[(IRB.COM) Tuesday 15 January 2008] ĄG
New Zealand can no longer afford to rest their best players against the likes of an improving Zimbabwe team.
Zimbabwe will make their first appearance for a decade at the 2008 Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens after the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union announced the 24 participating teams for the fifth leg of the IRB Sevens World Series from 28-30 March.
They return to the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens for the first time since 1998 after impressing in the opening events of the 2007/08 IRB Sevens World Series, reaching the Shield final in both Dubai and George - winning the first with a narrow defeat of Tunisia and losing the second to Canada.
The core members of the Series - Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa and Wales - are joined by 12 nations selected by the International Rugby Board based on results in previous international Sevens events and regional competitions.
Hosts Hong Kong, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea and Sri Lanka will fly the flag for Asia, Portugal and 2007 Bowl winners Russia for Europe, Tunisia join Zimbabwe as Africa's representatives and Tonga join their fellow Pacific islanders Fiji and Samoa in the draw.
Fantastic spectacle awaits
The remaining place is taken by USA, who impressed under coach Al Caravelli in the IRB Sevens World Series event in George, reaching their first Cup quarter-final in five years and then stunning Samoa en route to narrowly losing the Plate final to Kenya 15-14 and securing more points than they did in their three tournaments in 2006/07.
"The strongest teams on the Series so far have been New Zealand and Fiji, but Argentina are looking like a genuine threat once again. Kenya and the USA have also impressed so far on the Series as the surprise packages," Allan Payne, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.
"With teams continuing to find their form ahead of Hong Kong, we can expect another fantastic weekend of rugby in front of a sold out stadium at the Hong Kong Sevens."
New Zealand currently lead the Series with a maximum 40 points after victories in Dubai and George with Fiji second on 32 points, eight more than South Africa with Argentina fourth on 20 after their semi-final in South Africa. England and Kenya both have 12, two more than 2007 Hong Kong Sevens winners Samoa.
Competition getting even tighter
"Just two events into this year's IRB Sevens World Series there has already been a change in the top seeds with Argentina back as one of the top four teams. The USA are also exciting to watch and are intent on getting as many points as possible, while Kenya's experience in the Sevens game has also grown in strength," said Beth Coalter, IRB Sevens Manager.
"New Zealand and the other top teams are finding it difficult to give their new players a chance to run out as the competition from teams further down in the pools is so tough now that they cannot afford to replace their experienced players during a game.
"The core teams can also expect tough competition from Tonga, Russia and Portugal - who are now back to full strength after Rugby World Cup 2007 and are well intent on ensuring they are top of the European Sevens teams."
The official tournament draw for the 2008 Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens will take place on Thursday 14 February.
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