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Sevens World Cup Pools drawn

The countdown to Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 begins in earnest following the Pool Allocation Draw for the men’s and women’s competitions at The Atlantis hotel in Dubai on Monday, January 19.

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Twenty-four men’s teams and, for the first time, 16 women’s team will battle it out to be crowned world champions at Dubai’s magnificent new venue ‘The Sevens’ from 5-7 March.

The draw was carried out by Bernard Lapasset, the Chairman of Rugby World Cup Limited, with Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein and His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 will feature the first ever women’s competition with 16 teams having come through a competitive qualifying process involving 83 nations across the IRB’s six regions.

England, the top seeds in the women’s competition, will face Japan, Russia and USA in Pool B, while second seeds and Oceania champions Australia are joined in Pool A by Netherlands, France and China.

Women’s draw

Pool A: Australia, Netherlands, France, China
Pool B: England, Japan, Russia, USA
Pool C: Canada, Brazil, Spain, Thailand
Pool D: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Uganda

Defending men’s champions Fiji have been drawn with France, USA and Georgia in Pool B as they attempt to become the first side to successfully defend the Melrose Cup following their success in Hong Kong four years ago.

New Zealand, winners in 2001, are joined in Pool A by Tonga, hosts Arabian Gulf and Italy, while IRB Sevens World Series leaders South Africa find Scotland, Canada and Japan awaiting them in Pool C in Dubai.

Men’s draw

Pool A: New Zealand, Tonga, Arabian Gulf, Italy
Pool B: Fiji, France, USA, Georgia
Pool C: South Africa, Scotland, Canada, Japan
Pool D: Samoa, Australia, Portugal, Ireland
Pool E: England, Kenya, Tunisia, Hong Kong
Pool F: Argentina, Wales, Zimbabwe, Uruguay

The six pool winners and best two runners up will progress to the Melrose Cup quarter finals, the four other runners up and four best sides that finish third in their pool will contest the Plate and the remaining sides the Bowl.

The match schedule will be announced shortly.

Tickets

Tickets are available through the official website, while a range of international travel packages are available to residents in Argentina, Australia, France, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, United Kingdom and the USA through the official travel partner Gullivers Travel via www.gulliverstravel.co.uk.

Tickets are also on sale locally in Dubai through the Emirates Headquarters, the Dnata Travel Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road, at Costa outlets (Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi) and MMI outlets (Al Wasl Road, Ibn Battuta Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Sheikh Zayed Road).

Partners and Suppliers

Principal Partners
Principality
Admiral
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Vodafone
Go.Compare
Official Broadcast Partners
S4C
BBC Cymru/Wales
Official Partners
Guinness
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Heineken
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Official Suppliers
Gilbert
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Rhino Rugby
Sportseen
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Princes Gate
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Amber
Opro
Total Energies
Seat Unique
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn
Castell Howell
Glamorgan Brewing
Ted Hopkins
Hawes & Curtis
Sevens World Cup Pools drawn