The Hong Kong Men’s, Women’s and Podium sevens squadsare in to Fiji to take part in the Coral Coast Sevens (17-20 January), marking the first time thatthree national teams have taken part in the same tournament.

The men’s and women’s national sevens teams will be beginningtheir build-up to April’s Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens tournaments in their various senior competitions,while the Podium Squad, a feeder programme for Hong Kong’s age grade sevens talent,will play in the youthtournament.Coral Coast attracts some of the premier sevens teams and players in the island nationand will pose a stiff outing for all of the squads, something Hong Kong head sevens coach Paul John is relishing.

“It’s good for us to get a chance to pay in a top quality competition to start the year and there is no better place to go for that than Fiji, which is the home of sevens really. To be able to take 42 players, 14 within each squad, is also fantastic.

“The more competitions we can play the better, especially ahead of what is going to be a very exciting year. We’ve got Fiji and theBorneo Sevens in March as a build up to the Hong Kong Sevens in April; the Rugby World Cup Sevens in July; and the Asian Games following that, so it is a really big year. It’s going to be a busy nine months ahead for the senior squads,” said John.

The men’s seven are the fourth seeds in Pool S alongside local outfits Tovolea, McDonalds Saunakaand pool leaders Ratu Filise, whom Hong Kong lost to in last year’s pool stages, 19-5, en route to reaching the Bowl semi finals.

Defending champions Taveuni lead Pool Q with Daveta, Police and Henibua.Pool R has Cross of Victory, Stars USA, an assembly of premier sevens players from the US, Canada and Australian national sevens teams, BLK Iron Courage and Wardens,while Pool T includes Lomavata Blues, Suva Stallions, Ravuka Sharks and Outrigger.

The squads selected for the opening tournament of the year have a veteran look to them with Jamie Hood, Ben Rimene, Yiu Kam-shing, Chris Maize and Michael Coverdale all in the men’s selection alongside sophomores Jack Neville, Seb Brien and Kane Boucaut who impressed in last year’s Asian sevens campaign.John will be keen to see how his recent discoveries compete in their first outing at international level after solid debuts in the region.

“It’s a big step up for these boys, who performed really well in the Asian series. When you play against players from probably the best sevens nation in the world, it is all about challenging yourself. You soon realize what is out there in terms of opposition and what you need to do to try and compete against these sides,” John said.

John has also given newcomer Russell Webb from Hong Kong Football Club his first selection.

“It will be Russell’s first sevens tournament for Hong Kong after he returned from university last year. He’s a local boy who was schooled here and has committed to comingback after university to try to earn a place in the squad for what we have coming up.

“He was injured when he first came back so didn’t figure in the Asian Series, but he’s back to fitness now and has played well for Football Club. He’s an all-rounder who can play across the backline andwe are looking forward to him seeing him play,” said John.

“We are excited to have this chance to look at all of the players. There is a real opportunity now for those 42 players in terms of raising our awareness of them and being able to see them in international competition,” John said.

With the youth and women’s competition starting late in the week, the men’s seven will go into a mini-camp with former Hong Kong coach Gareth Baber’s Fiji sevens squad next week.

“It will be great to catch up with Gareth again and to have a few hit-outs with Fiji whichwill be beneficial in the long run and also gives us a chance to build up to the tournament. There are 16 local teams playingand they’re unique in the way they play, so it will give the boys a bit of practice playing against a top quality side in the lead-in.”

The camp will also help knock off some of expected rust with the playersreturning from Christmas break.

“They all will be a bit rusty. You’re always rusty after a break and when you have been playing fifteens and then come back into sevens - it's a different game.But this will give us a good idea of where we are at and Fiji is just the first part of our build-up for the rest of the year.

“The players had a good break, and they needed to, because they have a non-stop year ahead. We’ve had them in camp for ten days or so and will have a couple of days next week on the ground to prepare, but none of the squads are going in fully prepared for a tournament,” John said.

The women’s squad also has a settled look with Christy Cheng Ka-chi, Natasha Olson-Thorne, Nam Ka-man, Chan Tsz-ting, Kwong Sau-yan, Lee Tsz-ting, Lindsay Varty, Colleen Tjosvold and Chong Ka-yan all selected to open the campaign. Up and comers Jessica Ho Wai-on and Stephanie Chan Chor-ki are also included, alongsidenew faces in Kowloon’s Amber Tsang Wing-chi and Poon Hoi-yan from Taipo Dragons,who earn their first senior sevens selections.

The women will contest a nine-team competition and top Pool M ahead of Nadi Aviators and Striders. Japanese shadow squad, SDS,top Pool L ahead of Nadi Blazers and Savusavu, while Pool K features the national squad, Fijiana Makosoi, Stars USA women’s side, and Blue Light Sisters.

John and assistant coach Jevon Groves have been working closely with the women’s team in the build-up, butKevin West will coach the teamin competition in Fiji. West is on the coaching staff at the Sports Institute and was part of the coaching team at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

“As far as the coaches were concerned it was really important for us to get the women’s team some strong competition early on in the year as a build up to the Hong Kong Sevens and they will be inBorneo as well,” said John.

In Fiji, the HKRU Podium squad will be facing its biggest competitive challenge since the programme’s inception 18 months ago. The squad will play in a 16-team youth competition and top Pool E ahead of Northern Spirit, Nailaga and RA Barbarians.

The team features a core of players from the recent Asian U20s sevens championship winning side and recent World Rugby Junior Trophy competitions with Paul Altier, Jack Abbott, Max Denmark, James Karten, Chong Shun-Hong and Fong Kit-fung all included.

The Podium programme is designed to upskillHong Kong’s promising young sevens players to help prepare them for eventual admission to the elite sevens programme at the Sports Institute. The programme focuses on developing core sevens skills and intensive preparation for life as a professional rugby athlete with sevens-specific strength & conditioning, nutrition and performance lifestyle training.

John is looking forward to testing the next generation of sevenssquad potentials: “It’s really exciting to have them along. It will be a great experience for these young guys to play high quality sevens. They’vedone really well in Asia and it’s good for them now to challenge themselves against perceived better opposition.”

Podium programme co-coach Stephen Dowse called the opportunity to compete in Fiji “massive” for the players.

“It is our biggest competition to date and is a good example of the benefits that have come from the Podium programme, which is having a real impact on our junior sevens players. This is an excellent opportunity for them to stick their hands up and play for a full-time spot in the HKSI.”

“We expect our opponents to be physical and individually very skilful and are looking to counter that physicality while also putting the opposition under pressure by meeting what has become the Hong Kong standard –playing skilful, team-based rugby at a high tempo,” said Dowse.

Hong Kong Men’s Seven:Jason JEYAM, Jamie HOOD, Russell WEBB, Jack NEVILLE, Ben RIMENE, MAK Kwai-chung, YIU Kam-shing, Eric KWOK Pak-nga, Michael COVERDALE, Toby FENN, Seb BRIEN, Christopher MAIZE, Kane BOUCAUT, Calvin HUNTER.

Hong Kong Women’s Seven:Natasha OLSON-THORNE, NAM Ka-man, CHAN Tsz-ching, Christy CHENG Ka-chi, KWONG Sau-yan, Jessica HO Wai-on, Colleen TJOSVOLD, AU YEUNG Sin-yi, Lindsay VARTY, LEE Tsz-ting, CHONG Ka-yan, Stephanie CHAN Chor-ki, Amber TSANG Wing-chi, POON Hoi-yan.

Hong Kong Podium Squad: Jack ABBOTT, Paul ALTIER, Torris HEUNG, CHONG Shun-hong, Max DENMARK, FONG Kit-fung, Liam HERBERT, James KARTON, Ray LI, Henry POON, Tanadol RAE-HOWARD, Thaddeus SUMMERS, Callum Tam, Sam TSOI.