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South Africa, Kenya and France have arrived in Tangier, Morocco as front runners to land the sixth Tangier Sevens starting today (8th May) and finishing tomorrow (9th May).

South Africa are the runaway IRB Sevens World Series leaders, while the Kenyans are enjoying their best ever season reaching the final in the last leg in Adelaide. Currently ranked sixth in the IRB standings, Benjamin Ayimba and his side will use the key African event to warm up for the final two rounds of the season, the Emirates Airline London Sevens on 23-24 May and the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens on 30-31 May.

The South African side making their way to Morocco is effectively a Emerging Springbok side – donned the SA Vipers. Up and comming sevens sensation Earl Lewis, who plays for the Golden Lions and the University of Johannesburg (UJ), has excelled in recent times most notably at the Melrose Sevens where he picked the award most outstanding player at the tournament. Another interesting selection is that of the versatile and former Sevens Bok Jandré Blom, who has been playing Super 14, Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup rugby for the Cheetahs in recent times.

The presence of five other African nations - Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Algeria and hosts Morocco - as well as a shadow French national team, Les Bleus, gives the event, held at the Stade Marchan, a genuinely competitive edge.

Uganda is one nation hoping for a reversal in fortunes in the seven-a-side game. Often put in the shadows by the success of their female contemporaries, the Lady Cranes, new coach Ronnie Lutakome has included a fresh batch of youngsters to kick-start a new generation of Ugandan rugby. Names such as Ambrose Kamanyiire, Lawrence Wakabi, Chris Lubanga, Oscar Kalyango are names for the future for the developing rugby nation.

Recent winners of the competition were the Les Bleus who won in 2007 beating Tunisia in the final. But it was the Tunisians who got their revenge last year, deservedly taking the title, whilst going on to impresses at the recent World Cup in Dubai. Other notable winners were Morocco, who took the title in 2004/5. The tournament also provides a first for the three Magreb countries, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, who compete together in a Sevens tournament for the first time.

The Tangier Sevens was started six years ago as a satellite tournament to help develop the shorter version of the game in Africa, in accordance with standards set by the Africa Rugby Confederation (CAR).

"As the gateway between Africa and Europe, Tangier lends itself magnificently to an international rugby event," said CAR President Abdelaziz Bougja.

"This event was set up to exhibit all that is good about African rugby and it continues to do so.

"Sevens is also the perfect vehicle to develop rugby in Africa because it is so easy to play, to watch and to understand. Through Sevens we can get men, women, boys and girls involved in rugby, we can train teachers more easily how to coach rugby and of course our top teams can better prepare for the IRB Sevens World Series.

"With rugby's Olympic aspirations in the form of Sevens, it's an extremely exciting sport to promote and follow."

Pool A
South Africa
Committee of Languedoc (France)
COC Casablanca
Morocco

Pool B
Kenya
Western South Ovalie Sevens (France)
Algeria
AR Tangier

Pool C
Tunisia
Lorraine Alsace Committee (France)
Morocco Schools I
University of Morocco

Pool D
France
Uganda
Ivory Coast
Morocco Schools II