[January 31, 2012, Hong Kong]  The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) today announced the 24 international teams taking part in the world-renowned Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012. 

Two teams will make their debut at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens in 2012, Guyana and the Philippines. The two nations become the 50^th and 51^st countries to compete at the Hong Kong Sevens in the 37 years since its inception, (including the two IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens events hosted in Hong Kong in 1997 and 2005). 

Invited by the International Rugby Board (IRB) to compete in Hong Kong, Guyana were the winners of the North American Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Sevens championships last November.  

The Philippines becomes the 13^th Asian team to take part in Hong Kong, qualifying as the fourth place finisher in the inaugural HSBC Asian Sevens Series in 2011.  The Hong Kong leg marks the Philippines Rugby Football Union’s first ever participation in an HSBC Sevens World Series event. 

The 12 core teams on the HSBC Sevens World Series will again feature at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens: Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, USA and Wales. 

This year’s HSBC Sevens World Series is proving to be among the most competitive ever with three teams winning the three tournaments played to date. Defending Hong Kong champions New Zealand won the South Africa Sevens and are currently tied with Fiji, winners in Australia, at the top of the HSBC Sevens World Series table on 51 points.  South Africa are in third place on 48 points, followed by Dubai Sevens champions England in fourth on 47 points. France lies in fifth place on 39 points.

Reinforcing Hong Kong’s unique position as the largest and most international of HSBC Sevens World Series events, the remaining 12 competing teams hail from all over the world. Portugal, Russia and Spain bolster the tournament’s European contingent while Zimbabwe adds to the African presence and Tonga rounds out the tournament’s traditionally strong Pacific Islands representation. Canada and Uruguay will also return from the Americas.

Closer to home, the Hong Kong Sevens continues its role as the showcase event for Asian rugby with the region’s top four sevens teams completing the field in 2012. These teams are Japan, champions of the 2011 HSBC Asian Sevens Series, runners-up Hong Kong, third-ranked China and the Philippines. With 24 teams, Hong Kong remains the largest event on the international series (other events host 16 teams). 

Adding to the excitement, the Hong Kong Sevens will be revealing a dramatic and exciting new format in the coming weeks.  

On January 14, 2012the final 4,000 event tickets were sold to members of the Hong Kong public marking another sell-out for the Hong Kong Sevens. The Official Tournament Draw will be held in Hong Kong on February 16^th after the completion of the USA Sevens in Las Vegas (February 10-12).

The Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012 expects to welcome a total of 120,000 spectators over the three day-event (March 23 – 25), reaffirming the strong local and international demand that has made Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Sevens one of the world’s leading rugby destinations.

Organised by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union and co-title sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways and HSBC, the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will be held from Friday, March 23, to Sunday, March 25, at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium.

For more information about Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012, please visit the official website at www.hksevens.com and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HongKong7s.