THE once wild child of world rugby — the Hong Kong Sevens — was born 40 years ago this weekend, aptly conceived over a boozy lunch as a promotional tool for a cigarette company.

The first two days of that 1976 competition were special for Australia, in that they were the only times Australian teams have appeared at the famous event without being boisterously booed.

When Ed Jenkins leads Australia out for their opening game on Friday night, booing is inevitable, but the reason is likely to be lost on his men, none of whom (or many of those doing the jeering) were born when the tradition of Australia as pantomime villains began in the 1976 semi-final against Fiji.

Stephen Streeter, a Bowral boy, turned rugby player, publican, international banker and now Sydney stockbroker, was right in the middle at the start of that tradition, and holds a special place in Hong Kong Sevens history — he scored the tournament’s first try.

Streeter’s been back many times, first as a player, but more often to enjoy the lavish partying and rugby fellowship that consumes Hong Kong every year when the sevens is in town.

He is back in Hong Kong right now for this weekend’s festivities.

Last year was the 40th edition, but this year has special significance too.

Sevens started as a novelty but is now, thanks in a big part to the Hong Kong tournament, a rapidly growing and serious sport set to become a massive hit at the high table of the Olympic Games.

Australian fans stay hydrated at the 2002 Hong Kong Sevens. Source: Getty Images

In Hong Kong, the changes on the field over the past 40 years are much more pronounced than those in the clubs of Wanchai, where the world’s rugby fans still gather at places like Joe Bananas, to get crazy on Flaming Lamborghini’s, as they have for decades.

Back in the day, those fans might have sat on stools next to the guys they watched on the field. Now the players, the good ones, are fulltime and contracted for sevens, working towards Olympic golds.

Back in the day, players were given the trip to Hong Kong as a reward for something else.

“I hadn’t played any rugby until 1975, we didn’t have any rugby at Bowral High, so I played schoolboys league,” remembers Streeter.

“I was at uni and my father had a heart attack and my mother asked me to come up to help with the family earthmoving business. I was getting a district sportsman of the year award and Jimmy Hindmarsh (a Wallaby of the era, also from Bowral) said ‘why don’t you come down to Kiama and have a game of sevens?’ We had a 3-3 draw with Randwick which was a bloody good effort for a little team.

“The following weekend I got invited to Narrabeen fitness camp for a NSW country camp, the week after that in seconds, the week after that in firsts and a month later in the NSW team.”

Streeter missed out on the Wallabies’ 1975-76 tour of Britain and Ireland but coach David Brockhoff asked him to shadow the squad in case of injuries.

Stephen Streeter (right) and Gary Thomas of the Wallaroos in pursuit against Fiji. Photo: SCMP. Source: News Corp Australia

In return he was given a place in the first team for the first tournament in Hong Kong.

“I played in the first game and scored the first try,” says Streeter.

“One of the organisers up there at Happy Valley said ‘this will mean nothing to you now but you’ve just scored the first try in the first sevens ever.’

“He gave me a little medal and said ‘in the years to come this will be quite special.’ I don’t even know where that medal is now! I haven’t even got a photo of the team.”

Australia didn’t enter a full national team in the first two editions, with Aussies playing under the Wallaroos name.

In 1976 they lost the final to a team from Canterbury, New Zealand, but it was the semi that marked their cards for 40 years of being the bad guys.

“We had a blue in the semi-final against Fiji,” says Streeter.

“There was a biff and I think one of the Fijians missed us and hit the referee and he got sent off. We ended up going on to win the game and play in the final against the Cantabrians.

“Ever since then they’ve booed us up in Hong Kong. That’s the reason.”

Stephen Streeter scored the first ever try at the Hong Kong Sevens. Source: Supplied

Streeter went to work in Hong Kong for Shanghai Bank, and he enjoyed the annual sevens party.

“We had the box on halfway, the boat, the lot.”

Michael O’Connor played in the 1982 Hong Kong Sevens-winning Australia team and later returned as coach.

In the early days the social aspect of the tournament was embraced by the players as heartily as the fans.

“It was serious but the first couple of years there was a lot of cocktail partying and boat trips and a lot more about the culture of being up there,” says O’Connor.

“When I played it was a reward for playing for the Wallabies. Not everyone obviously, it didn’t suit the props who struggled to play sevens, but we had an elite group of Wallabies who were rewarded with this trip up to Hong Kong every year to play sevens and enjoy the week. It was quite prestigious to be selected. The teams I played in, we had the best players of the time. The Ella brothers, Roger Gould, Brendan Moon.

“It wasn’t something we took lightly, we tried to do well.”

They were amateur players who were used to going hard on the field then leaving their sport in the dressing room at the end of a game, to party hard into the night.

Michael O’Connor watches on as Australia coach at the 2013 Hong Kong Sevens. Source: Getty Images

“Good party? Yeah it was,” says O’Connor.

“You’d pack your dinner suits and go up there and be entertained by the high end of town... yacht clubs, all that. You’d see a different side of the world. It was very much an expat community up there back when I was going. It was really strong rugby-cricket connections, a very big commercial colonial outpost and with that went a lot of the cocktail parties and formal dinners.”

The highlight in the 1980s and 1990s was the presentation dinner after Sunday’s final.

Teams were allocated timeslots to contribute to a hilarious talent show watched by their peers.

It was here that the true sense of amateurism prevailed.

“Some of the teams put more time into their performances than they did at training,” said O’Connor.

“They were world class.

“From year to year the acts would be hilarious, the Scots were always funny.

“You had plenty of warning. You didn’t just show up on the night and think ‘oh we’ve got to put on a show.’ It was something you’d stress about and made sure you got right. And the on stage stuff was very competitive and some of it was brilliant.

“We were the worst. We were terrible. In the years I did it we were quite embarrassing.”

The players who went on stage took plenty of Dutch courage, although not every team got into the spirit of the all night party that followed in the five star hotel ballroom.

The great Waisale Serevi of Fiji sets up for a kick at the 1993 tournament. Photo: Shaun Botterill/Allsport Source: Getty Images

I covered two Hong Kong sevens events ——1991 and 1992 — when Fiji and their magical playmaker Waisale Serevi ruled the game.

The second year I was in the main reception, packed with players going hard on scotch and cokes and early 90s pop, when an invitation came via a Fiji Times reporter to join his country’s players as they crammed into a hotel room upstairs, sitting in a silent circle, enjoying repeated rounds of kava, the narcotic powdered pepper plant root, from a big wooden bowl.

It was an unforgettable experience, spending 30 minutes with these murmuring giants, before there was another tap on the shoulder and I was sent back down stairs to the spirits and mixers and watching rugby players dance to Achy Breaky Heart.

O’Connor said the Fijians had a different approach to sevens from the get-go.

“It’s their national sport and for them it was the biggest tournament of the year and still is,” O’Connor said.

“The prizemoney back in the day was $US100,000 and that was a lot of money in the islands.

“They were highly motivated. Playing for Fiji meant so much to them and in such a prestigious tournament to play in.

“They were very friendly but you had to make the approach to them. And they’re fiercely competitive and when they’re playing in Hong Kong that means so much to them and you can be easily fooled by their comical looks, soft handshakes and shy meetings. They’ll verbal you in the tunnel, all sorts of things!”

The referees parade jokily to the crowd in 1989. Photo: Russell Cheyne/Allsport. Source: Getty Images

There were no such barriers between the Aussies, Kiwis, Brits, Americans and South Africans.

“There was a great camaraderie between the teams back then — when the final whistle had gone we couldn’t wait to get back to do our acts,” said O’Connor.

“Just mingle in Wanchai late at night and make friendships with players from other countries. “The professionalism of the game is the big difference now. If it’s the first tournament in a block of two the players don’t go out and don’t drink. That’s the biggest difference.”

In the stands it has always been a party, with fancy dress and mega beers.

“It’s a great concept and been enduring,” says O’Connor.

“Sevens attracts a different level of rugby supporter, maybe not even someone who supports rugby but wants to get out, get dressed up and have a good time. There’s a definitely an atmosphere of fun and entertainment and there’s a whole lot happening over the day.

“Hong Kong’s such a special atmosphere with the rugby fraternity flying in and everyone is friendly with each other. You can go to Test rugby and there can be a lot of angst between supporters.

“In Hong Kong everything is good natured, good fun.”

Mark Ella of Australia in action during the 1984 Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: Allsport UK. Source: Getty Images

Spirits were always high, even in year one when, says Streeter, “it pissed down all weekend.”

“It wasn’t very pleasant,” he says.

“But there were pretty good crowds and they got into it but it’s obviously kicked on since then, it’s party time.

“It’s good they dress up, looks great. Everyone makes a bit of an effort. There was never a bad word, never a fight, even though they’re pissed there’s no trouble, it’s amazing how everyone gets on.

“I just find it fascinating how it’s taken off around the world. You look at Las Vegas, great success in Vancouver. Even Sydney this year the atmosphere was unbelievable, almost like Hong Kong.”

As countries have moved towards fulltime sevens players — rather than 15s guys on an end of season lark — the skills and tactics have evolved greatly.

“It’s like all football, they’ve got so much fitter,” says Streeter.

“It was always a seven minute sprint, two minute break, seven minute sprint. It’s always been a tough game, very exhausting, but the professionalism now is tremendously different.

“Australia’s playing particularly well, they’re a very thoughtful side, they not just a bash and barge team. They use their time well on the paddock. There’s some great athletes there — I think they’re a real chance (at the Olympics).”

The writer is on Twitter @toneharper

Aerial view of the Hong Kong Stadium in 1989. Photo: Russell Cheyne/Allsport. Source: Getty Images

HOW TO WATCH HONG KONG

Australia are fourth in the world series standings, 14 points adrift of third-placed New Zealand.

Fans can catch all the action live on Fox Sports 503 from 2.50pm AEST on Friday.

Australia pool fixtures in Hong Kong

Australia v Argentina, Pool C, 10.28pm Friday AEST

Australia v Portugal, Pool C, 3.10pm Saturday AEST

Australia v USA, Pool C, 7.10pm Saturday AEST

Australian squad for Hong Kong

1. Nick Cummins. Place of Birth: Port Macquarie, NSW

2. Frank Winterstein. Place of Birth: Canterbury, NSW

3. Sam Myers. Club: Northern Suburbs, NSW. Hometown: Grenfell, NSW

4. Lewis Holland. Club: Queanbeyan Whites, NSW. Hometown: Queanbeyan, NSW

5. James Stannard. Club: Souths, QLD. Hometown: Brisbane, QLD

6. Con Foley. Club: University of Queensland. Hometown: Brisbane, QLD

7. Cameron Clark. Club: Northern Suburbs. Hometown: Sydney, NSW

8. Stephan Van Der Walt. Club: Souths, QLD. Hometown: Kersdop, South Africa

9. Ed Jenkins. Club: Sydney University, NSW. Hometown: Sydney, NSW

10. Allan Fa’alava’au. Club: Endeavour Hills, VIC. Hometown: Melbourne, VIC

11. John Porch. Club: Northern Suburbs, NSW. Place of Birth: Orange, NSW

12. Boyd Killingworth. Club: Warringah Rats, NSW. Hometown: Collaroy, NSW