Scotland will open the new season of the IRB 7s World Series facing the reigning champions New Zealand.

Stephen Gemmell’s team are drawn in Pool A of the Dubai Sevens alongside France, the Arabian Gulf and New Zealand. Scotland meet the Kiwis in the first tie of the day.

Gemmell, who has just returned from Singapore with the Rugby Ecosse squad – a young team who were beaten in the quarter-finals by the eventual winners South African Vipers – said: “We’ll be looking at New Zealand as a chance for us to get back into the World Series circuit and we do so having had the advantage of match preparation in Singapore.

“France are very unpredictable. Last year in Dubai they won the Shield competition, effectively finishing fifth and if you give them space they’ll play. The Arabian Gulf are the hosts and will want to produce in front of their own crowd.

“We’re slightly disappointed to be third ranked in our pool but that has been done on the basis of the final placings from last season where we finished ninth.”

The Scotland 7s squad – which will be sponsored by Murray – will be announced in mid November.

The tournament begins on Friday 30 November and continues on Saturday 1 December.

This article was posted on 30-Oct-2007, 21:42 by Hugh Barrow.