Transcript
Fiji are widely accepted as the kings of the sevens rugby game and nowhere are their subjects more appreciative than in the mecca of sevens rugby, Hong Kong.
The Olympic champions have won a record 18 titleS in the city, including the last four in a row.
Despite coming up short in the past three World Series tournaments, head coach Gareth Baber says Hong Kong is a place where Fiji love to play.
"We know what it's like to win here, we've got players who know what it's like to win here. We know we're under no illusions in how tough it is this year with the quality of teams opposite us but the focus is very much on delivering what we set out as a mission at the beginning of the season and doing it the right manner. Doing it in the way that we love to play rugby. The behaviours that the players show around other teams and on the field as well and most importantly doing it for our god and for country."
The defending champions, who will be without regular skipper Kalione Nasoko because of injury, open their title defence on Friday against Kenya and face a difficult double header on Saturday against Australia and New Zealand, who both got the better of Fiji in Las Vegas last month.
Meanwhile Samoa are looking to continue their recent upsurge in form after finishing runners in the USA and sixth in Vancouver.
The four-time Hong Kong winners will face Scotland, Japan and South Africa in pool play as they look to reach the Cup quarter finals at three consecutive tournaments for the first time since 2014.
But it's not just the main event where big prizes are on offer....12 mens and 12 womens teams are also competing in the World Series Qualifier for a permanent spot on next year's World Series
The Papua New Guinea women's coach Paul Tietjens says in sevens any team can win on any given day and there's no reason that can't be them.
"If our team can play to their potential on paper I believe that we have a good enough side to really push and be good enough to really compete for that core status title. It starts from the first game against Hong Kong, that will be the game we're really targeting. If we can start well that will hopefully generate some confidence and obviously some positivity moving forward to Uganda and Kenya."
Tonga ended a five year absence from the Men's World Series by competing at the Hamilton and Sydney tournaments earlier this year.
The Kingdom claimed major scalps in beating France, Kenya and Japan and team manager Richard Weightman says they were lucky enough to play a series of matches against the All Blacks Sevens at a tournament in South Auckland earlier this month, which ensured they will arrive in Hong Kong in peak playing condition.
"The key focus for them was promoting women's rugby and they had about five countries playing at Pukekohe but they invited us along and ourselves and New Zealand a couple of weeks ago played five games over two days, at international sevens rules, so we couldn't have had better preparation with that. That's really helped and that's allowed the boys to keep really focused by preparing for that a couple of weeks out before going to Hong Kong."
Tonga begin their qualifier campaign against Zimbabwe and the Philippines on Friday, with the Cook Islands take on Chile and Germany.
But first up it's the PNG Palais on Thursday against Hong Kong, Uganda and Kenya.
