Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Hong Kong men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams drawn in qualifying repechage

Hong Kong’s rugby sevens teams learned their Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifying fate at the World Rugby Sevens repechage virtual draw on Tuesday.

In what are the final play-offs for the postponed Tokyo Games just over 73 days away, the city’s men’s and women’s sevens teams will fight for a place over two days in Monaco on June 19-20.

The Hong Kong men’s were drawn as second seeds in pool B alongside France, Chile, Uganda and Jamaica – fortunately avoiding Samoa and Tonga. The remaining teams Ireland, Zimbabwe and Mexico, will join the Polynesian powerhouses in pool A. France and Ireland are said to be favourites to qualify according to last year’s world rankings.

Meanwhile, the No 2-seeded Hong Kong women’s sevens teams were drawn in pool C with France, Colombia and Madagascar. Pool A includes Russia, Argentina, Mexico and Samoa; while pool B is filled by Papua New Guinea, Kazakhstan, Jamaica and Tunisia. Hong Kong face a tough opponent in world No 4 -ranked France, with Russia also considered a major threat.

Spaces are tight what with 21 of the 24 teams already sealing their Olympic rugby sevens qualification. Only two women’s and one men’s team will earn the last spots at Monaco’s Stade Louis II.

Hong Kong’s teams had convincingly reached their respective Asian-level qualifiers but are likely to face stiffer competition should they top their respective repechage pools.