Dubai: Casting your eyes down the surnames on the teamsheet for the Australian women's rugby sevens side, you'll find a familiar sounding name.
Kristy Giteau, 30, the older sister of current Toulon utility back and Matt, 29 — who has notched up 92 Test caps and 671 points for the Australian men's XVs side since 2002 — is hoping she can emulate her brother's success as she takes part in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens' first IRB-sanctioned Women's Challenge Cup.
Having won the first-ever Ladies Sevens World Cup here in Dubai in 2009, the pre-tournament favourites are aiming to give a good account of themselves in this happiest of hunting grounds. The Australian ladies want to continue their dominance of the sport before the IRB's planned 2012 women's world series.
Speaking after the Australian's opening group stage 12-5 win over Spain, Giteau said: "This is the first international tournament we've been exposed to in two years, since the World Cup. We've blooded new talent and will see how they go with the physicality. As each game goes we hope we can gel more as a team. "We don't put that [World Champion tag] pressure on ourselves. We've only got four players from the team that put us in that number one seeding.
"We've definitely come with the aim of getting to a final and winning, but we've seen such development from the other countries and their ladies' sevens programmes I don't think you should assume we are the favourites.
"It's really encouraging that the IRB is planning a women's world series. To play regular tournaments and attend and play together on the international stage is always exciting, but I think it's also been a long time in coming. For the IRB to sanction its first women's event here and a series next year is great and we'll grab every opportunity to travel with the boys and show them what the girls have got."
