WSWS Round 1 Preview: Dubai

Past experience has also shown that a good performance in the first round is essential. With the draw in the next tournament dependent on results here, a bad weekend in Dubai will result in tough games at future events.

Eleven of the 12 teams will now be at every event - Brazil fill the only "guest" position. Never has there been such high stakes in a women's rugby competition.

Pool A

New Zealand

The defending champions are in good shape ahead of the opening with a strong core of players selected once again though a couple of stellar names are missing in captain Huriana Manuel and Kayla McAllister. The blow is softened somewhat by the return of Portia Woodman  and New Zealand come into this year's series on the back of part time contracts for its players over recent months

Sean Horan's side start of obvious favourites with the likes of Sarah Goss likely to lead the charge  after a standout season last year.

Russia

Russia have two teams in Dubai with a younger development teams playing in the parallel invitational competition, allowing coach Baranovsky to select his best team from a larger squad. He has therefore been able to make a couple of last minute changes to the first team, and as a result Julija Guzeva and Svetlana Usatyh will be relatively new faces, promoted into the team in place of Galina Khaet and Anna Prib. European Champions for the past two years, sixth in the first WSWS series, fifth last time round, Russia will believe that they can win an automatic place in Rio. With all domestic rugby in Russia now sevens they will be in the mix for every tournament.

USA

Consistency has been lacking somewhat for the USA over the past year at this level, with Ric Suggitt's side finishing seventh last year after a mixed bag of performances.  Preparation has included a camp in Alaska and a trip to Fiji and watching the return of the potentially explosive Jessica Javalet, who made such a mark on her few appearances last year, will be fascinating.

This is a tough pool though with both Russia and New Zealand likely to be lead the charge - but reaching the quarters is well within their ability.

China

Becoming a core team was a tremendous achievement for the Chinese, but - as Kazakhstan showed in the World Cup - being the best in Asia cuts little ice at the world level. The route to Rio will almost certainly be through next year's Asian qualifier, so the WSWS will be all about learning. A noticeably more physical team than a couple of years ago, some consistent performances could really boost their confidence and enable them to deal with pressure. Curiously the loss of their home series from the calendar may be a bonus as they have tended to underperform at home. Reaching the quarters may be beyond them with this draw, but a win in the Bowl is well within their capabilities.

Pool B

AustraliaTim Walsh's first year as head coach was an oustanding one with Australia taking out two of the round titles and pushing New Zealand all the way in finishing second. With a superb leader in Sharni Williams, this weekend also sees the return of exciting youngster Tiana Penitani, with Walsh also choosing a couple of new faces.

Dubai was a happy hunting ground for the Australians last year who won the round thanks to a magnificant effort all weekend and they are likely favourites again to reach the final.

Spain

Dubai is not the best timed of tournaments for the Spanish, coming at the end of their regional XVs tournaments. The two Spanish teams at the warm-up tournament in Soustons finished fifth and sixth with wins over only Wales and Tunisia, but the purpose was clearly to give the broad squad as much experience as possible. Their selection process began with 22 players but the final squad is, with perhaps once exception, very much the team we have known for the past three or four years. Loads of experience - and they will need it as they start perhaps the most high stakes 10 months they have ever faced.

France

France have come late to the party, "discovering" sevens only in the past couple of years - 18 months ago the French coach was still complaining that the FFR were still not taking sevens seriously. That has all now changed and, with the World Cup out of the way, it is clear that this is now the priority. They have always had the players who looked like they could star at sevens, now they have the chance. Its pretty clear that in the end their Olympic place could well come down to a head-to-head with Spain, so to see them drawn together this early is a mouthwatering start. The FFR's press pack for Dubai also (for the first time) gives women's team precedence over the men - a couple of years ago they might not have been included at all.

South Africa

One of the least experienced sides of the past year, women's rugby in South Africa has had a tough few months after its XV side had a difficult time of it at the World Cup.  Having played in just one series event last year, Renfred Dazel has his work cut out for him to start to build ability and a winning mentality up again but his squad does have the benefit of having trained together in close quarers for the past few months.

The slate is clean for this squad and while Australia will be too strong, they will harbour real hopes of doing well against Spain and France.

Pool C

Canada

Always there or thereabouts at every tournament, John Tait's side are looking to improve on their assured finish of third last season.  With a raft of its national 7s players having reached the World Cup final in Paris this summer, the Canadians will return to the circuit a more experienced outfit with Magali Harvey in particular one to watch after her spectacular impact in France. Harvey has been a very good player in a 7s shirt for Canada already but is poised for excellence.

Much is always made of the impact of Jen Kish and Mandy Marchak but the return of the wily Ghislaine Landry is also crucial. Canada will be aiming for nothing but a spot in the final and their pool clash with Engand will be well worth a watch

England

England could be dark horses of this tournament. Always expected to do well, with their focus split between 15s and 7s last year, a fourth placed finish was still a decent return. This time around it is all about 7s with England's top players now fully contracted to focus on the game.

Simon Middleton has picked an interesting squad with the return of Alice Richardson worth a watch while there is plenty of pace and experience elsewhere.  This is not an easy pool by any means and England will be hugely tested against both Fiji (who beat them here last year) and pool favourites Canada.

Fiji

Everyone's team to watch, Fiji's major problem may be living up to that billing - at least this early in the series. Active throughout the southern hemisphere season, they have put in some good performances without seriously challenging Australia or New Zealand, but they did beat the Ferns a year ago. A quarter-final place looks highly likely, through at this stage going beyond that may be a tougher ask. Nonetheless we can expect them to score a few upsets and by the time we get to Amsterdam they could be a regular top four finisher.

Brazil

Now is the time for Brazil to make their mark. A country mile ahead of every other team in their region, full-time professionals with no worries about Olympic qualification, they have been heavily favoured as a guest team in previous seasons and with have plenty of experience. The tournament also comes just as the South American season moves towards its climax. However Brazil also find themselves in a hugely tough pool. Nonetheless the minimum they should be aiming for is the Bowl final.