France and Samoa reveal hands for Hong Kong

France and Samoa are the latest sides to announce their squads for the 2013 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

Both squads will travel to round six of the HSBC Sevens World Series on 22-24 March and also the Tokyo Sevens a week later.

Dubai Sevens champions Samoa, who sit third in the Series standings behind New Zealand and South Africa, welcome Paul Perez, the player to score their first try in the Dubai final against New Zealand, back into the side.

Faamoni Lalomilo's side finished third in round five, the USA Sevens, and face matches with New Zealand Sevens champions England, Portugal and Scotland.

France, who are fifth in the standings and one place behind Fiji, will be without the injured Terry Bouhraoua and face matches with USA, Kenya and New Zealand in Hong Kong.

Samoa squad: Afa Aiono (c), Levi Asi Faamatala, Lio Lolo, Faatoina Autagavaia, Meki Magele, Alatasi Tupou, Patrick Faapale, Sani Niue, Lolo Lui, Tulolo Tulolo, Reupena Levasa, Paul Perez.

France squad: Paul Albaladejo, Steeve Barry, Julien Candelon, Manoel Dall Igna, Renaud Delmas, Vincent Deniau, Jean Baptiste Gobolet, Vincent Inigo, Gilles Pierre Lakafia, Jean Baptiste Mazoue, Stephen Parez, Maxime Payen, Thibaut Zambelli

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Series qualifying explained: Hong Kong & London

From the end of the 2012/13 HSBC Sevens World Series, promotion and relegation from core team status comes into effect, with a pre-qualifying competition in Hong Kong (round 6) and a final core team qualifier in London (round 9).

The Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will feature 28 teams and two competitions: In the first, the 15 current core teams and the winner of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series, Hong Kong, will compete for the famous Hong Kong title and World Series points. In the second, 12 regional teams - two from each of the six IRB regions - will compete for four places at the core team qualifying final in London.

The Marriott London Sevens will feature 20 teams and two competitions: In the first, the top 12-ranked sides in the HSBC Sevens World Series after round 8, the Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens, will compete for the London title and final World Series points. In the second, the 13th-, 14th- and 15th-ranked core teams after the Glasgow event will compete against the four qualifiers from Hong Kong and Asian champions Hong Kong for the three available core team places on the 2013/14 HSBC Sevens World Series.