From humble beginnings in 1976, the Hong Kong Sevens has grown into the city's leading sports event, famed throughout the world. This year, as the tournament celebrates 40 years, we're taking a ride through the SCMP archives to see how the event became the jewel in the sevens crown. 

And if you see yourself or a friend in any of the pictures in our eight-part series, click here to enter your best memories of the Sevens and the most original/entertaining answers will win a pair of three-day tickets to this year’s Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens from March 27-29.

We begin the eighth and final part in 2011. New Zealand beat England in the final, 29-17, after promising they would win the tournament for the people of earthquake-hit Christchurch.

"Sevens is all about family and we’re here playing for each other, and that’s what my guys did,” coach Gordon Tietjens said after his side won their 10th title in Hong Kong.

Fed up after the previous year's antics, fans were warned that they would be arrested if they invaded the pitch ... it didn't work.