The IRB has confirmed the pool draw for round 2 of the HSBC Sevens World Series, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens on 2-3 December 2011.
The draw was made live on television before the Cup final of the Gold Coast Sevens, the opening round of the 2011/12 season.
Pool A
- Fiji
- Samoa
- Argentina
- United Arab Emirates
Pool B
- New Zealand
- South Africa
- United States
- Portugal
Pool C
- France
- England
- Kenya
- Zimbabwe
Pool D
- Wales
- Australia
- Scotland
- Canada
As Gold Coast winners, Fiji top pool A in Dubai and face matches against Samoa, Argentina and the hosts United Arab Emirates.
New Zealand, runners-up in Australia, head pool B and will play USA and Portugal before a mouth-watering clash with South Africa.
Pool C comprises two European heavyweights in France and defending Dubai champions England and two African nations, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Wales head Pool D and will play Scotland in pool play for a second week in succession, as well as Australia and Canada.
Following their win on the Gold Coast, Fiji have a lead in the HSBC Sevens World Series. They currently lie on 22 points ahead of New Zealand (19), South Africa (17), Australia (15) and Wales (13).
| Team | Pts | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
FIJI | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | |
| 2 |  |
NEW ZEALAND | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | |
| 3 |  |
SOUTH AFRICA | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | |
| 4 |  |
AUSTRALIA | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | |
| 5 |  |
WALES | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |
| 6 |  |
SAMOA | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| 7 |  |
ENGLAND | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
 |
FRANCE | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 9 |  |
ARGENTINA | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 10 |  |
SCOTLAND | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
| 11 |  |
TONGA | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
 |
UNITED STATES | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 13 |  |
PAPUA NEW GUINEA | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 14 |  |
JAPAN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 15 |  |
KENYA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 |
NIUE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
“There’s lots to play for going to Dubai, we know we are good enough,” said Gordon Tietjens, coach of reigning Series champions New Zealand following their Cup final loss to Fiji in Australia.
“The boys will be kicking themselves and we had set some good standards. To lose it we are disappointed but you have to take your hats off to Fiji. They were certainly the better team on the night.”
Nee Flok man, FIJI was soos ‘n verdomde stoomroller gewees!!!!
WTF?
I thought that the whole idea of the 3/4 play off was to determine seedings for the next round.
SA beat Oz, and get rewarded with a pool that includes NZ.
Something seems not too kosher there IMO.
Oh, and HELLOOOOOO all RT friends and Sharks supporters.
Till the Blitzbokke learn that their players, although good and committed, are too small compared to New Zealand & Fiji’s players… we’ll continue to get 3rd places and maybe the odd tournament win, but we won’t win the Series.
What struck me was how the Fijians bullied our boys off the breakdown balls, to the extent that we looked like school boys against a senior side….
We need fringe aspirant Bokke, not haphazard Vodacom Cup & Currie Cup rejects… and primarily the speedier and hardier looseforwards – guys like Minnie, Jean Deysel, Kankowski… serious loosies with the speed of wings… mixed in with the Afrika’s and the Dry’s and the Kyle Brown’s…. then we’ll win!
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