We profile the four teams making up Pool D at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, round 2 of the HSBC Sevens World Series, with key stats on the team's World Series record and a lowdown on their x-factor in Dubai.
HEAD TO HEADS - DAY ONE DUBAI >>
FRANCE
Played: 561
Won: 246 (43%)
Tournaments : 104
Debut : Series 1 - Dubai
Highest Score: 63 - 12 v CHINESE TAIPEI, Hong Kong 2010
Final ranking last season: 9th
Coach: Frederic Pomarel
X-Factor: Back to form and fitness, little half back Terry Bouhraoua is a player right out of the top drawer, but he is now one cog in an increasingly impressive France Sevens team. Giant Jean Baptiste Gobelet looked hungry for the ball on the Gold Coast, as did Manoel Dall Igna and the captain Vincent Deniau, and Paul Albaladejo and Renaud Delmas did damage out wide. In short, les Bleus seem to finally be taking Sevens seriously, which is a scary thought. Cup finalists in Dubai last year, when they competed in the first ever all-Northern hemisphere final against England, we can expect more from France this season.
AUSTRALIA
Played: 595
Won: 372 (62%)
Tournaments : 110
Debut : Series 1 - Dubai
Highest Score: 73 - 0 v SRI LANKA, Commonwealth Games 2006
Final ranking last season: 6th
Coach: Michael O'Connor
X-Factor: Australia are without some of their star players. For sheer class on the ball and ability to turn a game, rugby league convert Shannon Walker and little half back Allan Fa'alavaau are certainly big losses. Despite his age, forward Sean McMahon is increasingly finding himself on the radar and will have to be at his best in Dubai if Australia want to compete without the likes of Ed Jenkins and Jesse Parahi. Matt Lucas will be also be sorely missed as he takes up a Super Rugby academy contract, but Michael O'Connor is used to patching up holes in his squad, and has had to do that far less this season than last so far. Look out for Cameron Clark's pace.
MORE INFO (PDF) >>
CANADA
Played: 520
Won: 224 (43%)
Tournaments : 96
Debut : Series 1 - Dubai
Highest Score: 78 - 7 v MEXICO, LA 2006
Ranking last season: 13th
Coach: Geraint John
X-Factor: Serious contenders as a core team this season, as they showed in losing a tight match 28-21 to New Zealand on the first day of the season. Won a morale-boosting victory against USA in the pool in Gold Coast, and have been drawn against their great rivals yet again here. A big plus in Dubai is the recall of Nathan Hirayama, who has now fully recovered from injury. Sean Duke was among the top scorers in Australia with six classy tries, while the captain Nanyak Dala was also outstanding. Phil Mack also made a welcome return and is a huge boost to Geraint John's side.
USA
Played: 384
Won: 140 (36%)
Tournaments : 73
Debut : Series 1 - Dubai
Highest Score: 62 - 0 v THAILAND, Hong Kong 2010
Ranking last season: 11th
Coach: Alex Magleby
X-Factor: It's hard not to talk about Carlin Isles, the track athlete with a personal best over 100m of 10.13 seconds, ranking him in the 80 fastest men in the world. Almost certainly the fastest man to have played international rugby, Isles has only been a rugby player for four months and understandably still has plenty to learn, but oh he's quick! Zach Test is still the USA's ever-dependable and captain Shalom Suniula their rugby brain. Watch out too for Rocco Mauer, who also has serious 'wheels' on a Sevens field.
