The seventh of 10 rounds of the 2019 World Rugby Sevens Series comes this weekend in Hong Kong. Through the first six rounds, the United States Eagles – with one win, four seconds and a fourth – remain in first place; the current standings:
1. 113 United States
2. 106 New Zealand
3. 101 Fiji
4. 89 South Africa
5. 80 England
The top four teams at the end of the season will be qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, so the implications of a high finish are immense. The Hong Kong pools:
● Pool A: South Africa, Samoa, Scotland, Japan
● Pool B: France, Argentina, Canada, Portugal
● Pool C: Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Kenya
● Pool D: United States, England, Wales, Spain
Last year in Hong Kong, Fiji defeated surprise finalist Kenya in the title game; the U.S. was sixth.
The U.S. now has the top seasonal scorer in Madison Hughes (198), who took over the lead from New Zealand’s Andrew Knewstubb (177) and John Porch (NZL: 175). Carlin Isles of the U.S. is fourth overall at 160 points, and Stephen Tomasin is eighth (131).
Isles leads all players in tries with 32, followed by Fiji’s Alasio Sovita Naduva (27) and England’s Dan Norton (24). Tomasin is tied for fourth with 21.
Look for results here.
