Preview: Hong Kong 7s
The excitement is building in Hong Kong as the 24 teams gear up for ‘the most competitive ever’ event on the World Series.
In 2012 the Hong Kong showpiece is not only the sixth round of the Sevens World Series, it is also doubling as a ‘core team’ qualifying event for the 2012/13 World Series.
While the current 12 ‘core teams’ – Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, United States and Wales – compete in pools A, B and C for the famous Hong Kong title, 12 other nations will start in Pools D, E and F and battle it out for three additional core team berths to compete on each round of next year’s Series.
“It is a massive opportunity for us and for all the teams in this competition, which is going to be hugely competitive,” said Canada coach, Geraint John, at the official tournament press conference.
“We lost our core team status a few years ago and since then we have strived to try and become one again. We now know what we have to do and hopefully we can finish in the top three this weekend, but we’ll certainly be taking it one game at a time.”
The change in format in Hong Kong also makes the competition between the current 12 core teams more intense than ever. With no ‘easy’ match-ups every game is a potential knock-out tie.
“Quite simply, it is the toughest, most competitive ever Hong Kong tournament,” said England coach, Ben Ryan. “But it is still Hong Kong, still a special place, still six games over three days. It is all systems go.”
“It is going to be extremely tough here and it may mean that some of my younger players get less game time,” admitted Gordon Tietjens, coach of the current Series leaders, New Zealand.
“People ask how we’re going to approach the quarter finals, semi finals and finals on Sunday, but quite honestly all our thoughts are on that first match against the USA on Friday. They are quite capable of going out and playing the game of their lives and, with Wales and South Africa after that, you have to be on your game for the entire time.”
Pools:
Cup competition (current core teams):
Pool A: Samoa, England, Argentina, Kenya
Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Wales, United States
Pool C: Fiji, Australia, France, Scotland
Core team qualifier:
Pool D: Tonga, Uruguay, Hong Kong, China
Pool E: Canada, Spain, Zimbabwe, Philippines
Pool F: Portugal, Russia, Japan, Guyana
Schedule:
(Kick-off is local – GMT + eight hours)
Day One:
Match 1: Portugal v Guyana (16.00)
Match 2: Canada v Philippines (16.22)
Match 3: Tonga v China (16.44)
Match 4: Fiji v Scotland (17.06)
Match 5: New Zealand v United States (17.28)
Match 6: Samoa v Kenya (17.50)
Match 7: Russia v Japan (18.40)
Match 8: Spain v Zimbabwe (19.02)
Match 9: Uruguay v Hong Kong (19.24)
Match 10: Australia v France (19.46)
Match 11: South Africa v Wales (20.08)
Match 12: England v Argentina (20.30)
Day Two:
Match 13: Russia v Guyana (09.30)
Match 14: Spain v Philippines (09.52)
Match 15: Uruguay v China (10.14)
Match 16: Australia v Scotland (10.36)
Match 17: South Africa v United (10.58)
Match 18: England v Kenya (11.20)
Match 19: Portugal v Japan (12.26)
Match 20: Canada v Zimbabwe (12.48)
Match 21: Tonga v Hong Kong (13.10)
Match 22: Fiji v France (13.32)
Match 23: New Zealand v Wales (13.54)
Match 24: Samoa v Argentina (14.16)
Match 25: Japan v Guyana (14.38)
Match 26: Zimbabwe v Philippines (15.00)
Match 27: Hong Kong v China (15.22)
Match 28: France v Scotland (15.44)
Match 29: Wales v United States (16.06)
Match 30: Argentina v Kenya (16.28)
Match 31: Portugal v Russia (17.40)
Match 32: Canada v Spain (18.02)
Match 33: Tonga v Uruguay (18.24)
Match 34: Fiji v Australia (18.46)
Match 35: New Zealand v South Africa (19.08)
Match 36: Samoa v England (19.30)
With thanks to the IRB
