The 46th edition features a number of intriguing subplots, although the broader ramifications of on-field events might be lost on some of those who have snapped up nearly 40,000 three-day passes.

It is barely 18 months since the event returned, in slightly reduced form, from a 3½-year Covid-enforced absence. It was back with a bang last year, but memories of the fallow years are fresh enough that many supporters, especially the 16,000 travelling from overseas, want the full Hong Kong experience.

“It is incomparable to other tournaments … and everyone knows how Hong Kong can throw a party,” said Nam Ka-man, a key figure for the hosts’ women’s team.

On the pitch, the New Zealand women are nicely poised to repeat their success from last year, following successive world series tournament wins in Vancouver and Los Angeles.

But a Kiwi double would require a notable upturn for the men, out of sorts after sandwiching a Vancouver final appearance with 9th and 10th-placed finishes in Perth and LA.

Hong Kong is the sixth leg on the 12-team world series, with the men’s and women’s league winners set to be crowned at stop seven in Singapore next month.

The top-eight nations will vie for overall championship honours at Madrid’s Grand Finals, from May 31-June 2.

There is jeopardy at the other end of the table, where the bottom four nations will go to the Spanish capital to try to preserve their world series status, in competition with the top four from the second-tier Challenger Series.

Great Britain’s men remain on the wrong side of the perforated line, in ninth position, despite reaching the LA final last month, where they lost to France.

They are in an intriguing pool, alongside New Zealand, Argentina, and the USA, who are one point above them in eighth.

The Argentines have a 20-point lead over surprise-package Ireland, after successive tournament victories in Cape Town, Perth, and Vancouver. Escape tricky Pool B, and this could be the year for the South Americans to break their Hong Kong duck.

Those keen on star spotting will see the likes of Sean Fitzpatrick, Brian O’Driscoll, Bryan Habana, and Abby Gustaitis mixing in the stands. But there will be a modern-day rugby powerhouse in action, too, with Michael Hooper, who captained Australia on a record 69 occasions, making his sevens debut.

It is a shame we will be denied the sight of Hooper clashing with Antoine Dupont when Australia meet France in Friday’s closing game. The French scrum-half is skipping Hong Kong, hampering French hopes of claiming back-to-back tournament wins.

The presence of Fiji, besides Australia and France, in Pool A, means at least one big-hitter will fall at the first hurdle. Fiji, finalists in nine of the past 10 years, sacked head coach Ben Gollings last month, “for an inability to meet the desired standards and expectations”.

Fiji are third in the world series table, and all eyes will be on Gollings’ successor, Osea Kolinisau, the former Fiji captain, who leads the team for the first time in Hong Kong.

In the women’s draw, Great Britain and Brazil, separated by one point in eighth and ninth, respectively, are in a daunting pool, with the rampant Kiwis, and France, two-times world-series finalists this year.

Australia, the world series leaders, have reached four out of five finals, winning two of them, but none since leg two in Cape Town back in January. Their attempt to stave off New Zealand, who have moved four points behind in second, begins in a relatively gentle pool featuring South Africa, Fiji, and Ireland.

USA and Canada should make light work of Pool C, which is completed by the world series basement pair of Japan and Spain.

Away from the leading lights, Hong Kong’s teams will compete in the inaugural Melrose Claymore competition.

Captain Max Woodward said his side have “had a heavier training week than normal”, given they face only China and Japan in a streamlined tournament. Andy Vilk’s resurgent women play against China, winners of both 2024 Challenger Series legs, and Thailand.