Fiji seeks back-to-back trophies
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 05, 2009 00:00
DUBAI - Defending champion Fiji will seek to become the sole country to win back-to-back titles when the three-day IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens gets underway today.
Fiji has won the four-yearly event twice, in 1997 and lastly in 2005 in Hong Kong, and it would be a brave pundit to write their chances off.
"I believe we have a good team and I believe we are capable of defending the World Cup," said Vilimoni Delasau. "It's not going to be easy - defending the World Cup is every team's aim but we have been playing well here."
The two-time RWC Sevens winner faces France, Georgia and USA in Pool B, and Delasau was under no illusions that progress to the Cup quarterfinals will be difficult.
"We are in a tough pool. To play Georgia and then the USA and France is hard."
The Pool B contains two of the potential stars of the tournament in Takudzwa Ngwenya of the USA and Julien Malzieu of France.
Zimbabwe-born Ngwenya was one of the stand-out players at the Rugby World Cup in France two years ago, his performances warranting enough attention that he was immediately snapped up by French first division club Biarritz.
Elusive Clermont flyer Malzieu has won five caps for France's 15-a-side team, scoring a try on his debut against Scotland in last year's Six Nations tournament. The presence of the towering 25-year-old will be a major boost to the French squad.
Wide open
The World Series is wide open this season, Argentina beating England in San Diego in the final leg before the event. England and South Africa share the lead in the series with 60 points, eight clear of New Zealand on 52. Argentina is fourth on 48, ahead of Fiji.
The English line up in Pool E alongside potential upset package Kenya, and Tunisia and Hong Kong.
England will hope that Isoa Damudamu shows his true potential in the tournament. The long-striding flanker, 27, scored the decisive try when England beat New Zealand 19-17 to win the Wellington Sevens, outflanking the covering defense after the hooter had sounded for full time.
Gio Aplon is likely to lead South Africa to progress easily from a Pool C, which includes Scotland, Canada and Japan. He is a player who makes up for his comparative smallness with his strong running.
New Zealand has drawn Tonga, the Arabian Gulf and Italy in Pool A.
DJ Forbes, New Zealand and IRB sevens player of the year in 2008, played in the Wellington leg of the World Sevens Series but then missed the San Diego leg when the Kiwis alarmingly crashed out in the quarterfinals. Veteran coach Gordon Tietjens will hope his captain will be back to full form to bolster his squad.
Samoa, Australia, Portugal and Ireland are in Pool D, while Argentina, Wales, Zimbabwe and Uruguay complete the line-up in Pool F.
"I believe we have a good team and I believe we are capable of defending the World Cup," said Vilimoni Delasau. "It's not going to be easy - defending the World Cup is every team's aim but we have been playing well here."
The two-time RWC Sevens winner faces France, Georgia and USA in Pool B, and Delasau was under no illusions that progress to the Cup quarterfinals will be difficult.
"We are in a tough pool. To play Georgia and then the USA and France is hard."
The Pool B contains two of the potential stars of the tournament in Takudzwa Ngwenya of the USA and Julien Malzieu of France.
Zimbabwe-born Ngwenya was one of the stand-out players at the Rugby World Cup in France two years ago, his performances warranting enough attention that he was immediately snapped up by French first division club Biarritz.
Elusive Clermont flyer Malzieu has won five caps for France's 15-a-side team, scoring a try on his debut against Scotland in last year's Six Nations tournament. The presence of the towering 25-year-old will be a major boost to the French squad.
Wide open
The World Series is wide open this season, Argentina beating England in San Diego in the final leg before the event. England and South Africa share the lead in the series with 60 points, eight clear of New Zealand on 52. Argentina is fourth on 48, ahead of Fiji.
The English line up in Pool E alongside potential upset package Kenya, and Tunisia and Hong Kong.
England will hope that Isoa Damudamu shows his true potential in the tournament. The long-striding flanker, 27, scored the decisive try when England beat New Zealand 19-17 to win the Wellington Sevens, outflanking the covering defense after the hooter had sounded for full time.
Gio Aplon is likely to lead South Africa to progress easily from a Pool C, which includes Scotland, Canada and Japan. He is a player who makes up for his comparative smallness with his strong running.
New Zealand has drawn Tonga, the Arabian Gulf and Italy in Pool A.
DJ Forbes, New Zealand and IRB sevens player of the year in 2008, played in the Wellington leg of the World Sevens Series but then missed the San Diego leg when the Kiwis alarmingly crashed out in the quarterfinals. Veteran coach Gordon Tietjens will hope his captain will be back to full form to bolster his squad.
Samoa, Australia, Portugal and Ireland are in Pool D, while Argentina, Wales, Zimbabwe and Uruguay complete the line-up in Pool F.