Hong Kong’s rugby sevens teams’ final bid to reach the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games starts in less than three weeks, with the men and women facing stiff opposition with just three qualifying spots remaining. Organisers confirmed the match schedules ahead of the World Rugby Sevens Repechage to be played in Monaco’s Stade Louis II from June 18-20, promising up to 5,000 mask-wearing, socially distant fans in attendance. Hong Kong’s men’s team face Uganda, Jamaica and Chile in their pool E matches on June 19, before closing the preliminaries against pool favourites France the following day. Teams will play out their pools with the top two from each reaching the knockout stage. Only one of the 10 teams can qualify. Hong Kong’s women’s team kick off their campaign against Colombia and Madagascar in pool C on June 19, before facing world No 4-ranked France in their final pool match. The top two teams from each pool – and the two best third-placed teams – will progress to two more knockout stage rounds. The 12 women’s teams will be competing for two places in Tokyo. Hong Kong’s teams had convincingly reached their respective Asian-level qualifiers but are likely to face even stiffer competition should they top their respective repechage pools. “The rugby family is looking forward to what promises to be a special sevens tournament that personifies the togetherness, camaraderie and optimism that characterises these remarkable Olympic Games,” said World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin, adding that it was “extra special” that there would be spectators. “The Monaco repechage is also symbolic in its own way – a reflection and celebration of sevens’ international re-emergence from the unprecedented challenges that society and sports people have faced. “I know that these players are excited to be representing their nations with the opportunity of qualification for the pinnacle of sevens – the Olympic Games,” he said. And here is the confirmed fixtures list for the World Rugby Sevens Repechage in Monaco next month! #RoadToTokyo pic.twitter.com/8CJvyIur7Q — World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) May 28, 2021 Hong Kong’s representative teams are to be announced by the Hong Kong Rugby Union in the coming days. Both the men’s and women’s teams have been called into the Hong Kong Sports Institute for fine-tuning. The men’s Olympic rugby sevens tournament is scheduled for July 26-28 and the women’s for July 29-31. Hong Kong referee Matt Rodden will be one of two officials representing the Asian region after being named in the 22-strong squad of match officials in April. Hong Kong rugby fans will be able to stream the repechage matches on World Rugby’s Facebook and YouTube pages.