The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) today announced its men’s and women’s sevens squads to compete in the upcoming Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and the IRB Women’s Sevens Challenge Cup Hong Kong. While both squads enter an intense period of competition with experienced sides, the traditional March rugby landscape has changed dramatically as both tournaments mark new formats in 2012.

This year, the HKRFU Men’s Sevens team is competing in the HSBC Sevens World Series (HSBC SWS) Qualifier portion of the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. By finishing in the top three teams of this competition, Hong Kong would qualify as a core team on next year’s HSBC SWS with the right to compete at all circuit events worldwide. To do so, Hong Kong will first have to get past pool opponents Tonga, Uruguay and China.