Tonga will have a chance to secure a spot in the next season of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series by competing in a qualifying tournament in Hong Kong on 5 – 6 April.
The winner of the men’s World Rugby Sevens Series Qualifiers will secure core status in the 2020 sevens series.
Tonga has drawn Pool E with hosts Hong Kong, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines. In Pool F is Ireland, Russia, Uruguay and Jamaica while in Pool G is Chile, Germany, Uganda, and Cook Islands.
Twelve women’s teams will also compete in the qualifiers with Papua New Guinea the only Pacific team taking part.
Alongside these qualifiers, the men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series will take place as teams compete to win the main tournament. At the end of the 2019 series, the top four teams are guaranteed to qualify for the Olympics.
Tonga featured on the 2019 sevens series as the invitational side in Hamilton and Sydney and is placed at 17 with 5 points in the current World Rugby Sevens standings.
Last weekend, Tonga joined the All Blacks Sevens Development side at Pukekohe, New Zealand in a five game tournament as part of their preparation for the Sevens Series Qualifier.