The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens

Date: 29th November - 1st December

2012 Champions: Samoa and New Zealand

Samoa's men claimed the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens Cup while the New Zealand women's team won the first ever IRB Women's Sevens World Series at 7he Sevens.

Much to the festive crowd's delight, Samoa managed to grab their first ever Series win at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens with a 26-15 victory over New Zealand in the Cup Final. Samoa deserved their win, scoring their first try after just 12 seconds and never trailing in the match to the much-fancied Kiwis.

Samoa captain, Afa Aiono, said: “It was a great win for the boys. We have a young squad, but they believed they could do the job.

“They played really well and this is our first win in Dubai. We have been looking forward to winning here and I am really proud of them. They played really well.

“If we are consistent in our performances for the rest of the Series, we can hopefully win it again.”   

After gliding past Wales in the Quarterfinals, Samoa overcame an inspirational France side 12-5 in the Semifinals.

Last year’s Finalists France had to settle for fourth place as they lost the Third Place Play-Off to Kenya, who continue to improve under Coach Mike Friday.

The rest of the silverware was shared between Plate winners Wales, who beat Canada 21-14 in the Final; England, who beat Dubai debutant’s Spain 26-5 in the Shield Final; and Argentina, who beat South Africa 14-10 to take the Bowl.

New Zealand women's side claimed the first ever IRB Women's Sevens World Series Cup with a 41-0 demolition of South Africa in the Cup Final.

The Time Is Now...

The stage is set for the biggest and best Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens in the tournament’s 43-year history. Almost 100,000 fans are expected to converge on 7he Sevens to watch 16 world-class men’s teams and the top 12 women’s national sides, as well as a record-breaking 175 Invitation teams, battle it out over the three-day festival of rugby.

Aiming to stamp their authority on the tournament again will be defending champions England, who are shooting for a hat-trick of wins. They finished third in the 2011/12 HSBC Sevens World Series and have made a disappointing start to this campaign, but coach Ben Ryan is hoping they can put a poor showing at the recent Gold Coast Sevens behind them and return to the winners’ podium for a third successive year.  

“We are desperate to make sure we do everything we possibly can to make it three titles in a row,” he said. “We’ve got an excellent record in Dubai, better than any other team in the world in the last five years, and now we need to use that to our advantage. We want to retain our trophy and the lads just love playing here."

Hoping to rain on England’s parade will be Series champions New Zealand, who have made a strong start to the season, finishing second behind Fiji in Australia.

Sevens Men's Team Profiles

England

England won the Dubai Sevens in both 2011 and 2010. Despite winning the past two Dubai Sevens England have never won the Sevens World Series and sit 4^th in the overall standings. England lost to Spain in the Australian Sevens last month but will hope for a hat-trick of victories in Dubai.

Fiji

Fiji are arguably one of the best Sevens teams in the world. They have won the Hong Kong Sevens a record 9 times and have won two Sevens World Cups, both of those staged in Hong Kong. Having said that, the Fiji side have only managed one Sevens World Series but did start off in a winning manor this season at the Australia Sevens last month.

New Zealand

New Zealand are by far the most successful Sevens side there is. The All Blacks have won the Sevens World Series a record 11 times. To back that up, they have won four gold medals at the commonwealth games and won the Sevens World Cup in 2001. New Zealand were runners up at the first event in Australia last month.

South Africa

South Africa won the Sevens World Series in 2009 with a 19 – 12 win against England in Dubai helping them along their way.  Last time out South Africa lost to eventual winners Fiji in the semi finals in Australia. They finished 5^th in the standings last season.

Samoa

Samoa won the HSBC World Sevens Series in 2010 after beating England in the semi finals at the Scotland Sevens. Samoa are one of the smallest nations to compete in the Sevens with a population of just 180,000. The Samoans were previously finalists in Dubai in 2009 but lost to New Zealand.

Wales

Wales are the current Sevens World Cup champions having won the tournament in Dubai in 2009. Wales have failed to finish in the top 6 of all the Sevens World Series to date and finished 3^rd in their group behind Argentina and France at the last Sevens event in Australia.

France

France have reached the Quarter Finals on the Sevens World Cup on 3 occasions in 1997, 2005 and 2009.  France have never finished inside the top 6 of the HSBC World Series and were knocked out at the Quarter final stage against South Africa in Australia last month, the first Sevens event of the season.

United States

The United States Sevens team enjoyed their best Sevens World Series in the 2009/2010 season with a 10^th place finish.  They were 14^th in the first event of this season in Australia. Their largest ever win came against Thailand in Bangkok as they won 62 – 0.

Australia

Australia have won 5 Hong Kong Sevens and can also add the London Sevens in 2010 and Japan in 2012 to their honors list. Australia have finished in the top 6 of the World Series on the last two occasions but have never finished as champions. They lost to Japan at the Quarter Final stage at their home Sevens in October.

Canada

The Canadians finished in 13^th place for the 2011/2012 World Sevens series. They won the Shield in Hong Kong and the Bowl in the USA last season and reached the bowl Semi Final stage in Australia before coming to Dubai.

Argentina

Argentina last won a Sevens event at the USA Sevens in 2009 when they beat England 19 – 14 in the final. They finished 7^th in last season’s series with 92 points. They come to Dubai having won the plate in Australia last month.

Kenya

Kenya finished the 2011/2012 sevens series in 12^th place with 40 points. Their best tournament was the USA Sevens in Las Vegas where they picked up 13 points. Dubai saw them pick up 2 points and at this season’s opening event in Australia last month they were beaten by the home nation at the plate quarter final stage.

Russia

Russia’s 2011/2012 Sevens World Series was less than inspiring. They managed to pick up points at just 3 events in Tokyo, Glasgow and London. Scotland being their best hunting ground where they got 8 points. Dubai will be their first event of this season.

Portugal

Portugal finished 15^th in last season’s World Sevens Series on 18 points. Despite an outstanding European Sevens Series history with 10 titles, Portugal have never achieved the same at the World Sevens Series. Last time out they lost to Scotland at the Shield Semi Final stage.

Scotland

Scotland finished in 10^th at last season’s World Series. They amassed 48 points and enjoyed their best success at both Dubai and South Africa. They took home the Shield last time out in Australia beating the United States 40 – 5.

Spain

Spain completed the 2011/2012 Sevens Series in 14^th position with 19 points. Their best event came in England at the London Sevens where they picked up 10 points. Spain won the bowl in Australia last month beating England 19 – 14.

Just one week to go...

There is only one week to go until the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens kicks off at 7he Sevens. Gates open on Thursday 29, November at 7:30am.

Breathless excitement, family entertainment andgripping drama collide with world-class rugby to create the three-day festival of fun and this year there are even more reasons to get your tickets to Dubai’s Favourite Sporting Event.

WATCH THE WORLD’S BEST SEVENS RUGBY

With the world’s best teams now seeded by the IRB, the HSBC Sevens World Series is the most competitive it has ever been. Top international men’s sides will battle it out like never before to be the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens champions.

WITNESS HISTORY

The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens is proud to host the first ever Round of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series. The top 12 women’s sevens teams will face off in the competition to find out who rules the roost ahead of the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

There are very few sporting events that are older than the country in which they are held, but that is the case for the Dubai Rugby Sevens. A sevens tournament has been held in Dubai for 43 years, a remarkable fact given the UAE will celebrate its 41st anniversary on 2^nd December - but it is fact indicative of the unique and successful history of the now-named Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens. 

As well as playing host to the sport’s best players as part of the HSBC Sevens World Series, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens also remains true to its roots by staging the world’s biggest Invitation tournament, which this year has over 190 teams competing, ranging from amateurs to non-seeded international teams. 

Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens Facts

The event will be celebrating its 43^rd year in 2012

The first day consists of local and international invitational teams in action with days two and three seeing the 16 international sides compete for the Emirates International Trophy in the IRB Sevens World Series.

Over 1,750 players will take part.

The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens is the second round of the nine-leg International Rugby Board Sevens World Series

England are the reigning Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens Champions

General admission gates open at 7.30am.

Corporate hospitality entrance opens at 8am.

Jim Fitzsimons General Manager

Tom Bushell speaks to Jim Fitzsimons, General Manager of The Sevens ahead of the 2012 tournament.

Justin Marshall

Justin Marshall, an All Black legend, has been in Dubai in the build up for the 2012 Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens. He spoke to Tom Bushell about everything rugby.

LOCAL NEWS

News is proudly sponsored by: