JOHANNESBURG - Favourites Australia, Argentina and Canada stand between Zimbabwes Rugby Sevens team and a place in the next round of the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens that begins tomorrow.This follows the official draw that was held this week at the Exchange Square in Hong Kong.
Zimbabwe plays the tournament opener against the Australians. The Southern African team is in buoyant mood ahead of the tournament following an impressive outing in the last Sevens major, the Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens series where they won the Shield trophy.
Meanwhile, the draw for the 24-team Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens pitted joint World Series leaders New Zealand and England in Pools A and B respectively. New Zealand will face France, Portugal and Korea, while England will play USA, Japan and China.
In Pool C defending Hong Kong Sevens champions Samoa are matched against Scotland, Tonga and Mexico, while USA Sevens runners-up Fiji are matched against Kenya, Russia and Malaysia in Pool D.
Champions of Las Vegas South Africa will line up against Wales, Hong Kong and Spain in Pool E.
At the halfway stage in this years Sevens World Series there have been three different champions, England winning Dubai, New Zealand victorious in both South Africa and at home in Wellington and South Africa the most recent champion in Las Vegas.
New Zealand and England share top spot in the Series table with 80 points apiece. Fiji and defending Hong Kong and Series champions Samoa are joint third (64) and South Africa is close behind in fifth (56).
As the only 24-team tournament on the World Series, Hong Kong carries extra points for the successful teams, with 30 points going to the Cup champions rather than the usual 24. The event also offers the largest prize purse in international Sevens, $US150 000.
Post published in: Rugby