Hong Kong Sevens preview

ROUND EIGHT: Time is running out for teams hoping to catch the pace-setting New Zealand team, as the Hong Kong leg of the Sevens World Series gets underway on Friday.

It appears to be the most competitive season yet - with five different winners (Australia, Samoa, South Africa, Argentina and New Zealand) through the opening seven tournaments.

New Zealand, who won in Sydney and Los Angeles, lead the standings with 120 points and four rounds remaining.

They are followed by Argentina (108), France (95), Fiji (94), Australia (94), Samoa (89), South Africa (89), Ireland (83) and the United States (81) - all chasing a top-four finish and the automatic qualification for the Olympics that goes with it.

Vancouver champions Argentina slot into Pool A alongside Fiji, Samoa and Canada.

The runners-up in Canada, France, headline Pool B - with Great Britain, Uruguay and hosts Hong Kong China.

Australia, bronze medallists in Canada, will face off against the United States, Spain and Japan in Pool C.

Ireland will meet Series leaders New Zealand, Kenya and Dubai winners South Africa in Pool D.

The stakes couldn't be higher at the bottom end of the men's Series this season as well.

Following the penultimate event in Toulouse, the 15th ranked team will be relegated, while the 12th through 14th ranked teams will face off against the Sevens Challenger Series 2023 winner for the 12th and final position on the 2024 Series.

South Africa, who has never won in Hong Kong, will want nothing more than to rediscover the form they displayed in the opening rounds - including Sydney, where they lost in the Final to New Zealand.

For BlitzBoks coach Sandile Ngcobo, the challenge doesn't get any bigger than this weekend in Hong Kong, where his team have been grouped with Ireland, New Zealand and Kenya in a very tough Pool D.

The South Africans have their sights set on making it back into the top four, with fourth place currently occupied by Fiji and Australia on 94 points.

"This is what the World Series is all about," Ngcobo said, adding: "You get to play the best of the best and nothing is guaranteed.

"There is no such thing as small or big teams anymore and we will prepare for the weekend accordingly.

"This is a challenge we needed as a group, and the players know they have to step up and prepare for battle, and to ensure we play to the best of our ability in every single game."

Hong Kong schedule

(Kick-off is HK time - GMT plus eight hours)

Friday, March 31

New Zealand v Kenya (14.40)

Ireland v South Africa (15.04)

Fiji v Samoa (15.28)

Argentina v Canada (15.52)

United States v Spain (19.07)

Australia v Japan (19.35)

Great Britain v Uruguay (20.05)

France v Hong Kong China (20.33)

Saturday, April 1

New Zealand v South Africa (11.04)

Ireland v Kenya (11.28)

Fiji v Canada (11.52)

Argentina v Samoa (12.16)

United States v Japan (12.40)

Australia v Spain (13.04)

Great Britain v Hong Kong China (13.28)

France v Uruguay (13.52)

Kenya South Africa (15.25)

Ireland v New Zealand (15.49)

Samoa v Canada (16.13)

Argentina v Fiji (16.37)

Spain v Japan (17.01)

Australia v United States (17.25)

Uruguay v Hong Kong (17.49)

France v Great Britain (18.13)