Samoa will face Pacific rivals Tonga in their pool ©Getty Images

Pacific rivals Samoa and Tonga will meet in the same group of the men's rugby sevens Olympic qualification tournament in Monaco.

The island nations will be joined by Ireland and Zimbabwe in Pool A for the event at Stade Louis II, as sevens prepares to make its debut on the Olympic stage.

Competition is set to be fierce with only the winners of the 16-team event booking their place at the Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Pool B features Canada, Germany, Uruguay and Sri Lanka while Russia, Chile, Morocco and Tunisia will contest Pool C.

Hong Kong, Spain, Mexico and South Korea make-up Pool D with the top two from each progressing to the quarter-finals.

Action will take place in Monaco on June 18 and 19, with Fiji, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, United States, France, Japan, Australia and Kenya already qualified for Rio alongside hosts Brazil.

The women's qualification tournament will take place at Dublin's UCD Bowl on June 25 and 26.

Hosts Ireland will be one of the seeds at the women's tournament in Dublin
Hosts Ireland will be one of the seeds at the women's tournament in Dublin ©Getty Images

The draw for the opening stage has been made with the exception of the top three seeds Russia, Spain and hosts Ireland, who will be allocated to either Pool A, B or C.

This will happen after the final round of the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series in Clermont-Ferrand, France, this weekend.

Pool A currently features Samoa, Zimbabwe and Madagascar with Mexico, Venezuela and Tunisia in Pool B.

China, Portugal and Trinidad and Tobago are the countries in Pool C with Pool D - the only completed pool - consisting of Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Cook Islands. 

Again only one place in Rio is available, with Brazil, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, Colombia, United States, France, Kenya, Fiji and Japan already assured of their place.

Outgoing World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset, who will be replaced by England's Bill Beaumont before the Olympics begin in August, said: "In this game-changing year for our sport, rugby sevens continues to reach, engage and inspire new audiences in record levels ahead of our Olympic Games return.

"At the heart of this success story are the feats of the men's and women's teams from around the globe who have been inspired by the opportunity to compete at the Games.

"I would like to wish the 32 teams left in the process the very best of luck and look forward to two very compelling and intensely competitive events in Monaco and Dublin.”