With only a day to go until a packed year of rugby sevens gets underway in the Dubai desert, we've picked seven players to light up the opening round of the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series 2018.

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MICHAELA BLYDE (NEW ZEALAND)

Where else could you start than with the newly-crowned World Rugby Women's Player of the Year in association with HSBC? The 21-year-old was in scintillating form under new Black Ferns Sevens coach Allan Bunting last season, scoring 40 tries and being named the inaugural DHL Impact Player of the Series. Ten of those tries came in round one in Dubai as the Black Ferns bounced back from a season without a title to win the first of five events in 2016-17. With the quick feet and lightning pace she honed in athletics training before turning to rugby, Blyde is sure to be tormenting defences again this year and targeting more gold with the Black Ferns Sevens.

GHISLAINE LANDRY (CANADA)

The all-time leading point scorer in women's series history with 844, Ghislaine Landry will again lead Canada this season as they target a maiden overall series title. A nominee for this year's World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year accolade, the 29-year-old brings a calming presence to the field, but her vision and pace mean she can dart through a gap or release a team-mate in the blink of an eye. Often described by commentators as a "pocket rocket", Landry was easily top point scorer in 2016-17 with 269 and fifth overall on the try charts with 27.

ALEV KELTER (USA)

The only member of the USA squad with more than nine tournaments to her name, Alev Kelter's experience will be invaluable to coach Richie Walker and their hopes of bettering their 11th place finishes of the last two years in Dubai. Kelter, a member of the 2016-17 Series Dream Team, will play her 20th consecutive tournament since making her debut in Guangzhou in 2014 and will be looking to increase her tally of 38 tries. The former ice hockey player's power and quick feet can unlock defences with ease and flyer Naya Tapper will be among those hoping to provide from her former captain's breaks. 

CASSIE STAPLES (AUSTRALIA)

A former netballer inspired to give rugby a shot by the golden success at Rio 2016, Cassie Staples has risen to every challenge set her by Australia coach Tim Walsh over the last year since a YouTube video of her training brought her to his attention. Ten months and a lot of hard work later, the 25-year-old now has a full-time contract and is set for her third series event having made her debut in Langford. She may be surrounded by some of the star names of women's sevens in the Australian line-up, but Staples has the drive and skill-set now to mix it with the best.

LYDIA THOMPSON (ENGLAND)

A nominee for the World Rugby Women's Player of the Year after an impressive Women's Rugby World Cup 2017, Lydia Thompson makes a long-awaited return to sevens duty, having last played on series with the Red Roses in the 2013-14 finale in Amsterdam. An intelligent reader of the game with pace to burn, if the winger can translate her 15s form – she scored 12 tries in 10 tests this year – then England will have a finisher capable of banishing the disappointment of last season when they failed to reach the Cup quarter-finals three times and finished in their lowest ever position of eighth.

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One to Watch: Alena Mikhaltsova
The HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series 2018 has kicked off and with Russia taking on England with on to watch being their captain Alena Mikhaltsova.

ALENA MIKHALTSOVA (RUSSIA)

Russia's new captain topped the DHL Performance Tracker in Dubai last year with an impressive 23 tackles, 20 carries, nine offloads and three line breaks as her side reached the semi-finals for the second year in a row before having to settle for the bronze medal. Often seen with the colours of the Russian flag in her hair, Alena Mikhaltsova is never one to shirk a challenge, be it in defence or using her pace and power to create an opportunity for herself or the likes of speedster Elena Zdrokova to score a try. Dubai will be her 15th series event and she is just four tries away from a half century.

MAYU SHIMIZU (JAPAN)

The 19-year-old may only have one series tournament to her name – having made her debut on home soil in Kitakyushu – but her performances for Japan at Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 showed her potential as an attacking force with tries scored against hosts Ireland and Hong Kong. With Japan returning to the series as a core team in 2018 it will be a learning curve for the whole team as they adapt to playing the best teams in the world on a regular basis, but if the Sakura Sevens can get the ball into the hands of Shimizu in space then she could prove to be their secret weapon.

Who do you think will shine brightest in Dubai? Join the conversation @WorldRugby7s and see the action unfold on worldrugby.org/sevens-series.