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Australia is preparing itself for the latest leg of the IRB World Sevens Series when the Adelaide Oval plays host starting this Friday evening.

The very nature of modern international Sevens dictates that all four pools will provide compelling match-ups on the opening two days in Adelaide, although Pool B stands out as being particularly tough, the only group containing four 'core' ever-presents on the World Series. Hong Kong champions will be pushed hard by Argentina, cruelly denied in the Hong Kong quarters with the last kick of the game - Lolo Lui's magical drop-goal, with France and Scotland also in.

Newly-crowned Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Wales face New Zealand in Pool D on the Friday night. The Welsh beat Gordon Tietjens' side 15-14 in their World Cup quarter final and also overcame the Kiwis in Wellington in February, so there is much riding on the outcome of that match. Yet they have been stripped of the majority of that Dubai World Cup squad and consequently struggled in Hong Kong losing at the Plate Semi-Final stage to Canada.

New Zealand are currently winless after five tournaments, a far cry from last year, when they came to Adelaide on the back of five successive tournament triumphs to have the series all but sown up.As well as facing each other in what New Zealand and Wales play USA and Tonga, with the latter walking away from Hong Kong with the Plate.

England's clash against Samoa also provides a chance for revenge following the islanders' thrilling 31-26 sudden-death extra time win in the Melrose Cup quarter finals in Dubai. First up though will be a stiff examination from hosts Australia on the Friday in Pool A. As well as facing Ben Ryan's England team and Samoa in Pool A, the hosts face Portugal, who took the Bowl in Hong Kong

Series leader and 2008 Adelaide winners South Africa, head up Pool C with a mouth-watering clash with African rivals Kenya set for Saturday night. The Boks currently lie top of the Series standings on 84, 18 points clear of nearest rivals England and the ever improving Kenya notched up another win against the Kiwis in Hong Kong. Japan, with the formidable Alisi Tupuailei scorer of five tries in Hong Kong, and the Cook Islands making up the rest of the group.

Adelaide 2008 Tournament Draw and Schedule