HONGKONG'S World Sevens hopes have been boosted by skipper Craig Pain's return to full-scale training for the first time since suffering a thigh injury at last month's Hongkong Sevens.
The 10-man Hongkong side have completed two training sessions since arriving in Edinburgh on Sunday but are expected to ease up on the intensity as the World Cup Sevens, which start on Friday at Murrayfield, draw closer.
Pain was limited to light run-outs last week as the rest of the squad were given a rigorous work-out by coach George Simpkin.
''I'm doing everything now,'' said Pain yesterday from Edinburgh. ''There is still a bit of swelling but it is all right.
''We have already had two sessions. Both have been hard work-outs but after the next one, we are likely to taper off.'' Hongkong train this afternoon at the Double Hedges ground on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The team then get a chance to relax before the tournament with a round of golf on Thursday.
Pain said there are no injury problems but admitted the players are struggling to get accustomed to the colder conditions.
''It's about seven degrees Celsius and windy,'' he said. ''We are wearing gloves and woolly hats.