Pool A Preview

The defending champions are looking for their fourth World Cup in a row but the Black Ferns know that this year they are likely to be challenged harder than ever. Lack of funding from the NZRU over the past four years has certainly hampered New Zealand's preparation - they will come to the World Cup without a game as a national team since last November - but regardless they are still the team to beat.

The Black Ferns travelled to London last November for three games in England, where they beat England and England A once but lost to England in the last test game at Twickenham. That loss was significant in that it was the first loss for the Black Ferns in four years and gave real hope to the English who are their main rivals. New Zealand have been handed the toughest pool at the World Cup with Australia, Wales and South Africa to overcome before the semi-finals but those tough matches may well suit them after months of test match wilderness.

Though she is hardly a new face, New Zealand's most capped player was only called into the squad when Amiria Rule lost her injury battle. Richards was not part of the New Zealand squad who toured last year so her selection was something of a surprise. Can Richards at 45 reproduce her the form that made her the best flyhalf in the world? It will be fascinating to see her play again.

: These two southern hemisphere rivals will play out the key game of this pool. The Black Ferns have never lost to the Aussies but there is extra incentive this time around as their opponents beat them to the title of the first ever World Cup 7s title last year, not to mind that there is a semi-final spot up for grabs. Australia will feel they have the pace out wide to score tries but whether they can live with the New Zealand power up front is another question.

Australia's chances of winning the World Cup will first of all depend on how their pool game against New Zealand goes. The winner of that match will have a superb chance of topping the pool and reaching the semis straight off but even if they fail to win, the Aussies will need to be confident they can rack up good scores against Wales and South Africa to take the best runner up spot and the final semi position.

Their chances are high of doing so given that eight of their squad members were part of the side who win the Sevens World Cup last year and therefore are among the most dangerous attackers the World Cup will see. Much like New Zealand, Australia play rarely on the international scene so are very much an unknown quantity.

The captain of the World Cup 7s team has attacking skill to burn and her ability to turn a game on its head along will make watching the Australians very worthwhile. When Australia eventually name their World Cup captain don't be surprised if it's Soon's name you see.

. Although Australia will view the New Zealand match as being a biggie, if they don't win then they've got to score lots of points to try and take the last semi-final spot as best pool runner up. To that end they will see South Africa as the team most likley to give up softer points so they will target that game to showcase their attacking prowess.

A year ago Wales would be coming into the World Cup full of form and confidence but 12 months is a long time in rugby. Last year's Triple Crown winners and the team who beat England for the first time were a far cry from this year's team who finished bottom of the 6 Nations and have been in something of a crisis of confidence.

However when you take a look at their work rate over the past few months has seen the squad train hard since the end of March and there was some reward with a recent training win over Ireland - however insignificant the score of such games. When the draw for the World Cup was first made, star player Non Evans immediately expressed her dismay that Wales were drawn such a tough pool, and Evans and her teammates know that they face an uphill battle to get out anything of this group.

The co-captain has played the majority of her rugby in the backrow so it was something of a surprise when coach Jason Lewis moved her to inside centre for some of the 6 Nations. That switch has been made permanent and Berry will have had to learn her backline trade quickly as she prepares to face some of the best midfields in the world in the weeks ahead.

: Wales were rightly somewhat down when they drew such a tough pool and they know that games agains the three southern hemisphere teams will be a big ask. The team that finished bottom of the 6 Nations this year will not want to finish bottom of their pool so they simply must beat the lower ranked South Africans and hope to catch one of the other two on an off day.

The team that finished bottom of the pile at the last World Cup are likely to make far more of an impact this time around. South Africa are without doubt the most improved team of the 12 at this competition and though you couldn't really see them making it all the way to the last four, they could well compete for a top eight spot. That would be a big achievement for a side who have worked extremely hard over the past year to play test matches - flying to Dubai to play Kazakhstan and touring Scotland just weeks ago.

Four wins on the road goes to show the benefit of a union who are backing their women's squad and the South Africans will put up a real fight against every team they play. A physical team, sides often find it hard to compete with the South Africans at the breakdown, so to get around them teams will have to play it wide and fast. It should make for some excellent matches.

The flyhalf showed real class at last year's Nations Cup, where South Africa emerged as a rapidly improved team and she is a world class player with bags of ability. If she has time and space she can cause damage as she has great pace and attacking zeal.

: Like Wales they too know their chances of toppling Australia or New Zealand are slim so the game against the Welsh is vital if they are to win any of their pool games. In beating Scotland twice this year South Africa have proved they have no fear of any European sides.