• • Facebook
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Stumble Upon
  • Furl

The IRB have announced that the four sides to compete with the other 12 ‘core’ series teams at the Adelaide leg of the World Sevens Series are Portugal, Japan, Tonga, and Cook Islands.

The Australian event follows on from the long-established Hong Kong tournament and is the sixth leg of the 2008/09 IRB Sevens World Series.

South Africa will travel to Adelaide as defending champions after they memorably brought an end to New Zealand's 47-match winning streak to beat them in the Cup final and claim the 2008 title.

Japan has yet to play on this season's circuit, missing the Dubai tournament in late November and the South African event in George the following week.

Coached by revered former Test player Wataru Murata, who represented his country at three Rugby World Cup tournaments, the Japanese will join the series for the fourth leg in San Diego, United States – three weeks before the IRB Rugby Word Cup Sevens in Dubai from March 5 to 7.

Japan are also due at the US, Hong Kong and World Cup Sevens, before arriving in Adelaide for a new-look extended format that includes three days of competition with pool matches on the Friday.

Meanwhile Portugal, inspired by the elusive Pedro Leal, have arguably been this season's surprise package upsetting some of the big names in reaching the Cup quarter finals in George.

The Cooks and Tonga have not been on show yet this season but are also both involved at the next event on the circuit the NZI Sevens in Wellington. Tonga will compete at the World Cup after succeeding in qualifying last year.

The confirmation of the 16 teams to play in Adelaide coincides with the start of the 50-day countdown to the Rugby World Cup Sevens.