2018 Hong Kong Sevens
# 2018 Hong Kong Sevens

The 2018 Hong Kong Sevens was the 43rd edition of the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, and the seventh tournament of the 2017–18 World Rugby Sevens Series. The performance from this tournament determined the first fourteen seedings of the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament alongside the past year's series and the previous six event of the 2017–18 season.

Fiji won the tournament, defeating Kenya 24–12 in the final. Fiji were dominant throughout the tournament, including a 50–7 thrashing of New Zealand during pool play.

In the World Series Qualifier tournament, Ireland were the dominant team during pool play, but Japan beat Ireland 12–7 in the semifinal, and went on to beat Germany 19–14 in the final to qualify for the 2018-19 World Series as a core team.

## Main draw

### Teams

The main tournament will consist of the fifteen core teams and one invited team, South Korea.

* Argentina
* Australia
* Canada
* England
* Fiji
* France
* Kenya
* New Zealand
* Russia
* Samoa
* Scotland
* South Africa
* Spain
* United States
* Wales
* South Korea

### Format

As in the last tournament, there will be a main draw with the fifteen World Series core teams and one invited team. The teams are drawn into four pools of four teams each. Each team plays all the others in their pool once. 3, 2 or 1 points for a win, draw or loss. The top two teams from each pool advance to the Cup brackets. The bottom two teams go into the Challenge trophy brackets.

### Pool stage

All times in Hong Kong Time (UTC+08:00). The games as scheduled are as follows:

**Pool A**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fiji | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 33 | +84 | 9 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 67 | –5 | 7 |
| Samoa | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 52 | 69 | –17 | 5 |
| Russia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 100 | –62 | 3 |

**Pool B**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kenya | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 85 | 38 | +47 | 7 |
| Spain | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 50 | –16 | 7 |
| Canada | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 64 | –8 | 5 |
| Australia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 54 | 77 | –23 | 5 |

**Pool C**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| South Africa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 32 | +77 | 9 |
| Scotland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 57 | +43 | 7 |
| England | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 81 | 62 | +19 | 5 |
| South Korea | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 153 | –139 | 3 |

**Pool D**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| United States | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 102 | 46 | +56 | 8 |
| Argentina | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 79 | 55 | +24 | 7 |
| Wales | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 85 | –51 | 5 |
| France | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 45 | 74 | –29 | 4 |

### Knockout stage

**13th place**

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | 13th place final | 13th place final |
| - | - | - | - |
| 8 April 2018 – 13:16 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 13:16 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Samoa | 33 |
| Samoa | 33 | 8 April 2018 – 17:00 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 17:00 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| England | 10 | 8 April 2018 – 17:00 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 17:00 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| England | 10 | Samoa | 5 |
| 8 April 2018 – 13:43 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 13:43 – Hong Kong Stadium | | Samoa | 5 |
| 8 April 2018 – 13:43 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 13:43 – Hong Kong Stadium | Wales | 33 |
| Wales | 49 | Wales | 33 |
| South Korea | 5 | | |

Matches :

**Challenge Trophy**

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Challenge Trophy final | Challenge Trophy final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 8 April 2018 – 9:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 9:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Samoa | 0 | | | |
| Samoa | 0 | 8 April 2018 – 14:05 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 14:05 – Hong Kong Stadium | | |
| France | 38 | 8 April 2018 – 14:05 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 14:05 – Hong Kong Stadium | |
| France | 38 | France | 24 | |
| 8 April 2018 – 9:52 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 9:52 – Hong Kong Stadium | | France | 24 | |
| 8 April 2018 – 9:52 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 9:52 – Hong Kong Stadium | Australia | 12 | |
| England | 14 | Australia | 12 | |
| England | 14 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 17:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 17:30 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Australia | 17 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 17:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 17:30 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Australia | 17 | | | | France | 33 |
| 8 April 2018 – 10:14 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 10:14 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | | France | 33 |
| 8 April 2018 – 10:14 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 10:14 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | Canada | 7 |
| Wales | 7 | | | | Canada | 7 |
| Wales | 7 | 8 April 2018 – 14:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 14:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Russia | 15 | 8 April 2018 – 14:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 14:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Russia | 15 | Russia | 12 | | | |
| 8 April 2018 – 10:36 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 10:36 – Hong Kong Stadium | | Russia | 12 | | | |
| 8 April 2018 – 10:36 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 10:36 – Hong Kong Stadium | Canada | 19 | |
| Canada | 45 | Canada | 19 | |
| South Korea | 0 | | | |

Matches :

**5th place**

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | 5th place final | 5th place final |
| - | - | - | - |
| 8 April 2018 – 14:55 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 14:55 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Argentina | 14 |
| Argentina | 14 | 8 April 2018 – 18:00 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 18:00 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Spain | 12 | 8 April 2018 – 18:00 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 18:00 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Spain | 12 | Argentina | 14 |
| 8 April 2018 – 15:17 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 15:17 – Hong Kong Stadium | | Argentina | 14 |
| 8 April 2018 – 15:17 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 15:17 – Hong Kong Stadium | United States | 12 |
| United States | 19 | United States | 12 |
| Scotland | 15 | | |

Matches :

**Cup**

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Cup final | Cup final | | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 8 April 2018 – 10:58 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 10:58 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Fiji | 40 | | | |
| Fiji | 40 | 8 April 2018 – 15:41 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 15:41 – Hong Kong Stadium | | |
| Argentina | 14 | 8 April 2018 – 15:41 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 15:41 – Hong Kong Stadium | |
| Argentina | 14 | Fiji | 26 | |
| 8 April 2018 – 11:20 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 11:20 – Hong Kong Stadium | | Fiji | 26 | |
| 8 April 2018 – 11:20 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 11:20 – Hong Kong Stadium | South Africa | 24 | |
| South Africa | 38 | South Africa | 24 | |
| South Africa | 38 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 19:00 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 19:00 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Spain | 5 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 19:00 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 19:00 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Spain | 5 | | | | Fiji | 24 |
| 8 April 2018 – 11:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 11:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | | Fiji | 24 |
| 8 April 2018 – 11:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 11:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | Kenya | 12 |
| United States | 7 | | | | Kenya | 12 |
| United States | 7 | 8 April 2018 – 16:03 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 16:03 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| New Zealand | 35 | 8 April 2018 – 16:03 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 16:03 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| New Zealand | 35 | New Zealand | 12 | | | |
| 8 April 2018 – 12:07 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 12:07 – Hong Kong Stadium | | New Zealand | 12 | | | |
| 8 April 2018 – 12:07 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 12:07 – Hong Kong Stadium | Kenya | 21 | | Bronze Medal Match | Bronze Medal Match |
| Kenya | 19 | Kenya | 21 | | Bronze Medal Match | Bronze Medal Match |
| Kenya | 19 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 18:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 18:30 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Scotland | 12 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 18:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 18:30 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Scotland | 12 | | | | South Africa | 24 |
| | | | | | New Zealand | 7 |

Matches :

### Tournament placings

| Place | Team | Points |
| - | - | - |
| | Fiji | 22 |
| | Kenya | 19 |
| | South Africa | 17 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 15 |
| 5 | Argentina | 13 |
| 6 | United States | 12 |
| 7 | Scotland | 10 |
| 7 | Spain | 10 |
| Place | Team | Points |
| 9 | France | 8 |
| 10 | Canada | 7 |
| 11 | Australia | 5 |
| 11 | Russia | 5 |
| 13 | Wales | 3 |
| 14 | Samoa | 2 |
| 15 | England | 1 |
| 15 | South Korea | 1 |

Source: World Rugby

### Players

**Scoring leaders**

Source: World Rugby

**Dream team**

The following seven players were selected to the tournament dream team at the conclusion of the tournament:

| Forwards | Backs |
| - | - |
| Kalione Nasoko Oscar Ouma Semi Kunatani | Willy Ambaka Selvyn Davids Eroni Sau Amenoni Nasilasila |

## World Series qualifier

### Continental qualifying

Teams will qualify for the World Series Qualifier tournament based on continental championships. The top teams from each continent that are not already core teams will qualify. For the 2018 edition, Europe has been given a third spot, whereas North America was given a single spot. The other continents remain with two spots each.

| Continental sevens championship | Dates | Venue(s) | Berths | Qualified |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2017 Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series | 3 June– 16 July 2017 | Moscow, Łódź, Clermont-Ferrand Exeter | 3 | Ireland Germany Georgia |
| 2017 Asia Rugby Sevens Series | 1 September– 14 October 2017 | Hong Kong, Incheon, Colombo | 2 | Japan Hong Kong |
| 2017 Africa Cup Sevens | 6–7 October 2017 | Kampala | 2 | Uganda Zimbabwe |
| 2017 Oceania Sevens Championship | 10–11 November 2017 | Suva | 2 | Papua New Guinea Cook Islands |
| 2017 RAN Sevens | 25–26 November 2017 | Mexico City | 1 | Jamaica |
| 2018 Sudamérica Rugby Sevens | 6–14 January 2018 | Punta del Este, Viña del Mar | 2 | Uruguay Chile |
| Total | Total | Total | 12 | |

### Format

The qualifying tournament features twelve teams divided into three pools of four teams each. Each team plays all the others in their pool once. The top eight teams (the top two from each group, plus the two best third-place finishers) qualify to the quarterfinals of the knockout round. The winner of the knockout round will be given core status in the 2018–19 World Series.

### Pool stage

All times in Hong Kong Time (UTC+08:00). The games as scheduled are as follows:

**Pool E**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chile | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 58 | 29 | +29 | 7 |
| Japan | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 39 | +21 | 7 |
| Uganda | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 7 |
| Georgia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 81 | –56 | 3 |

**Pool F**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Germany | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 26 | +51 | 9 |
| Hong Kong | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 52 | 50 | +2 | 5 |
| Zimbabwe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 51 | –16 | 5 |
| Papua New Guinea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 74 | –35 | 5 |

**Pool G**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ireland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 5 | +98 | 9 |
| Uruguay | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 41 | +19 | 7 |
| Jamaica | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 67 | –41 | 5 |
| Cook Islands | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 100 | –76 | 3 |

**Third place tiebreaker**

| Pl | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Uganda | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 7 |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 51 | -16 | 5 |
| 3 | Jamaica | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 67 | -41 | 5 |

### Knockout stage

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final – World Series qualifier | Final – World Series qualifier |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7 April 2018 – 18:18 – Hong Kong Stadium | 7 April 2018 – 18:18 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Germany | 26 | | | |
| Germany | 26 | 8 April 2018 – 12:32 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 12:32 – Hong Kong Stadium | | |
| Uganda | 0 | 8 April 2018 – 12:32 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 12:32 – Hong Kong Stadium | |
| Uganda | 0 | Germany | 19 | |
| 7 April 2018 – 18:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | 7 April 2018 – 18:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | | Germany | 19 | |
| 7 April 2018 – 18:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | 7 April 2018 – 18:42 – Hong Kong Stadium | Chile | 12 | |
| Chile | 24 | Chile | 12 | |
| Chile | 24 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 16:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 16:30 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Hong Kong | 12 | | | | 8 April 2018 – 16:30 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 16:30 – Hong Kong Stadium |
| Hong Kong | 12 | | | | Germany | 14 |
| 7 April 2018 – 19:04 – Hong Kong Stadium | 7 April 2018 – 19:04 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | | Germany | 14 |
| 7 April 2018 – 19:04 – Hong Kong Stadium | 7 April 2018 – 19:04 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | | Japan | 19 |
| Japan | 26 | | | | Japan | 19 |
| Japan | 26 | 8 April 2018 – 12:54 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 12:54 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Uruguay | 19 | 8 April 2018 – 12:54 – Hong Kong Stadium | 8 April 2018 – 12:54 – Hong Kong Stadium | | | |
| Uruguay | 19 | Japan | 12 | | | |
| 7 April 2018 – 19:26 – Hong Kong Stadium | 7 April 2018 – 19:26 – Hong Kong Stadium | | Japan | 12 | | | |
| 7 April 2018 – 19:26 – Hong Kong Stadium | 7 April 2018 – 19:26 – Hong Kong Stadium | Ireland | 7 | |
| Ireland | 38 | Ireland | 7 | |
| Zimbabwe | 5 | | | |

Matches :

### Overall record

| Pos | Team | Wn/Ls | Pts Dif |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Japan | 5–1 | +38 |
| 2 | Germany | 5–1 | +79 |
| 3 | Ireland | 4–1 | +126 |
| 4 | Chile | 3–2 | +36 |
| 5 | Uruguay | 2–2 | +12 |
| 6 | Uganda | 2–2 | –20 |
| 7 | Hong Kong | 1–3 | –10 |
| 8 | Zimbabwe | 1–3 | –49 |
