In the first of our Hong Kong Sevens 'Pool lowdowns' we run the rule over the four nations in Pool A, headed by joint World Series leaders, New Zealand.
POOL A LOWDOWN (NZL, FRA, POR, KEN) >>
New Zealand
Last season in Hong Kong: Cup Runners-up
Last season in World Series: Runners-up
Position this season: 1st=
Best result this season: Cup winners (South Africa and New Zealand)
Result at last event: Cup semi finalists (Las Vegas 2011)
Top try-scorer this season: Declan O’Donnell (20)
Top try-scorer all time: Karl Tenana (113)
Last 30 World Series matches: W26, L4
MORE FORM GUIDES AND NOTES >>
The names of kiwi players to have made their names on the Hong Kong stage trip off the tongue like a who's who of Rugby, from Jonah Lomu, Eric Rush and Christian Cullen of yesteryear to the more current Cory Jane and Victor Vito. Who is best set to emulate their feats and capture the imagination of the public at the weekend? Declan O'Donnell has already done so on home soil in Wellington this season. Frank Halai looks equally blessed in the talent department. The truth is that by far the biggest weapon in NZ's armoury is their coach of 16 years, Gordon Tietjens. Eight World Series titles and four Commonwealth Games gold medals to his name, you get the feeling 'Titch' could pick up any old piece of coal, dust it down for a minute or two and unearth a rare gem. He hasn't won here since 2008, though, and will be gunning for those 30 Series points.
France
Last season in Hong Kong: Bowl quarter finals
Last season in World Series: No Series points
Position this season: No Series points
Best result this season: Bowl semi finals (South Africa and USA)
Result at last event: Bowl semi finalists (Las Vegas 2011)
Top try-scorer this season: Renaud Delmas (7)
Top try-scorer all time: Martial Molinier (51)
Last 30 World Series matches: W10, L20
MORE FORM GUIDES AND NOTES >>
Enigmatic in the extreme, France's Sevens side makes their 15s counterparts look like Swiss fund managers. Only once has this supreme rugby nation won a Cup title in the Sevens World Series - on home soil in Paris five years ago - and all too often their players lack the Sevens savvy of other nations who invest more time and resource in the shorter game. That said, there are big noises about Top 14 players now being released and with the likes of pacy Renaud Delmas, playmaker Terry Bouhraoua and giant Jean Baptiste Gobelet they could yet spring a surprise.
Portugal
Last season in Hong Kong: Bowl semi finals
Last season in World Series: No Series points
Position this season: No Series points
Best result this season: Bowl semi finals (South Africa)
Result at last event: Bowl semi finalists (George 2010)
Top try-scorer this season: Frederico Oliveira (5)
Top try-scorer all time: Antonio de Aguilar (57)
Last 30 World Series matches: W11, L19
MORE FORM GUIDES AND NOTES >>
The ultimate example of a union using Sevens to fertilise its 15-a-side game. Over the past five or 10 years the best of Portugal's Sevens players - Pedro Leal, Sebastiao du Cunha, Goncalo Foro, Aderito Estevez, David and Diogo Mateus - have also turned out for Tomaz Morais in 15s, many of them helping the country to its first ever Rugby World Cup in 2007. Now with kiwi Errol Brain in charge of the 15-a-side team there is, for the first time, more of a division of labour and attention and it remains to be seen what effect this new emphasis will have. Two things are certain: in Morais they possess one of the finest Rugby Directors and Sevens coaches in Europe and they will tackle and compete like dogs until the final whistle. A fine victory over England in Dubai already this season.
Korea
Last season in Hong Kong: Shield quarter finalists
Last season in World Series: No Series points
Position this season: No Series Points - first tournament this season
Best result this season: N/A
Result at last event: Shield quarter finals (Hong Kong 2010)
Top try-scorer this season: N/A
Top try-scorer all time: Kim Hyung-ki (35)
Last 30 World Series matches: W7, D1, L22
MORE FORM GUIDES AND NOTES >>
Winners of the first two editions of the Shanghai Sevens, the biggest of the ranking events in the HSBC Asian Sevens Series. Last September they first beat Japan and then China to successfully defend their Shanghai title and also beat the Chinese for a second time in November to take bronze at the Asian Games.
