Sevens sides warm up in France

This tournament kicks off the competitive season for 2014/2015 and comes ahead of the start of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series.

England have taken their wider squad to France this weekend with some additional faces but are not competing as England as are using the experience as a training tournament.

Ireland are meanwhile viewing the competition as the beginning of the road towards qualification to the 2016 Olympics.

Head coach Jon Skurr said "This is the start of a long road that will ultimately finish with the Olympic qualifying event in July. The girls have worked hard throughout pre-season and are raring to go. Now it's about challenging ourselves against two Women's Sevens World Series teams and a very tough Welsh side.”

For France, England and Spain  the competition will be an opportunity to try out combinations and tactics ahead of the World Series opener in Dubai. All three sides are core teams in this year’s extended series.

France recently handed 15 players part time contracts to train together as a group in Marcoussis, where the recent World Cup was held.

Meanwhile the draw for the Dubai Sevens has been confirmedhere.This season's series takes on a very focused air from the fromm given that four teams at the end of the 2014/15 series will win a place at the Olympics.Reigning champions New Zealand have been drawn in Pool A alongside Russia, USA and China.Last year's runners up Australia are drawn in Pool B with Spain, France and South Africa.Pool C is made up of Canada and England along with Fiji, who join as a core team this season, and Olympic Games' hosts Brazil.