New Zealand Sevens draw announced
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Pivotal pool matches await the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens teams on day one of the hotly anticipated and final HSBC New Zealand Sevens in Hamilton on January 21-22.
The last World Sevens Series to be held in New Zealand, the Hamilton Tournament sees the Black Ferns Sevens pooled with Fiji, Great Britain and Papua New Guinea and the All Blacks Sevens with Great Britain, Australia and Tonga.
Having been on New Zealand’s sporting calendar for more than two decades, the tournament will see the addition of a second playing field next to FMG Stadium Waikato to enable the full men’s and women’s draws to be played over two action-packed days.
Hamilton is the third round of the current women's series, the Black Ferns Sevens lead alongside Australia following their impressive victory in Cape Town in December.
The pool draw for the women’s event at FMG Stadium Waikato sees Ireland and Brazil get the tournament under way on Saturday, 21 January, at 10.38am in Pool C, with the Black Ferns Sevens taking the field for the first time against Pool A opponents Papua New Guinea at 11.44am.
The Black Ferns Sevens will also play Fiji on day one before rounding out the women’s pool play against Great Britain at 8.03PM in the final game of the day.
Australia women’s is grouped with France, Canada and Japan in Pool B. The USA will be aiming for their third podium finish and are in Pool C with Ireland, Brazil and Spain. The men’s schedule sees series co-leaders (alongside Samoa) South Africa kicking off day one against Canada. While hosts the All Blacks Sevens play Tonga at 10.16am, then Australia at 2.06pm and finish against Great Britain on Field Two at 7.35pm.
Series co-leaders Samoa is in Pool A together with Pacific Island neighbours Fiji as well as France and Kenya. Pool C includes the USA, Uruguay, Ireland and Japan. South Africa, winners in Dubai last year, are in Pool D with Argentina, Spain and Canada.
