European 7s: Leg 1 Preview

Pool A,Russia,Portugal,Italy,ScotlandPool B,France,Spain,Ireland,UkrainePool C,England,Netherlands,Wales,Germany

Given their fourth-place finish in the World Sevens Series,Englandwould ordinarily go into this as favourites, but having qualified for Rio, head coach Simon Middleton is rightly using the first leg at least of the Europeans as a chance to test out some new faces such as Vicky Fleetwood, who has 49 XVs caps, and is set to make her sevens debut.  It is still a very strong looking England squad with the likes of Abi Chamberlain and Rachael Burford adding lots of experience and in their pool they should be too strong, even against a Dutch outfit battling hard to make it into Rio reckoning.

Francewould normally be the next most fancied side after their upwards climb on the sevens stage this season. They will be going all-out to secure an Olympic spot now, with the extra the advantage of being at home in the second leg. However the run of injuries sustained before London shows no sign of abating and they might well be fortunate to finish in the top four this weekend - especially given such a tough pool draw. (France have now announced a full-strength squad and will now pose a far greater threat, assuming all members are fully fit.)

Reigning championsRussia,on the other hand, strategically chose to rest a handful of experienced players for Amsterdam, having figured correctly that while they still had a mathematical chance of qualifying, the reality was that it would be a struggle. As a result they will be fresher for this competition, which comes at a perfect time in their season. They will be full of belief, especially given they host the first leg.  Russia potentially have the easiest pool  given the relative lack of experience of the other three sides they will face so should come through the initial stages well.

Spainhave blown hot and cold this year, with their season highlight certainly being their win over New Zealand in London. They are capable but not consistent and with the French in their pool (again!), alongside Ireland and Ukraine, it will not be an easy passage for them through to the later stages. However, they performed well in London and finished a season-best seventh in Amsterdam, so arguably their form is hitting its straps at the right time.

An 11th place finish in Amsterdam might have been a disappointed for theNetherlands.A year without World Series action was always going to make life tough for the Dutch, though they started all of their games explosively, often scoring early tries, but sometimes fail to keep the momentum. Nonetheless they retain serious Olympic ambitions, and should make it out of the pool with England's missing regular names possibly helping them out.

Irelandshowed what a huge threat they could pose to everyone with a runners-up position at Amsterdam invitational tournament, losing only (and narrowly) to the Maple Leafs and picking up a clutch of international scalps including Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Brazil's development team, and WGPS rivals Wales and Scotland. They are in arguably the toughest pool, however, and how they will get on against two teams from the WSWS is impossible to predict. Even so, it would be almost a surprise if they failed to reach the semi-finals and it would be foolish to bet against the Irish being in Rio next year.

Portugalwere the surprise package last year, and there is every reason to believe that they will be a threat this year as well - their tendency to avoid most of the European warm-up tournaments makes them a difficult team to predict. Spain won most of the games they played in a recent training series, however, so though they should make the quarter-finals it is unlikely they will progress much further.

Similar things can be said aboutItaly. Sevens has never been a major priority for the Italian Federation, but they showed during the Six Nations that they have players who have the potential to make an impact in the shorter form of the game. If they can carry the confidence and success of their Six Nations campaign into this tournament they could worry some of the higher ranked teams.

Wales and Scotland will be free of any pressure of Olympic qualification. Although they only finished 9th last year,Waleshad a great tournament in Amstedam, reaching the semi-finals before losing to Ireland by a single score, and will be certainly targeting the Plate this time around as a minimum. It was good to seeScotlandsend a strong squad to Amsterdam as well where they also had some success before also going out to Ireland in the pool stage on Day 2, and showed signs of significant improvment from last year when they only won promotion as the runner-up in Bergen. The Scots main concern initial will be consolidating their place in the WGPS - promoted teams have a habit of being relegated the following year. Both sides will be worth keeping an eye on to ascertain what players may come into GB reckoning. There are good signs coming from the Welsh camp that teenagers Jasmine Joyce and Keira Bevan could well go all the way, while Steph Johnston of Scotland has long been earmarked as a key potential to make the breakthrough.

Germanymay welcome their draw and it pits them against Wales again, who they beat 21-0 last year - a win that ensured their survival in the top division. They seem stronger this year, and have been putting into some good performances in the lead-up to the tournament, only losing out to a strong French Development team in Amsterdam. They could have the potential to cause some upsets and should not be discounted by the higher ranked teams they may meet.

Finally last year's Division "A" winnersUkrainewill - like Scotland - be trying to avoid the drop. A strong, powerful team with several players with great promise, the Ukrainians have suffered in the past from a playing style that has been good enough for success in the lower divisions, but lacked the flexibility and sophistication to survive at the top level. With their domestic problems preparation will not have been easy, and a pool that includes France, Spain and Ireland will almost certanly mean a second day playing in the bowl.

Squads

England:Claire Allan (Richmond) , Francesca Matthews (Richmond) , Lydia Thompson (Worcester) , Alexandra Matthews (Richmond) , Rachael Burford (Thurrock) , Sarah McKenna (Saracens) , Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond) C , Abbie Brown (Bristol) , Leanne Riley (Saracens) , Emily Scott (Thurrock) , Heather Fisher (Thurrock) , Victoria Fleetwood (Saracens)

France:Julie Billes (USA Perpignan),  Pauline Biscarat (AC Bobigny 93), Clémence Gueucier (AC Bobigny 93), Camille Grassineau (Stade Bordelais),  Elodie Guiglion (USA Perpignan),  Fanny Horta (USA Perpignan),  Shannon Izar (Lille MRCV),  Caroline Ladagnous (AC Bobigny 93), Chrystelle Le Duff (USA Perpignan),  Laurianne Lissar (AS Bayonnaise),  Marjorie Mayans (Blagnac-Saint-Orens) ,  Rose Thomas (Stade Bordelais),  Jennifer Troncy (Montpellier HR)

Germany:Dana Kleine-Grefe ( ASV Köln); Lisa Kropp, Alysha Stone, Laryssa Stone, Julia Peters ( Heidelberger RK); Janina Hanβen ( RU Marburg); Steffi Gruber, Lisa Bohrmann ( SC Neuenheim); Julia Braun ( RK 03 Berlin); Ute Kohlheim ( RC Bonn-Rhein-Sieg); Ulrike Borchardt ( TSV 1846 Nürnberg); Monica Yee ( StuSta München)

Ireland:Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians/Munster), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Lucy Mulhall (TID)* (capt), Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)*, Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster), Megan Williams (St. Mary's/Leinster), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (St. Mary's/Leinster), Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Eimear Considine (TID)*, Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)*, Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)

Italy:Sara Barattin (Rugby Casale), Federica Cipolla (Umbria Rugby Ragazze), Arianna Corbucci (Rugby Citta’ Di Frascati), Anna De Rossi (Verona Rugby Ragazze), Silvia Gaudino (Rugby Monza 1949), Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Monza 1949), Elisa Rochas (Rivoli Rugby), Claudia Salvadego (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Michela Sillari (Rugby Colorno), Sofia Stefan (Rennes – Fra), Paola Zangirolami (Valsugana Rugby Padova)

Netherlands:Anne Hielckert, Pien Selbeck, Joyce van Altena, Tessel van Dongen, Jannicke IJdens, Nikki Weyers, Lorraine Laros, Pleuni Kievit, Marsha Volker, Annmarije van Rossum, Elke van Meer, Tessa Veldhuis

Portugal:Arlete Gonçalves (S.L.Benfica), Catarina Antunes (S.L.Benfica), Catarina Ribeiro (S. C Porto), Catarina Silva (S.L.Benfica), Christina Ramos (Queens University Belfast), Daniela Correia (S. C Porto), Inês Marques (C.R. do Técnico), Isabel Osório (C.R. do Técnico), Leonor Amaral (C.R. do Técnico), Maria Heitor (S.L.Benfica), Maria Vasquez (S.L.Benfica), Marta Ferreira (C.R. do Técnico)

Russia:Marina Petrova (RSUTS-Moscow); Kristina Seredina (RSUTS-Moscow); Marina Kukina (RSUTS-Moscow); Galina Khaet (RSUTS-Moscow); Zhanna Matveeva (RSUTS-Moscow); Maria Titova (Yenisei-STM); Anna Minislamova [née Maligina] (Yenisei-STM); Alena Bogacheva (Yenisei-STM); Bayzat Khamidov (Krasny Yar); Ekaterina Kazakova (Krasny Yar); Nadezda Kudinova (DSP №4); Daria Lushina (Khimki)

Scotland:1 Jade Konkel Hillhead Jordanhill; 2 Karen Dunbar RHC Cougars; 3 Eilidh Sinclair Murrayfield Wanderers; 4 Lisa Ritchie Carlisle; 5 Megan Gaffney Hillhead Jordanhill; 6 Lisa Martin Murrayfield Wanderers; 7 Sarah Dixon Stirling County; 8 Jenny Maxwell Leeds Met/Lichfield; 9 Sarah Law Murrayfield Wanderers; 10 Steph Johnston Worcester; 11 Fionidi Parker Northumbria University; 12 Caitlin Harvey Caithness/RHC Cougars

Spain:María Ribera (XV SANSE SCRUM RC), María Casado (C.R. MAJADAHONDA), Iera Echebarria (OLÍMPICO POZUELO), Patricia García Rodríguez (OLÍMPICO POZUELO), Irene Schiavon (OLÍMPICO POZUELO), Ángela Del Pan Moruno (INEF BARCELONA), Elizabet Martinez (G.E.i.E.G.), Barbara Pla Vegué (GETXO R.T.), Ana Vanesa Rial López (CRAT), Paula Medín López (CRAT); Marina Bravo Bragado (C R CISNEROS)

Ukraine:Olga Blanuca, Victoria Konovalenko, Anna Tarasova (all "Anatra" ("White Angels"), Odessa), Marina Borodina ("Korzo", Uzhgorod), Yulia Ivashchenko (khtz-Olympus ", Kharkov), Marina Lâhor, Violetta Ocheretjana, Anastasia Honcharenko, Svetlana Gnatenko, Maria Raŝuk, Elena zozulka, Alice Ul′ânkìna, Anna Dan′ko (" Phoenix ", Kiev, Ukraine), Oksana Nìkorâk, Karina Dmitrieva (both NUFVSU, Kyiv).

Wales:Ffion Bowen, Sioned Harries, Sian Williams (Captain), Melissa Clay, Beth Dainton, Jess Kavanagh, Keira Bevan, Elinor Snowsill, Adi Taviner, Rhian Nokes, Elen Evans, Jasmine Joyce