In our final pool preview ahead of the Cathay Pacific / Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens, we examine the four teams set to do battle in Pool A, joint Series leaders and top seeds South Africa, France, Uruguay and Korea.

- Final Hong Kong Sevens squads >>

"It's good to be back," smiles South Africa's Sevens captain Mzwandile Stick. 'It's good to have you back,' will come the unanimous reply from every Springbok Sevens fan.

South Africa's Sevens team were shattered after their poor performance at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai and are doubly grateful that they have an opportunity to put things right so soon, and on such a big stage.

The Boks stormed to success in the opening two IRB Sevens World Series tournaments in Dubai and George, Stick kicking them to glory in Dubai and then scoring the winning try in George on home soil, but he was missing from World Cup effort and only now returns to the line-up.

"Seeing them go down in the World Cup against Argentina was very painful for me," confided the captain. "I still felt part of the team and was disappointed like them but it was a lesson and we're going to learn and hopefully in Hong Kong things will go well for us.

"After the good start we had in Dubai and George we knew that all the teams were going to come hard at us. We're not going to have any easy games and we're just going to dig deep now and work for our points and stay positive.

Having started out for coach Paul Treu in Hong Kong, Stick also feels an extra affinity to the 24-team tournament.

"What a special tournament the Hong Kong Sevens is to play. For me it was where I started playing IRB Sevens, I made my debut here so it's always been a special ground for me.

"I think it's the best Sevens tournament, it's almost a tradition that when it comes to Hong Kong everyone looks forward to watching it. It's double points and at the moment we're on top with England on 60 points so we know that if you win this one you've got a real chance to win the whole season."

Pool A - Lowdown

South Africa

IRB Sevens World Series 2008/09:
Dubai: Cup Final, won v England 19-12
George: Cup Final, won v NZ 12-7
Wellington: Plate Final, won v Wales 26-12
San Diego: Cup Semi-final, lost v England 19-22
 
Current Series Position:
1st= 60 pts
 
Hong Kong Sevens 2008:
Cup Final, lost v New Zealand 12-26
 
Form guide:
Failure to go beyond the Melrose Cup quarter finals in Dubai earlier this month was a shattering disappointment for Paul Treu and his full-time Sevens squad, having won the Cup titles in both Dubai and George at the start of this season.

Clearly they felt the absence of injured captain Mzwandile Stick as, who returns for Hong Kong as playmaker after playing so well early in the season. If they can shrug off that World Cup misery, the likes of Benjamin, Aplon, Stick, Dazell, Horne and Mbiyozo could yet capture that elusive first Hong Kong title.

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France

IRB Sevens World Series 2008/09:
Dubai:Bowl Final, lost v Portugal 0-24
George: Bowl Final, won v Australia 21-12
Wellington: Bowl SF, lost v Tonga 5-12
San Diego: Bowl Final lost v Australia 0-40
 
Current Series Position:
13th, 2 pts
 
Hong Kong Sevens 2008:
Plate Final: won v Argentina 17-14
 
Form guide:
After 13 years flying the flag for France, coach Thierry Janaczek will have mixed feelings about the recent World Cup. On the up side the clubs released Julien Malzieu, Laurent Ferreres, Farid Sid, Vincent Deniau and Rida Jahouer and France played well enough to consider themselves unlucky not to have nailed down a World Cup quarter place. On the down side, the coach has a whole new raft of players to work with in Hong Kong, although the return of paceman Jacques Boussuges is a plus.

Still capable of springing a major surprise or two - South Africa beware!

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Uruguay

IRB Sevens World Series 2008/09:
San Diego: Shield Final, lost v Canada 7-31
 
Current Series position:
unranked, 0 pts
 
Hong Kong Sevens 2008:
Did not play
 
Form guide:
Uruguay make their first appearance in Hong Kong since the 2005 World Cup and, although they lack much in the way of exposure on the IRB Sevens World Series, there is no doubting the step up in standard that is apparent in their play, epitomised by their famous upset win over Kenya in the most recent tournament of the World Series in San Diego.

Nearly all the players double up as Sevens and 15s internationals, but are truly competitive and in the World Cup they beat Japan, almost beat Zimbabwe and gave eventual Cup finalists Argentina a run for their money. Keep an eye out for playmaker Juan Campomar and promising newcomer Santiago Gibernau. Injured captain Ignacio Crosa fills in as team manager here, a welcome throw-back to the amateur era - he is also a farmer!

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Korea
 
IRB Sevens World Series 2008/09:
First appearance
 
Hong Kong Sevens 2008:
Bowl Semi-final, lost v Russia 5-19

Form guide:
Korea has the remarkable record of having attended every Hong Kong Sevens since 1976, the inaugural tournament, when all the ties were played within the one day and New Zealanders Cantabrians won the first trophy.

In the IRB Sevens their Cup semi final appearance in Shanghai in 2001 remains their proudest moment but, as the game rapidly advances in standards and specialist skills, it is not realistic to expect them to repeat that kind of success. However, should rugby's Olympic dream come true this October in Copenhagen, expect Korea to make a renewed impact in the sport.