HK Sevens Pool D profile (TON, URU, HKG, CHN)

Hong Kong will start as the home crowd favourites in Pool D

Hong Kong will start as the home crowd favourites in Pool D

March 14, 2012 - 6:28am

Story and Photo: www.irbsevens.com

A lowdown of the four teams in Pool D in Hong Kong, who are competing in a 12-team competition with the other eight regional qualifiers. The top three will secure core team status for next season and play every round of the 2012/13 HSBC Sevens World Series.

HOW IS HONG KONG WORKING THIS YEAR >>
HONG KONG MATCH SCHEDULE >>

Tonga

Current Series rank: 14th
Profile: Always a danger, no matter which tournament they play or which team they show up with. Fielding an inexperienced side they beat Fiji to top their pool in Wellington, and eventually lost to a strong South Africa in the Plate final. Also played on the Gold Coast, where they reached the semi final of the Bowl.

Tournaments : 35
Played: 193 ; Won: 88 ; Lost:102 ; Drawn: 3
Points Scored: 3,472 ; Points Conceded: 3,401

Highest Score: 59 - 5 v Niue
Widest margin: 55 - 0 v Mexico
Heaviest defeat: 0 - 57 v New Zealand

Uruguay

Current Series rank: 20th=
Profile: Competed at the USA Sevens in Las Vegas where they lost to France by two points and South Africa and Canada by wider margins. Arrive in Hong Kong on the crest of a wave, though, having beaten Argentina in the dying seconds to claim a first ever South American CONSUR Sevens title in Rio de Janeiro last weekend.

Tournaments : 15
Played: 76 ; Won: 17 ; Lost: 59 ; Drawn: 0
Points Scored: 788 ; Points Conceded: 2,026

Highest Score: 36 - 0 v Peru
Widest margin: 36 - 0 v Peru
Heaviest defeat: 7 - 61 v Fiji

Hong Kong

Current Series rank: N/A
Profile: Yet to compete on the World Series this season, but have performed well in the HSBC Asian Sevens Series, winning recently in Bangkok. Former Wales Sevens coach Dai Rees is a good man to have in charge of the union's rugby fortunes and they will, as ever, have the unconditional support of the So Kon Po crowd.

Tournaments : 23
Played: 109 ; Won: 29 ; Lost: 79 ; Drawn: 1
Points Scored: 1189 ; Points Conceded: 2960

Highest Score: 55-5 v Thailand
Widest margin: 55-5 v Thailand
Heaviest defeat: 5-61 v New Zealand

China

Current Series rank: N/A
Profile: Yet to compete on the World Series this season, but have performed on the HSBC Asian Sevens Series, winning the Plate at the Shanghai Sevens. An Olympic powerhouse that is just starting to mobilise as a potential force in Sevens - perhaps moreso in the women's game initially - and will have strong support from the So Kon Po crowd.

Tournaments : 21
Played: 102 ; Won: 15 ; Lost: 87 ; Drawn: 1
Points Scored: 974 ; Points Conceded: 3420

Highest Score: 47-0 v Chinese Taipei
Widest margin: 47-0 v Chinese Taipei
Heaviest defeat: 0-80 v Fiji