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With the Word Cup done and dusted attention now immediately turns to the Cathay Pacific / Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens. Known at the jewel of the IRB Sevens World Series crown, this year's event at the superb Hong Kong Stadium marks 32 years of Sevens rugby in the country and 10 years of involvement on the World Series.

Traditionally a celebration and development tool for Asian rugby, the event continues to offer a showcase for the region's best teams with six of the continent's nations competing - Japan, China, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Sri Lanka and the hosts Hong Kong.

Joint Series leader, England face newly crowned World Champions Wales in Pool B with Japan and China making up the group.

Co-leaders and number one seeds, South Africa, will also be pushed in Pool A tackling France, Korea, and Uruguay in Pool A.

Defending champions New Zealand will be licking their wounds from Dubai, crashing out in the quarter-final stages to Wales. Still seeking their first Cup victory of the season their toughest test will come against trans-Tasman rivals Australia with Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka also in the group. 

USA Sevens winners and RWC Finalists Argentina head Pool D as fourth seeds and face three tough matches against Portugal, Tonga and Hong Kong in arguably the toughest of the pools.

Fiji and Samoa square up in Pool E where they also play Canada and Chinese Taipei, while Kenya, Scotland and USA go head to head in Pool F along with a combined West Indies side, who kick off proceedings against the Kenyans on the Friday evening.

England and South Africa have both accumulated 60 World Series points at the half way stage in the season, eight clear of third-placed New Zealand and another four ahead of Argentina.

The format for Hong Kong is similar to World Cup with Pool winners and two best sides placed finishing second advancing to the quarter-finals, spread out over three days. However, with 30 points up for grabs to the Cup winner, history shows that the Hong Kong event can be crucial in deciding the outcome of the Series.

This could especially be the case this season such is the fierce competition and openness of every event.

One of the best loved events on the sporting calendar, the Hong Kong Sevens never struggles to sell-out with the 5,000 tickets allocated for public sale going in just over two hours. With strong demand from local and overseas audiences, the three-day event expects to welcome 120,000 visitors on 27-29 March 2009.

Hong Kong Sevens

Pool A - South Africa, France, Uruguay, Korea
Pool B - England, Wales Japan, China
Pool C - New Zealand, Australia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka
Pool D - Argentina, Portugal, Tonga, Hong Kong
Pool E - Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Chinese Taipei
Pool F - Kenya, USA, Scotland, West Indies

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If you are looking to get hold of tickets to the Hong Kong Sevens, there are a limited supply available on Viagogo. They'll sell out soon though so act now to avoid dissapointment!