HARARE - Following the announcement of their one-off test tour of Zimbabwe next April, the Hong Kong Rugby Union has confirmed their Sevens side will also be traveling to the Zimbabwean capital for the second edition of the Spar International Sevens a month earlier.

Relations between Zimbabwe and Hong Kong seemed to have been strengthened after an understrength Sables gave the Asian side a scare at the recent Emirates Airline Cup of Nations in Dubai, where Hong Kong escaped with a 22-7 win.

Hong Kong will be accompanied to Harare by Africa’s second-best Sevens team, Kenya, to complete the 12-team list for the tournament, to be staged for a second year running at Harare Sports Club's cricket section.

“We want to have more spectators, we want to reach out to more people,” said Zimbabwe Sevens manager Bruce Hobson yesterday.

“We are looking at areas we need to improve. The teams (for next year) are bigger, so it’s gonna be bigger.”

Zimbabwe, Kenya, Hong Kong, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia are the full international sides to battle for honours. They will be joined by South African provincial sides Blue Bulls, Pumas, Buffaloes as well as South Africa Sevens Academy and Zimbabwe’s second string outfit, the Goshawks.