Three make women's rugby debut

IRB.com - Wednesday, September 17, 2008 12:40 PM

THREE countries are set to make their international women's debuts in Africa at the weekend when nine of the continent's rugby playing nations line up in Kampala, Uganda bidding to qualify for next year's Rugby World Cup Sevens.

Madagascar, Botswana and Ivory Coast enter sides in an international women's Sevens competition for the first time and join hosts Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tunisia and Kenya in the draw, from which only two nations will qualify for the Dubai showpiece on 5-7 March 2009.

Nine of 16 women's teams have already booked their places at the Dubai event. Brazil were first to qualify from South America, followed by England, Netherlands, Russia, France, Spain and Italy from Europe and most recently Australia and New Zealand from Oceania.

After Africa's women face off in Uganda, Hong Kong will host qualifying for Asia's men and women on 4-5 October and the Bahamas will host North America's men and women on 25-26 October, before the African men's event draws qualifying to a close.