in my life,” he said of warming up in front of the famed South Stand at the Hong Kong stadium, ahead of his first appearance in red.

It was a Friday night — every team plays a single Friday game at the raucous ground to open the weekend’s schedule — and, of course, of all teams, Canada were set to play Fiji.

Moonlight said he counts it as a favourite memory.

He didn’t start and only got on the field late. His first bit of action was a scrum, where he was so hyped up he blasted his Fijian opponent back and the referee ordered the scrum re-set.