Tokyo 2020 Olympics: how do Hong Kong men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams qualify from the repechage?

Hong Kong men’s team are one of nine competing for a single spot in Tokyo, while 11 women’s teams battle for two places

Both Hong Kong teams face overall favourites France in pool finales on Sunday as top two from each pool reach knockout rounds

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Hong Kong will be looking to Salom Yiu Kam-shing to score tries at this weekend’s repechage. Photo: HKRU

Published: 4:19pm, 19 Jun 2021Updated: 1:43am, 20 Jun 2021

Hong Kong rugby’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games fate will be determined at the World Rugby Sevens Repechage qualifiers this weekend.

The men’s and women’s representative teams face tough pool opponents in front of a 5,000-spectator strong Monaco’s Stade Louis II.

After more than a year and half without international competition – the men have not played since the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series last February, while the women last played at the Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic qualifiers in November of 2019 – both teams are laser-focused on sealing Sunday knockout round spots.

Hoping to usher in a successful post-Covid-19 pandemic campaign, both teams will need to finish in the top two of their pools to reach the next round.

In the men’s competition, only one of the nine competing teams can qualify for sport in Tokyo. The women have a marginally higher chance given there are two qualifying spots available from 12 teams, while the two best third-placed teams will also make the knockouts.