Dubai kicks off new era in Sevens Series
Fiji Airways Fijian 7s and Fijiana 7s Captains Paula Dranisinukula and Rusila Nagasau are ready to kick off the first of a record six combined men’s and women’s events on the HSBC World Sevens Series at Dubai 7s this weekend.
Dubai 7s marks the dawn of a new era for rugby sevens as we see an increase in the combine men’s and women’s Sevens leg.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Dubai Sevens takes place on 5-7 December and will bring together 28 teams from across the globe for three days of non-stop rugby sevens.
There’s not much of a winning history for our Fijian 7s at Dubai so far securing only 2 Dubai 7s title back in 2013 and 2015 but the boys are ready to replicate their successful form this season.
Fijian 7s Captain Paula Dranisinukula emphasized how tougher the competition will be for them saying it’ll be a good challenge as world champions.
“We love what we do, we know it’s tough and it will be tougher than last year. When you are world champions it is very hard to stay at that level, but it’s a good challenge for the boys.”
Fijiana will be entering the Dubai 7s highly motivated and confidence after qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games during the Oceania 7s earlier last month.
Coach Saiasi Fuli has seen major improvements from the team as he added there’s “a lot of improvement in the attitude of the players on and off the field after making it through to the Olympic Games” said Fuli.
“Majority of the squad traveling to Dubai and Cape Town are the ones who played well at the Oceania 7s.”
In a first for the Dubai Sevens, all 64 men’s and women’s games will be played on the main pitch.
The action gets underway at 2.50pm local time on 5 December. Spain and Ireland will be the first teams to take to the field with Australia and Fiji completing the line-up in Pool B of the women’s competition.
Last season’s runners-up, USA, newly-promoted Brazil, Canada and Russia feature in Pool A, with title holders New Zealand, England, France and invitational side Japan representing Pool B.
In the men’s competition, Samoa and Canada will get the proceedings underway at 5.06pm after the first round of women’s pool games on day one.
They will be joined by reigning Dubai champions New Zealand and Wales in Pool C, while Australia, Scotland, 2019 runners-up USA and Ireland are drawn in Pool B.
World Series champions Fiji will face France, Argentina and invitational outfit Japan in Pool A, with England, Spain, South Africa and Kenya lining up in Pool D.
11 men’s and ten women’s teams have so far qualified for Tokyo 2020 with last season’s world series acting as the principal route for qualification where the top four teams in the men’s and women’s competitions automatically qualified.
Only three places remain to be confirmed – one men’s and two women’s – with the Global Repechage tournament next June determining which teams will occupy the final spots.