Hong Kong launches campaign to secure berth as core Sevens team

Hong Kong’s campaign to become a core team in the annual HSBC Sevens World Series starts on home soil in March at the “bigger and better” Hong Kong Sevens, where the hosts will be in the company of the big boys.

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union yesterday announced the 28 teams that will participate in the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens from March 22-24 and Asian champions Hong Kong were confirmed as taking part in the 16-team core competition.

“We look forward to hosting the biggest and best Hong Kong Sevens this year,” said HKRFU chairman Trevor Gregory. “The decision to host the pre-qualification tournament alongside the HSBC Sevens World Series competition continues to reinforce Hong Kong’s unique role as the host of the world’s largest and most international rugby sevens competition.”

Winning last season’s HSBC Asian Sevens Series earned Hong Kong the right to direct qualification for the London Sevens when the qualifying tournament to unearth next season’s three new core teams takes place. As such, Hong Kong will join the existing 15 core teams in the main event at the Hong Kong Sevens, the sixth leg of the World Series.

The remaining 12 teams will take part in a pre-qualification tournament with the top four teams from this competition joining Hong Kong, and the three bottom-placed teams from this season in an eight-team competition at the London Sevens in May to decide promotion to the next year Series.

The 16 teams participating in the core competition are Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Portugal, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, United States, Wales and Hong Kong.