New Zealand Women's team celebrate after winning the IRB Women's Sevens World Series at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens held at 'The Sevens', Dubai, UAE. Photo / Stephen Hindley/Photosport.co.nz
With High Performance Sport New Zealand depositing $1.6 million under the women's rugby sevens Christmas tree, it is a prime opportunity for New Zealand's best players to gear up for June's World Cup in Moscow and look to the sport's debut at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
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Commonwealth Games gold medals means the men's side - now known for international branding purposes as the All Blacks Sevens - get $4.8 million over the Olympic campaign. The women, who have a world series starting this season, have to earn the right to more.
They've gone about it the right way, triumphing 41-0 over South Africa in the final of the opening round at Dubai on December 1. The other rounds are in Houston (February 1-2), Guangzhou (March 30-31) and Amsterdam (May 17-18). Each tournament involves 12 teams - New Zealand, Australia, Canada, England, Netherlands and the United States have automatic entry and six teams get invited via regional rankings.
New Zealand lost an extra-time final to Australia in the inaugural women's sevens World Cup in 2009 and have won the last four XVs World Cups, so their pedigree suggests they're worthy of Olympic investment.
England (as part of Britain) will also fancy their chances in Rio, having beaten the Black Ferns 3-0 at XVs in their November test series. Traditional Olympic giants such as the United States, China and Russia, as well as hosts Brazil, are expected to invest heavily towards the 2016 Olympics.
