Dubai: The first IRB-sanctioned women's event will be held at this year's Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens event between December 1 and 3.
England co-captain Michaela Staniford, for one, can't wait. "Dubai around the time of the tournament is a brilliant place to be — so many people travel to the UAE and so many teams take part. Sevens is a social atmosphere and Dubai is one of the best tournaments I have ever been to. The sunshine also plays a pretty big part."
Staniford's England team take on Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, South Africa, Spain and the USA in the IRB Women's Sevens Challenge Cup, which will take place alongside the men's HSBC Sevens World Series.
"Due to all members of the England team having full-time jobs, we are having to be selective about the tournaments we attend. Dubai allows all nations the opportunity to measure themselves against the other countries and gain valuable playing time and experience on the big stage," said the school teacher from Hertfordshire.
The last time the England women's side competed in Dubai was for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2009, but Staniford is expecting an even better standard of rugby when she returns next month.
Investment
"Because of the opportunities the sevens game has to offer, lots of countries have invested plenty of time and money into the game so not only will we expect lots of nations to be putting out their best rugby players but to come conditioned with better knowledge and skill than before. The likes of Canada, Australia and Spain, who are all full-time, will be ones to watch out for," she said.
"Women's rugby has continued to grow over the past five years with the 2010 Rugby World Cup accelerating the public's appreciation for what the girls do. Having this tournament run alongside the men's event further opens eyes and allows women to play on the bigger stage. It will also be a key competition to play other top teams in the world especially in the years leading up to the 2016 Olympics."
As for Staniford's advice to those who aren't too familiar with international women's rugby: "You can expect to see athletes who create exciting rugby. The women are physically conditioned with an improving skill level. Give it a chance and I can be pretty sure that the players will quickly gain respect."
