The International Rugby Board (IRB) has confirmed the pools for the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, which will be staged at The Sevens Stadium from December 4-6, 2014.
In the men’s draw, top seeds Fiji, who won the Dubai leg last year and defeated Samoa to win this year’s first round of the men’s HSBC Sevens World Series on Australia’s Gold Coast on 12 October, have been drawn alongside Argentina, France and Brazil.
Fiji will be the favourites in the men’s draw after romping to the Gold Coast title despite fielding as many as four debutantes in the side that beat Samoa 31-24 in the final. Fiji is in fine form after also defeating New Zealand to win the Oceania Sevens at the beginning of October.
Samoa, victors in Dubai in 2012, head Pool B where their biggest opponents will be New Zealand, who have stumbled early in their quest to retain the overall men’s HSBC Sevens World Series title.
England, who finished fourth in the Series last year, head Pool C where their toughest opponents appear to be Australia. Gold Coast Bowl division winners USA and Round 1 Shield runners-up Kenya round off what could be one of the toughest pools in Dubai.
South Africa will be the favourites to advance from Pool D. The Blitzboks were second behind New Zealand in the overall standings last season and took gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and are expected to account for Wales, Canada and Portugal.
In the women’s draw, the team to beat will be New Zealand, who will be bidding for a third successive IRB Women’s Sevens World Series title. The other teams in this pool include Russia, the United States, and China.
Australia will head up Pool B. Winners in Dubai last year, Australia finished a mere 4 points behind New Zealand in the World Series rankings, after New Zealand won three legs to Australia’s two. Spain will be the other team to watch out for in this group which also includes France and South Africa.
Canada, third in the overall standings last season, will head Pool C ahead of England. The two outsiders in this pool are Fiji and Brazil.
“We have been privileged to see many fiercely-contested matches over the years at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens. However, what adds some extra spice to this year’s tournaments in Dubai is the race to snap up direct Olympic qualification spots,” said Jim Fitzsimons, Tournament Director.
“The draw here offers some really exciting match-ups right from the group stage, in both the men’s and women’s divisions. There’s lots of potential for upsets as well, which means no team can take anything for granted. Fans can once again look forward to exciting and closely-fought encounters,” he added.
Tickets are now on sale for the three day annual rugby extravaganza, and huge crowds are once again expected to attend one of the region’s favourite sporting and social occasions of the year. For all the information about the event and tickets go to www.dubairugby7s.com.
Men’s Pools:
|
POOL A |
POOL B |
POOL C |
POOL D |
|
Fiji |
Samoa |
England |
South Africa |
|
Argentina |
New Zealand |
Australia |
Wales |
|
France |
Scotland |
USA |
Canada |
|
Brazil |
Japan |
Kenya |
Portugal |
Women’s Pools:
|
POOL A |
POOL B |
POOL C |
|
New Zealand |
Australia |
Canada |
|
Russia |
Spain |
England |
|
USA |
France |
Fiji |
|
China |
South Africa |
Brazil |