History is made today in Dubai as the first Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens fixtures are played. We pick seven of the players and personalities to look out for across the 16 teams.
Beatriz 'Baby' Futuro, Brazil
Unbeaten in five years of competition in South America, Brazil's women are Sevens specialists and none more so than 'Baby' Futuro. She took up rugby to follow in the footsteps of older sister Cristiana, who is also in the team, and is the charismatic leader of the side.
Expect 'Baby' and Brazil to provide all the colour, music and vibrancy you would expect to emanate from the yellow jersey. The team finished fourth at the Amsterdam Sevens in 2008 to prove that they are more than a match for the best. They might lack the brute size and strength of some of the other sides but make up for it in speed and agility.
Kat Merchant, England
Just as England men's coach Ben Ryan can call on the express pace of roommates Tom Varndell and Tom Biggs, so too can the women's coach Simon Amor in Worcester's Katherine Merchant.
Jo Yapp and captain Sue Day have come out of international retirement to play in the tournament, and watch out also for Heather Fisher, who scored the sudden-death try to beat USA in the recent San Diego final, and 2006 international Player of the Year Maggie Alphonsi. It is Merchant and Michaela Staniford, though, who offer the dangerous ingredient of out-and-out pace for the title favourites.
Maria Gallo, Canada
The Argentina-born leader of the third-ranked Canadians. The 31-year-old Gallo is completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia and next July will become a faculty lecturer in Human Kinetics. Her rugby brain is just as tuned in.
The first women's team to arrive in Dubai after spending some time in Abu Dhabi before the tournament, Canada overcame USA in qualifying to reach the tournament as North America's top side and play with all the heart you'd expect from a Cannuck rugby team. Many of the women's squad have also posed for a 2009/10 calendar, the proceeds of which go towards their increasingly professional pay-to-play model.
Helen Buteme, Uganda
Captain of the Uganda women's Sevens team and making history here as the first person to lead the country in the finals of a major sport's World Cup. Buteme is so passionate about this campaign that she set up an online 'blog' offering the world the chance to follow the team's preparations from around the world.
Uganda's Lady Cranes see playing in this tournament as a major responsibility and face the might of New Zealand in their pool. After confidence-boosting practice matches during the week, Buteme is happy that the team is gelling well. "We all know what each other has to do, we know each other’s game, our strengths and weaknesses," she said. "We are working together so it is coming along really well - almost perfectly I would say."
Nicole Beck, Australia
One of the exciting international touch stars who have injected pace and energy into in the Wallaroos, Beck scored their last-gasp try in the qualifying final against New Zealand to win in Samoa and ensure they arrive here as the region's top seeds.
Bo de la Cruz is another 'touchie' to look out for, described by coach Jason Stanton as "probably the best touch player in the world at the moment". Also keep an eye out for captain Cheryl Soon and Selena Tranter, the latter still competing 15 years after her first women's Test and apparently feeling "20 again" as a result of the Sevens game.
Hannah Porter, New Zealand
Captain of New Zealand and carrying, as ever, the expectations of a nation, given the Black Ferns' status as the undisputed world number one side in women's 15-a-side rugby. They suffered two surprise losses to Australia in qualifying but coach Darryl Suasua maintains that was a blessing in disguise and gave the team an extra motivation and focus.
The Kiwi ladies have had to make a late change to their squad, Black Ferns centre Exia Edwards succumbing to a serious infection only days before the tournament and replaced by Auckland’s Angela McGregor.
Dana Teagarden, match official
Teagarden is the only woman to referee in a men's IRB Sevens World Series event, last year at the USA Sevens, and is highly rated by IRB Referee Manager Paddy O'Brien.
She also took charge of matches at the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup in Edmonton, Canada. The American will officiate in the first Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens.
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