Hong Kong is synonymous with Sevens and this weekend the Hong Kong Football Club will host the Asia regional men’s and women’s qualifiers for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 in Dubai next March.
Four Asian nations have played on the RWC Sevens stage before in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei with all bar the latter having been present in every edition, Hong Kong twice as the host nation in 1997 and 2005.
Korea have enjoyed the most success, the only Asian side to reach a Melrose Cup quarter-final – ironically in Hong Kong in 1997 when their challenge was ended 56-0 by eventual champions Fiji – while Japan won the Bowl final in the inaugural event in 1993.
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Japan, the reigning Asian Games champions, are the top seeds of the 12 teams who will attempt to secure one of two slot’s available for the region’s teams at RWC Sevens 2009, with the Arabian Gulf’s men qualifying automatically as the host Union.
The Japanese have been drawn in Pool A with Kazakhstan and Thailand, while Korea – denied the Asian Games gold by an injury-time try from Japan in 2006 – are joined by Chinese Taipei and Singapore in Pool B.
Keeping it in the family
Hosts Hong Kong top Pool C with Sri Lanka and India, while Asian Games bronze medallists China are joined by Malaysia – the winners of last month’s Sri Lanka Sevens – and Guam in Pool D.
The winners of Pools A and D will meet in the semi finals on Sunday with the side coming out on top guaranteed their ticket to Dubai, regardless of what happens against the Pool B or C winner in the final.
Hong Kong will be fielding one of their youngest ever teams as they attempt to preserve their perfect record of appearing at the RWC Sevens, including for the first time a pair of brothers in Tom and Alex McQueen.
“That will be the big one [potential semi final with Korea], but we are not looking too far ahead. Sri Lanka can be a tricky side and we cannot take anything for granted,” said Hong Kong captain Andrew Chambers.
Seventeen nations are already confirmed in the 24-team men's competition in Dubai, eight of them automatically after reaching the Melrose Cup quarter-finals in 2005 - Fiji, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Australia, France, Scotland and Argentina - plus hosts Arabian Gulf.
The other eight qualifiers to date have come through the regional tournaments in Uruguay (South America), Portugal, Wales, Georgia, Ireland, Italy (Europe), Samoa and Tonga (Oceania). The remaining qualifiers will come from Asia (two), North America (two) and Africa (three).
Kazakhstan leading the way
The penultimate qualifier for the first ever women’s competition in Rugby World Cup Sevens history will run alongside the Asian men’s event in Hong Kong this weekend with Kazakhstan the favourites to secure one of three places for the region’s teams in Dubai.
Kazakhstan are the reigning Asian women’s champions in both Sevens and 15s, having flown the flag for the region at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2006 in Canada, finishing 11th overall after beating South Africa 36-0 in that playoff.
With Kazakhstan having led the way in Asian women’s rugby for the last decade it would be a big surprise if they didn’t qualify for RWC Sevens 2009, but the likes of China and Japan – the second and third seeds – also have qualification in their minds.
China have been training intensively for the last few months in preparation for this qualifier with coach Zheng Hong Jun confident her side have the potential to topple Kazakhstan in Hong Kong over the weekend.
“Our first priority is to qualify for the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament next March,” Zheng said recently. “Our biggest rivals at the Asian Championship and Rugby World Cup Sevens qualifier in Hong Kong will be Kazakhstan.
Chinese women aiming high
“They are big, strong and surprisingly quick, but if we use our pace advantage and make full use of the space on the pitch we have a good chance of beating them.”
China, captained by Liu Yan, have been drawn in Pool B with Arabian Gulf and Sri Lanka, while top seeds Kazakhstan head Pool A with Hong Kong and Singapore, with Japan, Thailand and Chinese Taipei making up Pool C.
The three pool winners will be joined in the semi finals by the best placed runner-up with the two sides winning through to the final guaranteed their spot in Dubai next March, along with the winner of the third place playoff.
Eleven nations have already qualified for the inaugural women’s event in Brazil (South America), England, Netherlands, Russia, France, Spain, Italy (Europe), Australia, New Zealand (Oceania), South Africa and Uganda (Africa).
The two remaining spots will be filled by the finalists at the NAWIRA [North America West Indies Rugby Association] qualifier, which takes place alongside the men’s qualifier in Nassau, the Bahamas, on 25-26 October.
