Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens 2008
Official Draw

The Official Draw for the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens 2008 was held this evening, (Feb. 14), at The Rotunda of Hong Kong's Exchange Square. With the four IRB Sevens World Series tournaments played to date having been won by New Zealand, the 30 points on offer for the Cup Champions at the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens 2008 could be the last bid to derail the Kiwis' unmistakeable momentum. Adding to the excitement is the event's US$1 50 ,000 prize purse, the most lucrative on the IRB Sevens World Series.

Attending tonight's draw were the Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government , The Hon. Henry Tang, and Mr T Brian Stevenson, SBS, President of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union. Also attending were Mr James Barrington, Director, Sales and Marketing, of co-title sponsor Cathay Pacific Airways and Mr Eoin O'Shea, Asia Pacific Chief Operating Officer at co-title sponsor Credit Suisse .

Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) Chairman Mr Trevor Gregory; Mr Allan Payne, Executive Director of the HKRFU and Hong Kong Sevens Tournament Operations Director Mr Rod Mason were also on hand to officiate this evening's ceremony.

In line with IRB Sevens rules, the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens 2008 Official Draw sees the top 12 participating teams seeded based upon their results in the previous two IRB Sevens World Series tournaments, where teams are tied they are ranked based on Series points from the 2007/08 Series. The remaining participating teams have been seeded or placed in the draw based on performances in IRB Sevens World Series events and other IRB ratified tournaments, along with their final standings (where relevant) in the 2006/07 Series. All seeds have been ratified by the IRB.

By virtue of their record-setting series performance to date, (winning all four events on the IRB Sevens World Series 2007/2008 circuit), New Zealand is the tournament top seed and heads Pool A. New Zealand will meet the tournament's 12 th overall seed the United States in Pool A, along with Tunisia and Chinese Taipei .

Defending Hong Kong Sevens champions and cup finalists at the Wellington Sevens, Samoa, are the second seed and top seed in Pool B. The Samoans will face a titanic challenge from four-time Hong Kong winners England in its bid to defend its title in 2008. Canada and Sri Lanka round out the pool.

In Pool C, South Africa, who won the Wellington Sevens Plate and reached their first cup final of the season in San Diego are matched against the tournament's 10 th seeds, Argentina. Russia and Japan complete the pool.

Pool D sees Fiji, 11 times winner of the Hong Kong Sevens, taking on the ninth seeds Wales, winner of the Plate at both the 2006 and 2007 Hong Kong events. Zimbabwe, returning to the Hong Kong Sevens for the first time since 1998, and Korea complete the pool.

Pool E features fifth tournament seed Kenya, fresh from a cup semi final appearance in San Diego, taking on the tournament's 8 th seed Scotland. Portugal and China are the remaining two teams in Pool E.

Traditionally one of the toughest pools due to the seeding structure of the Hong Kong Sevens, Pool F features 6 th seed Australia in a head-to-head clash with 7 th seeded Tonga, cup semi finalists in Wellington. France and the hometown side Hong Kong were also drawn into the final grouping in the third and fourth tiers respectively.

Quotes from this evening's Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens 2008 Official Draw:

Cathay Pacific Director of Marketing and Sales James Barrington said "Cathay Pacific is proud to be back as a co-sponsor for the 2008 Hong Kong Sevens, continuing our successful partnership with Credit Suisse to help stage one of the world's greatest sporting weekends. At Cathay Pacific we are committed to bringing great events to our home city, and they don't get much better than the Hong Kong Sevens."

"Credit Suisse is proud to sponsor the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, one of the world's great sporting spectacles," said Eoin O'Shea, Asia Pacific Chief Operating Officer at Credit Suisse. "Crucially for our clients, the Sevens complements our 11th Asian Investment Conference, which will be held in Hong Kong after the tournament. Those who invest in Asia Pacific markets have come to recognize the AIC as the leading event for discovering future trends and opportunities in the region."

The Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens 2008 will be played from March 28 to March 30, 2008 at the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium.

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