Oceania Qualification for RWC 7’s 2009 is this weekend in Samoa
The next round of qualifications for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 moves to the Samoan capital Apia this weekend. All 11 Member Unions of the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU) are involved across either the men’s or women’s competitions.
With Two qualification spots for Dubai next March on offer in both genders. There are eight nations contesting the men’s event at Apia Park and five battling for honours in the women’s event. For the women it will be the first ever RWC Sevens competition.
In the men’s event Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Niue, Solomon Islands and Tahiti will be split into two pools on Friday, with the top two in each advancing to the semi-finals on Saturday. With defending RWC Sevens 2005 champions Fiji, runners up New Zealand and semi-finalists Australia already qualified for the 2009 showpiece in Dubai, Samoa will be favourites to join them through the Oceania men’s qualifier. Samoa are the only core member of the IRB Sevens World Series involved in the qualifier, having failed to reach the Melrose Cup quarter-finals in 2005 and automatic qualification. Tonga most would expect to take the other spot.
The women’s competition, involving Samoa, Fijiana, New Zealand, Australia and Niue will take the form of a round robin on Friday with the top four nations then progressing to the semi-finals on Saturday.