Ryan set to meet former charges again as pools drawn for Dubai Sevens

By Gary Anderson

October 14 - After seeing his Fiji side lose out to England at the quarter-final stage of the Gold Coast Sevens yesterday, Ben Ryan will renew rivalries with his former team again after both nations have been drawn in the same pool for next month's Dubai Sevens.

England - winners in Dubai in 2010 and 2011 - and Fiji have been drawn in Pool C along with the United States and Canada, who lost out to France in the Bowl final at the Gold Coast.

The final pool match pitches Ryan, who left his role as England head coach in August after six years at the helm, and his Fiji side, against Simon Amor's outfit who began their HSBC Sevens World Series campaign with a third place finish, in what could potentially be a Pool C decider on day one in Dubai.

Ben Ryan will be hoping to pinpoint any weaknesses in his former England side

Defending champions and winners in the Gold Coast New Zealand are the top seeds in Pool A, where they will be up against a vastly improving Kenya side along with Portugal and Gold Coast Bowl winners France.

Pool B pits Gold Coast runners-up Australia against a triumvirate of European rivals in the shape of Portugal, Scotland and 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens winners Wales, who will have fond memories of the 7he Sevens Stadium in Dubai, where they overcame Argentina in that 2009 final.

Will defending champions Samoa be performing another victory dance in Dubai next month?

Reigning Dubai Sevens champions Samoa face a tough three games to start off the defence of their title as they have been drawn against a South Africa side who looked impressive on their way to the semi-finals last weekend before losing out to hosts Australia after extra-time, while Argentina and Russia will also provide stern opposition in Group D.