Ahead of this week’s HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Hong Kong, all 12 competing sides have named their final squads.
For Asia, Hong Kong, Japan and Kazakhstan will all be competing and looking to follow in the footsteps of China who won this tournament in 2018.
Back then all three Asian sides were grouped together but this time, all three are in different pools.
Japan will start as one of the favourites for the tournament having been relegated from the series the previous year, but both Hong Kong and Kazakhstan will be looking to make their mark on the tournament.
For Japan, Chiharu Nakamura will once again captain an experienced side including the likes of Yume Okuroda, Yume Hirano and rising star Honoka Tsutsumi.
Her side will face pool matches against Mexico, Scotland and Belgium, while hosts Hong Kong face a pool against two African sides in Kenya and Uganda, as well as Papua New Guinea.
For Kazakhstan, their pool matches will be against Argentina, Brazil and Poland.
JAPAN: Chiharu Nakamura (captain), Yume Okuroda, Mateitoga Bogidraumainadave, Rinka Matsuda, Mele Yua Havili Kagawa, Honoka Tsutsumi, Yume Hirano, Iroha Nagata, Riho Kurogi, Yuki Ito, Yoko Suzuki, Tomomi Kozasa
HONG KONG: Melody Li Nim-yan (captain), Agnes Chan Tsz-Ching, Stephanie Chan, Ka-yan Chong, Jessica Eden, Jessica Ho Wai-On, Ivy Kwong Sau-yan, Sarah Lucas, Maelle Picut, Hoi-yan Poon, Amy Pyle, Colleen Tsjovold
KAZAKHSTAN: Nigora Nurmatova, Alina Askerova, Liliya Bazyaruk, Karina Proskhrina, Olessya Teryayeva, Kundyzay Baktybayeva, Anna Yakovleva (captain), Svetlana Klyuchnikova, Balzhan Koishyabayeva, Darya Tkachyova, Lyudmila Korotkikh
