The IRB has confirmed the pool draw for round eight of the HSBC Sevens World Series, the Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens at Scotstoun Stadium on 4-5 May 2013.
The draw was made before the Cup final of the Tokyo Sevens, which was won by South Africa, as they came from behind to beat Series leaders New Zealand and take their second title of the season.
GLASGOW POOLS >> CLICK HERE
GLASGOW FIXTURES >> CLICK HERE
The Glasgow tournament will be crucial in deciding which of the current teams will need to re-qualify as core teams next season, with hosts Scotland near the danger zone. At the final round of the Series, the Marriott London Sevens the core teams ranked 13th, 14th and 15th after Glasgow, will play off for three available core team places next season with Asian champions Hong Kong, Russia, Zimbabwe, Tonga and Georgia – a scenario every core team wishes to avoid.
Despite both enjoying their best performance of the season in Tokyo, currently Scotland and USA are tied in joint-12th place, ahead of Portugal and Spain.
In Glasgow, Tokyo champions South Africa head Pool A and face arguably the toughest of the groups with matches on day one against Samoa, Kenya and Canada.
Tournament hosts Scotland were drawn in Pool B, which is headed by New Zealand and also features auld enemy England and Portugal.
The bronze winners in Tokyo, Australia, start in Pool C with matches against Hong Kong champions Fiji, Argentina and Spain.
France were the first team drawn into Pool D and they face USA, Wales and the Rugby World Cup Sevens hosts, Russia.
After seven of the nine rounds in the 2012/13 Series, defending champions New Zealand lead with 132 points from South Africa in second place on 100. Fiji are third (98), Samoa fourth (94) and Kenya and France tied in fifth (77).
SERIES STANDINGS >> CLICK HERE
