Muliaina and Umaga heading to Hong Kong

The BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians are bringing a world-class squad of international players to compete in next month's GFI HKFC Tens rugby tournament in Hong Kong. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) February 05, 2012 - All Blacks legend and 2011 Rugby World Cup winner Mils Muliaina will spearhead an awesome BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians squad at next month's GFI HKFC Tens.

The 100-cap fullback is joined in an explosive line-up by fellow All Black Anthony Tuitavake and Fijian flyer Vilimoni Delasau, a RWC Sevens winner in 2005.

The Hong Kong-bound squad will be coached by another New Zealand great, former test captain Tana Umaga, and managed South Africa's 1995 RWC winner Chester Williams.

The APBs will once again by sponsored by BGC Partners for their return to the Tens, where they reached the Cup final on their debut last year.

"I'm thrilled to be included in the APBs squad for the Tens and I'm very much looking forward to two days of exciting and competitive rugby," said Muliaina, who now plays in Japan.

"I have some great memories of Hong Kong from playing in the Bledisloe Cup and Hong Kong Sevens.

"My teammate here in Japan, Takuro Miuchi, has told me what a great experience it is to play with the BGC APBs. It will be a pleasure to return to Hong Kong and pull on the boots again."

The 2012 Tens will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from March 21-22 and Muliaina promised the APBs would be going all out to win the tournament.

"I know the APBs management and BGC Partners are putting together a world class squad and we are all hoping we can go one better this year and lift the Cup," he said.

Umaga played in 74 tests - including 21 as captain - for New Zealand between 1997 and 2005.

"Having heard about the APBs from my fellow All Blacks who have been involved previously, I can't wait to be part of this year's set-up," said the former centre. "I can promise fans we will be coming to entertain and play some explosive rugby.

"We will have a tremendous mix of Rugby World Cup greats and some highly talented individuals from around Asia Pacific. As a coach, I'm truly excited to be working with these players."

Williams, meanwhile, carved his name in South African rugby history as the star winger in the team that lifted the 1995 World Cup.

"The amazing array of playing and coaching talent we are putting together for the Tens is a statement of intent with BGC Partners," he said. "We are looking forward to playing at Hong Kong Football Club, meeting old friends and, hopefully, winning the Cup.

"For myself, it will be a fantastic experience to manage a team coached by Tana and featuring greats such as Mils, Anthony and Vilimoni. I'm looking forward to what should be a memorable tournament."

The APBs management are currently finalising their squad for the Tens and say more star players will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Len Harvey, BGC Partners executive managing director for Asia Pacific, added: "After last year's hugely successful debut in Hong Kong by the Asia Pacific Barbarians, we are delighted to be sponsoring the team once again.

"They won many friends last year with their brand of adventurous, attacking rugby on the pitch and their community spirit off it and we aim to build on that. We are enthusiastic about the concept of the APBs and are very happy to remain closely associated with them."

About BGC Partners

BGC Partners, Inc. is a leading global brokerage company primarily servicing the wholesale financial markets with over 200 products, including fixed income securities, interest rate swaps, foreign exchange, equities, equity derivatives, credit derivatives, commercial real estate, property derivatives, commodities, futures, and structured products. BGC's technology helps customers, including many of the world's largest banks, broker-dealers, investment banks, trading firms, hedge funds, governments and investment firms, determine the value of a transaction through optimal pricing that reflects the market environment. Trades, conducted OTC or on exchange, are executed through BGC's voice, hybrid, or fully electronic brokerage services. BGC also offers financial technology solutions, market data, and analytics regarding financial instruments and markets through its eSpeed, BGC Trader, and BGC Market Data brands, and provides clearing, processing, and other back-office services. Named after fixed income trading innovator B. Gerald Cantor, BGC has offices in New York, London and more than two dozen other major financial centres around the world. For more information, please visit www.bgcpartners.com.

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