Stuff.co.nz: Hong Kong, the most famous stop on the sevens circuit, is bringing a new format and increased points for the world title race to this year's tournament.

Organisers of the 35-year-old event have announced significant modifications that will keep some of the big names involved longer in the business end of the tournament from March 26-28.

The winning Cup quarter-finalists will still proceed to the Cup semifinals but the losers will now drop to the Plate semifinals rather than being ushered out of the tournament.

In addition to still having a competition to play for the losing Plate semifinalists have a chance to improve their position on the series table by playing for a possible 16 points – twice as many as last year.

There are also significant points increases for other teams finishing in the top six.

Hong Kong awards more points than any of the other seven IRB World Sevens Series events by virtue of being the only 24-team tournament on the circuit.

"The new structure creates three additional matches involving some of the top teams on the weekend,'' Warrick Dent, head of commercial, communications and events for the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.

"Last year's losing Cup quarterfinalists for example were Argentina, Australia, England and New Zealand. We also can look forward to an additional final which is certain to ramp up the excitement of ‘Sevens Sunday' in Hong Kong even further," said Warrick Dent, head of commercial, communications and events for the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.

Hong Kong caps off a busy period on the world circuit with four events over the next seven weeks, starting with next week's New Zealand tournament.

Players line up in Wellington, Las Vegas, Adelaide and Hong Kong. By the time the teams leave Asia there will be a real feel for the championship race which wraps up in London and Edinburgh in May.

Gordon Tietjens' New Zealand team have made a brilliant start by winning the opening two rounds in Dubai and South Africa before Christmas.

They will have the added pressure of operating at home next Friday and Saturday as they look to extend that run.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, has named the full lineup of teams for this year's tournament.

They will be fronted by the 12 core teams in the IRB Sevens World Series - Argentina, Australia, England, defending Hong Kong champions Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, reigning IRB champions South Africa, USA and Wales.

They will be joined by Canada, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Tonga and Zimbabwe. Russia marks its first return after back-to-back Bowl wins in Hong Kong in 2007 and 2008, while Italy returns for the first time since 2007.
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Hong Kong will also involve six teams from around the region with China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong qualifying through the new Asian Rugby Sevens Series established last October.

Thailand is returning to the Hong Kong Sevens for the first time since 2004.

30 January, 2010