We can rise to challenge, Day says

Dubai: Captain Sue Day wants England to rise to the challenge of being tagged as favourites for the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens, which kicks off on Thursday.

Her side go into the 16-team tournament as the clear front runners thanks to a long unbeaten run achieved by a settled squad brought to its peak at exactly the right time by the coaching of sevens experts Simon Amor and Mike Friday.

And although additional pressure comes attached with that tag, Day is stressing the positives as England prepare for pool matches today against the United States, Russia and Japan.

She said: "I have nothing against people saying we're favourites, I think it's something we should relish. It's up to us to rise to that challenge and not be intimidated by it, although I would qualify that by saying we've had some very close matches against the United States and Canada, and there are a lot of great teams here."

Yet Day also admits that one of the great aspects about this first Sevens World Cup is that most teams know comparatively little about each other.

She added: "We've played some of the European sides and the US and Canada, of course, but that's about it, and that's what makes this World Cup so fascinating and so exciting to be a part of. If you were a gambler then you wouldn't be putting too much money on predicting a winner."

England's preparations for Dubai have been meticulous with Amor believing this team has given itself the best possible chance to push for the title.

But he also knows that his side's opening game, against a US outfit that pushed England all the way in the recent San Diego final before succumbing to a sudden death extra time try, will be crucial.

"Yes, it's a very big challenge first up," said Amor. "They have a quality side with a lot of speed and it's been very close between us on a lot of occasions. It should be a cracking game and we have to come out on the front foot."

As well as nursing title ambitions for his side, Amor hopes that the women's event can help play a role in securing Olympic admission for rugby.

He said: "I genuinely hope that the standard of performances and level of play show that rugby is worthy of admission to the Olympics."

New Zealand were forced into a late change when Exia Edwards was ruled out by a suspected kidney infection. Her place in the squad was taken by Angela McGregor, of Auckland.