WSWS: Langford news & preview

United States - aiming to repeat their performance in Atlanta

Pool A

New Zealand

New Zealand make three changes for Langford with forwards Carla Hohepa, Charlotte Scanlan returning after injury while back Gayle Broughton replaces the injured Ruby Tui.

It’s now over a year since New Zealand lost a game. Several teams have come close, but the Ferns never panic and always seem to have an extra gear that sees them over the line. Ominously coach Sean Horan had a tough job selecting his squad this time, with only one injury absence and an ocean of experience and talent available.

"It was honestly the hardest team I have ever had to select and that's just because of the internal competitive environment the players are creating," he said. "We are looking for a continuation of the growth that we are showing. We are currently leading on the points table for the year, but we have a clear goal in terms of overall performance and we are still not there."

Squad:Honey Hireme (Waikato Carla Hohepa (Waikato), Hazel Tubic (Counties Manukau), Charlotte Scanlan (Auckland), Sarah Goss (c) (Manawatu), Gayle Broughton (Taranaki), Tyla Nathan-Wong (Auckland), Kelly Brazier (Bay of Plenty), Michaela Blyde (Taranaki), Selica Winiata (Manawatu), Portia Woodman (Auckland), Kayla McAlister (Auckland)

England

Time is rapidly running out for England who now languish in sixth place in the World Series with just three rounds to go. The gap between their current position and the fourth Olympic qualifying spot is by no means unbridgeable but a top four finish, and a finish ahead of both France and the USA, is near essential now if England are to avoid having to rely on either the European Championship (where they were third last year, having not won since 2012) or the world repecharge.

Coach Simon Middleton has made two changes, bringing in Katy Mclean and Leanne Riley for Danielle Waterman and Rachael Burford, who are both side-lined through injury. Mclean missed the last round of the series in Atlanta when she was drafted in to lead the Six Nations campaign while Riley will be making her first start since Dubai.

“This is a fresh and young looking squad who we hope will bring lots of energy to our campaign,” said Middleton. “It’s great to also welcome back the likes of Katy Mclean, who will not only add experience but outstanding quality to the squad. Leanne Riley has also been training outstandingly well all season and has shown great patience waiting for her chance. She now has it and I’m looking forward to seeing her play in Canada. She’s an intelligent and dynamic player whose skill set will add good options in either the hooker or scrum half role.”

Middleton added: “There’s no hiding from the fact that this is a huge leg in terms of achieving our objectives for the season, but we won’t be looking any further than our first game against Spain and then looking to build momentum on what we hope will be a solid start. We’ve generally performed well on the opening day of tournaments, winning our groups in both Dubai and the USA but we know we will need to be at our very best in what is sure to be a tough group this time around. We haven’t played New Zealand or Spain so far this season so it’s exciting to be facing new opposition.

“We know nothing but our best will be good enough to take on New Zealand - a side who have won all three legs of the World Series so far. They are a cut above everyone else at the moment both in terms of ability and mind-set and it’s always a great challenge to take them on.

“In Fiji, you never know what you may get but at their best they can be almost impossible to defend against, so it pays to have the ball. However, first up we have Spain who have pace, skill and are ultra-competitive at the breakdown. That’s where our competition starts and that’s what we need to get right before we meet Fiji and New Zealand.”

Squad:Natasha Brennan (Richmond), ; Abigail Chamberlain (C) (Richmond); Natasha Hunt (Lichfield); Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks); Marlie Packer (Wasps); Alice Richardson (Richmond); Leanne Riley (Saracens); Emily Scarratt (Lichfield); Michaela Staniford (Wasps); Joanne Watmore (Richmond); Amy Wilson-Hardy (Bristol); Sarah McKenna (Saracens)

Fiji

Fiji have flattered to deceive, despite having raw talent they have been unable to produce the consistent good performances needed to move them out of the lower half of the placings. Bowl wins in the last two tournaments puts them in eighth overall, but given the gap between them and Russia it is unlikely that they will finish any higher.

Nonetheless their ability to produce random outstanding performaces means that they have the ability to derail the hopes of higher placed sides. They have beaten every team in this pool in the recent past – even New Zealand (in the 2013 Oceania Championships) - and could well make the quarter-finals.

Coached by Iliesa Tanivula, the team is in a positive mood and has had the opportunity to train with men's Fiji 7s coach, Ben Ryan.

“It is never easy to go and compete at any 7s tournament. We want to do better than our previous tournaments and make the Cup quarters as we are also in contention to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio next year”, said Tanivula. “Ben Ryan has been working with the girls on the technical aspects of the game and I have noticed a difference on how the girls manage the tactics on the field”.

Squad: Ella Marama, Ana Maria (C), Rusila Nagasau (VC), Litia Naiqato, Elina Ratauluva, Akosita Ravato, Timaima Ravisa, Asinate Savu, Priscilla Siata, Timaima Tamoi, Lavenia Tinai, Talica Vodo.

Spain

Injuries to key players had not helped Spain, for whom the Olympics seem to be coming at least a year too late. Despite selecting a squad from a 17-player camp at its core the final squad remains little changed from the first year of the World Series (or even before), resulting in not only a squad that is familiar to their opponents but also one of the oldest with an average age of over 28. For Spain the remaining rounds of the World Series is all about preparing for the European sevens season in June and July. Even so, Spain are quite capable of beating Fiji – and it is less than a year since they beat England – so it is a little early to discount them, and their cause is significantly aided by the return of Patricia Garcia, whose hand injury has seen her miss much of the series to date.

They have also been unlucky to miss out on quarter final places as the third-best third-placed team, and that luck must change soon.

Squad:María Ribera (XV SANSE SCRUM RC), Lourdes Alameda (XV SANSE SCRUM RC), María Casado (C.R. MAJADAHONDA), Iera Echebarria (OLÍMPICO POZUELO), Patricia García Rodríguez (OLÍMPICO POZUELO), Irene Schiavon (OLÍMPICO POZUELO), Ángela Del Pan Moruno (INEF BARCELONA), Laura Esbri Antón (INEF BARCELONA), Elizabet Martinez (G.E.i.E.G.), Barbara Pla Vegué (GETXO R.T.), Paula Medín López (CRAT), Berta García Alonso (CRAT)

Pool B

Australia

Australia make three changes with Gemma Etheridge, Nikki Etheridge and Nicole Beck returning, in Nicole’s case after recovering from a long-term shoulder injury. Emilee Cherry (knee), Evania Pelite (thigh), Rachel Crothers (shoulder), Brooke Anderson (shoulder) and Taleena Simon (leg) all miss out due to injury.

"I'm confident we are fielding a strong squad to compete in Canada”, said coach Tim Walsh.”There's no doubt we will miss Emilee [Cherry] and Evania [Pelite] but we have good depth in the squad. With Gemma [Etheridge] and Nicole [Beck] returning from injury we are well-covered and I'm looking forward to seeing us play an entertaining and ruthless style of Rugby Sevens.

"After a very disappointing fifth-place finish in Atlanta, we are driven to prepare better than ever before and not let complacency become a reason for defeat."

Despite the result in Atlanta, Australia remain second ahead of Canada with an Olympic place all but assured, though the gap between them and New Zealand for this year’s series is now a daunting 12 points.

Squad:Nicole Beck (Bulli, NSW);  Charlotte Caslick (Brisbane, QLD);  Chloe Dalton (Mona Vale, NSW);  Gemma Etheridge (Toowoomba, QLD);  Nikki Etheridge (Toowoomba, QLD);  Ellia Green (Melbourne, VIC);  Shannon Parry (Brisbane, QLD);  Tiana Penitani (Maroubra, NSW);  Alicia Quirk (Wagga Wagga, NSW);  Emma Tonegato (Wollongong, NSW);  Amy Turner (Brisbane, QLD);  Sharni Williams (Canberra, ACT). Reserve: Brooke Walker(Brisbane, QLD)

France

France make just one change for the fourth round, with Lina Guerin returning after her taste of fifteens in Italy, in place of Jade le Pesq. Although they again finished ahead of England and so retained their position as the top ranked European team, after the success of the USA in Atlanta, France now only hold onto the vital fourth and final automatic Olympic slot by the narrowest of margins.

Aninterview with Caroline Ladagnousrevealed that training has been light for the French squad, with most of their time concentrated on improved tactical awareness and increasing the pace of their play. "We need to be more disciplined," she says, "and not turn off from time to time, as we have been guilty of. We have to stand up for the full 14 minutes and stop losing the ball by making needless mistakes, such as not releasing"

It’s hard to underestimate quite what a disaster for European rugby it would be if none of the automatic places were taken by European teams. As it is, at least one of the four European World series teams must miss out, but if the USA were to steal that fourth place it would lead to France, England, Russia, Spain, Netherlands, Ireland (and others) competing for just one guaranteed place in Rio through June’s European championship, plus a possible second through the world repecharge.

This is perhaps one of the factors behind France and England's joint sessions, with France travelling to London this time for for some competitive sessions including an unofficial series played to full WSWS match conditions (the results of which neither side have published).

Coach David Courteix is “aiming to rectify some defensive errors made in the last round and generally continuing to improve and solidifying their fourth place”. The French team are also not overawed by Australia being in their pool “we played them twice in the last tournament and although we lost twice, it was not by much and we think we have a chance to beat them this time round”.

Squad:Pauline Biscarat, Camille Grassineau, Lina Guerin, Elodie Guiglion, Fanny Horta, Shannon Izar, Caroline Ladagnous, Christelle Le Duff, Laurianne Lissar, Marjorie Mayans, Chloé Pelle, Jennifer Troncy. Reserve: Rose Thomas.

Brazil

Brazil continue to steadily improve and their quarter final spot in Atlanta was really no surprise. With no concerns about qualification they are relieved of most of the pressure that their opponents are under, and the effect of greater funding and improved coaching is becoming apparent. It seems very probable that they will achieve another place in the final eight in Langford though at this stage going further is unlikely

Squad:Julia Albino Sarda (cap) (Desterro), Beatriz Futuro Muhlbauer (Niterói), Bruna Pamela Lotufo (Band Saracens), Angelica Pereira Gevaerd (SPAC), Juliana Esteves Santos (Band Saracens), Paula Harumi Ishibashi (SPAC), Isadora Cerullo (Niterói), Mariana Barbosa Ramalho  SPAC), Raquel Cristina Kochhann (Charrua), Katrina Marjorie Santilly (Band Saracens), Amanda Carolina Gomes de Araujo (Niterói), Claudia Jaqueline Lopes Teles (Niterói),

China

Poor results by the Chinese at the Hong Kong Sevens can be largely discounted as most of their leading players were absent, but nonetheless despite their international exposure the Chinese do now seem to be well off the pace and there really is no certainty that they will win the Asian qualifier this summer on current form.  Capable of scoring points against the best teams, they main problem seems to be defence where they concede too many scores too easily. Alongside South Africa they prop up the series table, and its hard at this stage to see them significantly improving on their performances to date in Langford

Squad:Jiang QIANQIAN, Keyi CHEN, Meike HUANG, Yang LIU, Yuanyuan LU, Shichao SUN, Hong YANG, Min YANG, Liping YU, Xiaoming YU, Lilian ZHOU, Wenwen GONG

Pool C

Canada

Playing at home for the first time, this is the moment for Canada to break the Australasian stranglehold over the series and match their southern rivals by making a final. However, as other hosts have found, playing at home can be a two-edged sword as it creates an extra pressure of its own. This is also a tough pool with plenty of chances for upsets

Canada are now equal second in the series, and while they are a long way behind New Zealand, they are also well clear of fifth place and another good performance should almost wrap up an Olympic place.

They have however been dealt a real blow with injuries to inspirational captain Jen Kish as well as experienced players Mandy Marchak and Julia Greenshields.

They are replaced by Hannah Darling, Sara Kaljuvee and Nadia Popov with all three players having represented Canada’s Maple Leafs Team at the Hong Kong Sevens in late March.On Kish’s injury coach John Tait said:

“If this was the Olympics she would and could play,” said Tait. “That being said, it isn't, so we are being cautious on her return to competition and she will likely be back in for the rest of the series. Not having her in the team means that a few players will need to step up in their roles and stake a claim for continued selection because Kish will be back and as competitive as ever."Canada:Britt Benn - (Guelph Redcoats) Napanee, Hannah Darling - (Peterborough Pagans) Warsaw, Bianca Farella - (Town of Mount Royal) Montreal, Sara Kaljuvee – (Toronto Scottish) Ajax, Ghislaine Landry - (Toronto Scottish) Toronto, Kayla Moleschi - (Williams Lake Rustlers) Williams Lake, Karen Paquin - (Club de Rugby Quebec) Quebec City, Nadia Popov – Aurora Barbarians (Newmarket) Kelly Russell - (Toronto Nomads) Bolton,Ashley Steacy - (Lethbridge Rugby Club) Lethbridge,Natasha Watcham-Roy – (Hull Volant) Gatineau,

United States

After their runner-up place in Atlanta, the United States will be looking to break into the top four with a similar performance in Langford, and as one of the most consistently improving teams in the series it is a target that is not beyond their capabilities.

For this round Melissa Fowler returns alongside Irene Gardner, who has not played since last year. Gardner was a member of the bronze medal-winning Eagles team from the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow but is a key addition to the squad.

“[Irene’s] been with us at the last three camps and she’s a very intelligent rugby player,” coach Ric Suggitt said. “She has a great work rate on the field and has a better attitude off the field than probably anyone I’ve coached. We’ve got a good one-two punch, moving Irene into the hooker spot to work in tandem with [Kelly Griffin]. And we know that Irene can always back herself as half back. Having her back in the fold gives us more experience on the field.

“We’ve still got a very young team that’s new to rugby, so having someone like Irene adds a lot more confidence to our players who are really excelling and learning the game of sevens.”

Looking at the draw, “We know we’re in a tough pool, but they also know they’re in a tough pool. We’re not chopped liver; we’re battling for a top-two spot and we’re battling for a top-four spot. That’s where we want to be.”

Squad:Kathryn Johnson , Kelly Griffin , Megan Bonny , Alev Kelter , Akalaini Baravilala , Lauren Doyle, Victoria Folayan , Joanne Fa'avesi , Irene Gardner , Melissa Fowler , Kate Zackary , Kristen Thomas,

Russia

Very much a team on the ascendancy, Russia have introduced a number of new faces in this series, and that came good in the last round where they reached the semi-finals where they only lost to a fired-up United States team in front of their home crowd. Their place as the third team in this pool should not deceive anyone – give anything like their Atlanta form not only is a quarter-final place is a racing certainty, but a good draw could well just see them have another chance in the final four.

In the overall series they are now hunting down England – who they beat in the Atlanta quarter-finals and who they will probably be their main rivals in the European Series in June.

Squad:Bogacheva, Guzeva, Lushina, Kazakova, Khamidova B., Fefelova, Kudinova, Kukina, Malygina, Mukhariamova, Shemchuk, Titova

South Africa

The 18 year –old Kirsten Conrad makes her sevens debut as one of three changes, the other being the return of speedster Veroeshka Grain, who has recovered from a knee injury, and Lorinda Brown. Conrad was in the 2013 Under-20 Nations Cup in England, joined the squad for training in January as coach Renfred Dazel looked to increase the depth in his squad.  The three players replace Siviwe Basweni, Nosiphiwo Goda and Zaandre Theron respectively.

“Kirsten has been training with us for a few months and she has made immense progress since joining us, so her selection is just reward for the hard work she has put in,” said Dazel. “She is a talented player and has a bright future ahead of her. One of her main strengths is her speed and this is an important trait in Sevens, and especially in a tough tournament such as the World Series. It is also good to have Veroeshka and Lorinda back as they are veterans in the game, and this experience will be invaluable as we face another tough pool round.”

“We are halfway through the circuit and unfortunately we haven’t performed as well as we would [South Africa are equal last in the series] have liked to, so hopefully we can take a step forward in Canada,” he added. “We learned valuable lessons in the first half of the competition, and one of the keys to improving will be to avoid making the same mistakes going forward. We also have to lift our standards on defence.”

Squad:Sunelle Barnard , Lorinda Brown , Kirsten Conrad , Phumeza Gadu,  Rachelle Geldenhuys , Veroeshka Grain , Zenay Jordaan (Capt) , Jacqueline Kriel , Sinazo Nobele , Marithy Pienaar , Fundiswa Plaatjie , Mathrin Simmers