Singapore is the second of four competitions this month, with the next being the two weekends of the Challenger Series in Stellenbosch, South Africa, on April 20-22 and 28-30. The Challenger offers one team the chance to claim a season-long place in the World Series, which Hong Kong presently appear in only sporadically as an invited side.

Accordingly, the squad named by the Hong Kong Rugby Union reflects a need to build strength in depth and competition for places, coach Jevon Groves said.

“There is a bigger picture this month with the Challenger Series,” Groves said. “Hong Kong and the Singapore Sevens will show where we are at now. The Challenger is not an easy thing to win, it will be tough, but we have to give guys the opportunity to push for those spots now.

“The nature of this squad has evolved in the last couple of years. We used 21 players over the November period last year and will probably call on that again. We have to give guys that opportunity and see who comes out on top at the end of the month. Hopefully, that competition will drive the guys in their performance as well.”

It will need to, because Groves’ side have been drawn in Pool A with three of the rugby world’s heavyweights, in New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. The New Zealanders last weekend won the Hong Kong Sevens for the first time since 2014.

The five players retained from Hong Kong include forward Alessandro Nardoni, who will be captain in Singapore. Fellow forward Callum McCullough is also given a second opportunity to stake a claim for the South Africa trip, as are backs Max Denmark and Liam Herbert, while Mak Kwai-chung’s versatility is needed again.

“Max is always a threat, as he showed last weekend, and it is good to have Liam as well,” Groves said. “He complements Max in terms of how they play together, so it’s exciting to see them back, and with [Mak] there are lots of threats across the board.”

Hong Kong Premiership star Fong Kit-fung has been given an opportunity to impress, while playmaker Jamie Hood returns to the squad.

Michael Coverdale, Kane Boucaut and James Sawyer will provide muscle up front, while Hong Kong 15-a-side cap Bryn Phillips joins Asian Games gold medallist Eric Kwok Pak-nga and Jack Combes in completing the backs.

“Bryn had a good tournament in Borneo last month,” Groves said. “He proved he can handle the kicking game for us and we felt he deserved another chance to show what he can do.”

After watching his players reward the committed backing of their home crowd last Sunday at Hong Kong Stadium, Groves is hungry for more this weekend.

“The challenge is for the boys to be consistent,” he said. “These two weeks will refocus where we are going into that Challenger, so a couple of tough games is not going to be a bad thing.

“I’m not too concerned about outcomes and winning games. There is a part of me that always does, as an ex-player as well, but the challenge is for us is being consistent in our performance over the weekend.

“If we do that then I know we will produce the attacking threat and tries. If we can be more consistent without the ball, I think that is where we can get a couple of results.”

Hong Kong squad for Singapore Sevens (April 8-9)

Alessandro Nardoni (captain), Kane Boucaut, Jack Combes, Michael Coverdale, Max Denmark, Fong Kit-fung, Liam Herbert, Jamie Hood, Eric Kwok Pak-nga, Callum McCullough, Mak Kwai-chung, Bryn Phillips, James Sawyer.

Saturday’s matches

v New Zealand 10.36am

v South Africa 1.40pm

v Australia 5.06pm