TONGA will be the first overseas team to arrive in the country for the Uprising Fiji International 7s tournament.
The Etuate Waqa-coached side will be in the country today for the two-day tournament which begins on Friday at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
Uprising 7s organising committee chairman Culden Kamea said the Australian Thunderbolts and Samoa arrive tomorrow.
Gordon Tietjens New Zealand Emerging 7s will be in by Thursday.
The visiting teams, along with the Digicel Fiji Barbarians and FMF Fiji Warriors, are using the annual event to prepare for the Wellington 7s tournament which will be played on February 1 and 2.
Kamea said the inclusion of the overseas teams would raise the profile of the tournament.
Australia Thunderbolts and Samoa have competed in the tournament before and for Tonga and NZ Emerging 7s, this will be their first Uprising 7s experience.
He said the visiting teams were preparing well, participating in tournaments in their countries as build-up for the Uprising 7s.
"Samoa will bring their strongest team ever to this year's tournament," he added.
Meanwhile, Kamea said all the pools were equally tough and fans were in for some exciting 7s rugby next weekend.
"We seeded the teams who are playing in this tournament before drawing the pools. There is no easy pool and easy game," he added.
LICI Pool: Ministry of Health Wardens, FWCC Red Rock, Tokatoka Barbarians, Yamacia
Ministry of Health Pool: Digicel Fiji Barbarians, TCC Tonga, LICI Police, Lomaiviti Barbarians
FWCC Pool: Samoa, Aussie Thunderbolts, Lautoka Hurricanes, Samurai Barracudas
FMF Foods Pool: NZ Emerging 7s, FMF Fiji Warriors, URF Army, Uprising 7s