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As the only man to have been involved in all 100 events played since the inception of the World Series back in 1999, Gordon Tietjens has seen and won it all in Sevens. This season, though, for the first time since 2001, he will add something new to his mantelpiece after his New Zealand side lifted the shiny, new HSBC Sevens World Series trophy.

HSBC has chosen to make a strategic investment in Rugby and Golf and at Murrayfield the bank ended its first season as title sponsor of the Series optimistic about the future.

"The opening year of any title sponsorship is incredibly exciting and challenging in equal measure and both on and off the pitch we have already seen the sport and the Series grow," said Giles Morgan, Group Head of Sponsorship, HSBC Holdings.

"This sport is all about emerging markets, new markets, which is something that is at the heart of HSBC's own business and I think that Sevens really provides us with that opportunity. Rugby is a really powerful sport going forward."

"The target that we set with the IRB was to have 500,000 specators through the turnstiles for the Series. We've reached that target on the final day of the season and I think it really just shows the current success and also the future potential of Sevens as a growing presence in the global rugby family."

From a rugby perspective, the IRB can only be encouraged by what is happening in international Sevens.

"This season for the first time we've had the likes of Russia and Portugal making it through to the Cup quarter finals in Hong Kong," said IRB Tournament Director, Beth Coalter.

"Canada are massively improved, Spain are making giant strides. As ever in the Oceania region, the likes of Tonga and the Cook Islands are really competitive, and in Asia the likes of Japan, Korea and Hong Kong are getting stronger all the time."

"What HSBC are already doing in Asia is to try and support the growth of both 15s and Sevens and we will be working with the IRB very carefully, in new markets but also in the development of the HSBC Sevens World Series, to grow this game," added Morgan.

As rugby's Olympic brand, Sevens is evolving rapidly, both on and off the pitch. Increasingly the players are choosing to become Sevens specialists, which is raising the standards of play. The individual events that comprise the Series are becoming bigger and bigger, for example in London where over 100,000 fans passed through the Twickenham turnstiles this season. And for the fans, the Sevens experience offers something different the world over.

"What's fantastic is that you look at Hong Kong, which has always been the Daddy of all the Sevens tournaments, and they have their identity; you have Dubai who have established their own very unique party in the desert; Wellington have taken the fancy dress to new heights; Vegas is Vegas and in Twickenham we had a Beach Party. People are embracing the Sevens as fantastic Rugby but also as something very different," said Morgan.

"It's an opportunity to enjoy top quality sport and also have a great day out, a weekend or even a whole week's holiday. That's what Sevens does - it allows rugby to show off its party side.

"These nations are pulling off shock victories more and more and that only goes to strengthen the Sevens brand. Will Portugal ever beat England in the 15s game, or will Samoa ever win a Rugby World Cup? The crowd loves getting behind these nations as their adopted second favorites, something which has always happened in Sevens but which is now getting even more exciting because so many countries have every chance of winning.

"At the end of our first year as title sponsors of the HSBC Sevens World Series we believe the sport is in an incredibly promising position for growth and we are already looking forward to next season and the kick-off in November, at a brand new venue on Australia's Gold Coast."