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As usual before a major IRB Sevens event, UR7s exclusively speaks to a leading player on the circuit. This week Robin Heymann caught up with Hong Kong’s Rowan Varty ahead of his home tournament the Cathy Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

Rowan, looking back on your World Cup challenge in Dubai, how did you feel the team performed?

We came out strongly in all our games, scoring first in each one, but the feeling in the squad is that we played nowhere near our potential.

At Hong Kong last year and in Dubai you seemed to be in positions to win matches only to let slip your advantage. Is that a concentration or fitness issue?

I certainly don't think it is a fitness issue as the team is in good shape. It is a lot to do with experience at a high level - we don't get a chance to play against top class opposition all year round. If we were on the circuit full time, I'm confident we would begin to finish those 'nearly' games off.

From a playing perspective, what did it mean to play in a World Cup?

It was obviously a great honour, but also a chance to show that we are worthy of a place at a tournament of that calibre, having of course qualified.

Keith Robertson impressed everyone in Dubai with his incisive running. How important is he to you?

Keith is an awesome player, although many people dismiss him at first glance as he is relatively small. He puts in some pretty big hits actually! Keith would be an important player in any 7s team.

Who else should we look out from your squad?

Look out for our captain Mark Wright, he certainly claims to do all the hard work around the pitch!

You have been around in the team for a few years now, how has sevens developed you as an all round player?

Yes, this is my 6th year in the squad and it has been the main reason for any success I have had in rugby really! Everyone says it, but it’s true; you have to have good skills to play 7s well, and so this has helped. The chance to get to play top class opposition and in many different countries has developed my standards.

How much of a difference has it made having yourself and four other players contracted by the HKRFU?

Its huge. Hong Kong’s kids are under a lot of pressure to work in traditional jobs, and so it is difficult to continue developing as a player once you finish university. The High Performance Player Programme, as it's known, has pushed things forward with HK rugby and allowed us the chance to realise our potential.

So what is it going to take to keep Hong Kong rugby moving in the right direction then?

Things are going very well at the moment, they just need to continue! At one end you have the contracted players who are (hopefully) setting the benchmarks in performance, and at the grassroots level, more and more young local Chinese players are getting introduced to the game through school and university. Many players who may have been born in Hong Kong (and so are eligible to play for us) are moving back here from overseas. This is important as the local league is getting stronger year on year.

In three words how would you describe the Hong Kong Sevens?!

Can I have 5?

Erm… Yeah go on then!

Best weekend of the year!

From a playing perspective what is like to represent your country at one of best known/loved sporting events worldwide?

It is unforgettable, especially with the home crowd. I think the Arabian Gulf really benefitted from that at the World Cup as they were much improved. Having gone to the 7s each year as a spectator, to play in it really is special.

Earliest and favorite memories of Hong Kong Sevens?

Has to be the 1993 final - Western Samoa as they were then beat Fiji in the torrential rain. The crowd was deafening!

Will you and the rest of the team be joining in with the festivities on Sunday night?!

It will be the end of a very long 7s season for most of us - so yes!

Thanks Rowan, and best of luck!

Cheers UR7s.