A group of men in personalised green and gold polyester cricket gear are settling into their seats on a Cathay Pacific flight. The men, who know each other through work, are discussing whether to avail themselves of the drinks list at the beginning or end of the nine-hour trip to Hong Kong. If this were any other day, their palpable excitement would seem weird. But they’re on their way to the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.