VIDEO: New Zealand begin title defence against Wales as Dubai Rugby Sevens

Defending champions New Zealand will start campaign against Wales as the 50th anniversary of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens kicks off today at the The Sevens Stadium.

For the first time in, men’s World Series matches will be played on the opening day of the three-day rugby tournament.

All Blacks Sevens will face Wales, who survived a relegation battle with Japan last season, Samoa and Canada in Pool C.

Samoa and Canada will play in the men’s world-series opener.

Series leaders and Olympic gold medallists Fiji will be captained by Paula Dranisinukula.

Fiji will play in Pool A alongside Argentina, who won the Sudamerica Rugby Sevens in July to secure their place at Tokyo 2020, Olympic hosts and invitational side Japan and France.

2019 series runners-up US were the only team to reach every Cup semi-final last season and reached their first Cup final in Dubai last year only to lose to New Zealand.

Facing US in Pool B are Australia who will hand former sprinter Trae Williams his series debut this weekend. Williams switched from athletics to sevens in May and has a 100m personal best of 10.10 seconds, ranking him fifth on the Australian all-time list.

Completing the Pool B line-up are Scotland and Ireland. Ireland are welcomed as the new core team after winning the series qualifier in Hong Kong earlier this year.

Joining South Africa in Pool D is England, who qualified Team GB for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by winning the Rugby Europe tournament this summer, Spain and Kenya.

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 will serve as crucial build-up to Tokyo as rugby sevens prepares to make its second appearance in the Olympic Games programme following its successful introduction at Rio 2016, which attracted 30 million new fans to the shortened format of the game worldwide.

A record six combined men’s and women’s events on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series came together in Dubai to officially launch the tournament.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Dubai Sevens will bring together 28 teams from across the globe for three days of non-stop rugby sevens.

The Dubai Sevens is the second tournament for the women after their season opener in Colorado, US in October where the hosts were victorious.

As well as 2020 being a record breaker for the world series with the number of women’s tournaments increasing to eight rounds and the men’s again being contested across ten, it is also an Olympic season with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games taking place next summer.

Meanwhile, New Zealand are the defending champions in Dubai, having beaten Canada 26-14 in last year’s final to claim a fourth title, and are bidding to become the first team to successfully defend the women’s title in Dubai.

Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference, Gary Chapman, President dnata and Group Services said: “As the title sponsor and staunch supporter, we are proud of how this event has continued to grow stronger every year. The Dubai Rugby Sevens is part of Dubai’s history as its longest running sporting event. It’s great to see how the event is still bringing people together after 50 years and how it is an unmissable date in so many calendars.

World Rugby Chairman, Sir Bill Beaumont, commented: “The Dubai Sevens marks the start of a new era for rugby sevens as the first of a record six combined men’s and women’s tournaments on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on the horizon.”