ADOPT A NATION 2014EMIRATES AIRLINE DUBAI RUGBY SEVENS

R7_SCHOOL_COUNTRY_BOOK_COVER_2014.pdf 1 11/12/14 7:07 PM

Adopt A NAtioN tAsk

The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens is an amazing event which sees a total of19 nations come together in the HSBC Sevens World Series and the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series to battle it out for the title of champions.

With over 100,000 people attending the event it is a truly multi-cultural experience.

It is great fun cheering for your country or favourite team!

What we want you to do is to ‘adopt a nation’ which isn’t your own and learn a bit about them!

So have a read through our fact book and swot up on your new nation.

You can even research them on your own about them - how about trying to learn their national anthem or a fact about their star player?

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About ArgeNtiNA= The name Argentina comes from the Latin word for sliver ‘argentum’.= By land area Argentina is the 2nd largest country in South America.= Spanish is the official language of Argentina.= Argentina shares a land border with 5 countries including Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Paraguay.= The capital city of Argentina is Buenos Aires.= The Latin dance and music called the Tango began in Buenos Aires.= The currency of Argentina is called the Peso.= Argentine beef is famous around the world and Asado (an Argentine barbecue) is very popular in the country which has the highest consumption of red meat in the world.

ArgeNtiNA rugby FActs= Argentina men will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014= The Argentina Sevens team is nicknamed the Pumas (los pumas). = The Pumas nickname is generally believed to be the result of an error made by a journalist who followed the Fifteens team during their first overseas tour to South Africa in1965. = Reporters were trying to devise a catchy nickname for the team, one of them saw the picture of an animal on the UAR crest; however, he thought it was a puma instead of the actual jaguar.= The mistake stuck, and was eventually adopted by the Argentines themselves (although the UAR crest still depicts a jaguar).= They finished among the top six teams in five out of six seasons (2003/04 - 2008/09)= During this time the team was led by Santiago Gomez Cora, who is ranked all-time first in tries (230), fifth in points (1,178) and third in appearances (61) in the HSBC Sevens World Series rankings. = Their best finish in the World Cup Sevens has been reaching the Semi-finals. = Argentina currently has 127,200 registered people playing rugby.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.com www.uar.com.ar

ArgeNtiNA plAyer proFiles

Santiago ÁlvarezDOB: 17.02.94Height: 1.88mWeight: 89kgPosition: CentreFact: His debut was 2013 at last year’s Dubai Rugby Sevens.

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About AustrAliA = Australia is the world’s 6th largest country by area.= The largest cities in Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide.= A desert area known as the ‘outback’ covers much of the land.= The name ‘Australia’ comes from the Latin word ‘australis’, meaning southern.= It is estimated the humans have lived in Australia for around 45,000 years.= The indigenous people of Australia are Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islanders.= The world’s largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef, is found off the north-eastern coast of Australia.= Australia is home to a variety of unique animals, including the koala, kangaroo, emu, kookaburra and platypus.

AustrAliA rugby FActs= Australia Men and Australia Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Australia’s rugby teams are nicknamed the Wallabies. = Australia Women are the current Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens champions, they beat New Zealand in last year’s final 35-27.= Famous Australian 15s player George Gregan & Joe Roff also played 7s. = Australia Men’s highest finish in the overall standings of the HSBC Sevens World Series was during the 2009/10 season, coming third. = Australia hosts the start of the HSBC Sevens World Series at Gold Coast Sevens.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.rugby.com.au

AustrAliA plAyer proFiles

Emilee CherryDOB: 02.11.1992Height:1.68mWeight:70kgPosition: BackFact: Emilee was crowned IRB Women's Sevens Player of the Year 2013/2014. She scored the most tries in the entire series (33) and was the highest point scorer (195).

Allan Fa’alava’au DOB: 15.11.1993Height:1.69mWeight:82kgPosition: Scrum-halfFact: Allan made his debut with the Australian Men aged just 18.

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About brAzil = Brazil is the largest country in South America.= Brazil is the only country in South America which has as its language Portuguese.= Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world by both land area and population.= Major cities include Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Fortaleza.= Brazil shares a border with all South American countries except for Chile and Ecuador.= Brazil covers 3 time zones.= The Amazon River flows through Brazil, it is the 2nd longest river in the world.= Around 60% of the Amazon Rainforest is located in Brazil.= Brazil is home to a wide range of animals, including armadillo, tapirs, jaguars and pumas.

brAzil rugby FActs= Brazil Men and Brazil Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014= Brazil joined the South American rugby governing body in 1995. = Brazil currently has 16,000 people registered as playing rugby. = Brazil hosts the third round of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series. = Brazil Men are invited to participate in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens this year. = This is ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, which will be hosted in Brazil and is the first time Rugby Sevens will be included in the sports played!

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.com

brAzil plAyer proFiles

Ayna dos Santos ChristovamDOB: 01.01.1990Height: 1.70mWeight: 70kgPosition: Center and wingFact: Ayna first started playing rugby aged just 13 years old.

Fernando PortugalDOB: 04.07.1981Height: 1.84mWeight: 95kgPosition: BackFact: Fernando’s favourite sporting memory was representing Brazil at Twickenham – it was the first time Brazil had played at the legendary English stadium.

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About cANAdA = The population of Canada is 35 million.= Major cities include Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.= The 2 main languages spoken in Canada are English and French.= Canada is the second largest country in the world by total area.= Canada features the longest coastline in the world, stretching 20,2080 kilometres.= The name Canada comes from the word ‘kanata’ which means ‘settlement’ or ‘village’ in the language of the indigenous St Lawrence Iroquoians.= Canada has over 30,000 lakes.= Winters can be very cold in Canada with temperatures dropping below −40 °C in some parts of the country.

cANAdA rugby FActs= Canada Men and Canada Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= The maple leaf is a Canadian symbol and features prominently on the national flag.= In Canada there are approx 129,000 people who play rugby. = Canada Men celebrated their highest ever finish at a World Series event in 2014 taking the third place title at Las Vegas Sevens.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.rugbycanada.ca

cANAdA plAyer proFiles

Nathan HirayamaDOB : 23.3.1988Height: 1.83mWeight: 88kgPosition: Fly-halfFact: Hirayamas father also respected Canada making them first-ever rugby-playing father/son duo.

Magali HarveyDOB: 16.08.1990Height: 1.65mWeight: 65kgPosition: Wing Fact: Magali won the 2014 IRB Women’s Player of the year.

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About chiNA = China is officially known as the People’s Republic of China.= China has the largest population in the world.= China is the 3rd largest country by area at 9,706,961 sq km.= China belongs to the continent of Asia. = The capital city is Beijing, while the most populated city is Shanghai. = China is the second largest economy in the world, after the United States of America.= In 2003, China became the third country to successfully send a person into space.= The Great Wall of China is the largest man made structure in the world, stretching an incredible 8,850 kilometres.= The famous Giant Panda is found near the Yangtze River in China.= China hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

chiNA rugby FActs= China Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Rugby was once banned by the PRC National Sports Council who deemed it inappropriate.= It wasn’t until 1990 when modern China fielded its first rugby team. = The China Womens team side has dominated the Asian Women’s Rugby Sevens scene winning the annual tournament in 2006, 2009 and 2010. = China Women Sevens team came 14th in last years IRB Women’s Sevens World Series.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comrugby.sport.org.cn

chiNA plAyer proFiles

Yu Xiaoming DOB: 8.11.1993Height:1.70mWeight: 60 kgPosition: ForwardFact: She was the top points scorer for China in 2013.

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About eNglANd = England is the most populated country in the United Kingdom. = The other countries that make up the United Kingdom are Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.= The capital city of England is London. = England includes many small islands such as the Isle of Wight and Hayling Island.= There is only a 34 kilometre gap between England and France and the countries are connected by the Channel Tunnel which opened in 1994.= Famous English scientists include Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking among many others.= The official London home of the British monarch is Buckingham Palace.

eNglANd rugby FActs= England Men and England Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014. = According to legend, rugby was created in 1823 at Rugby School in Warwickshire, England. Apparently during a football game a student, William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and started running with it.= The first England Rugby Union was formed in 1890. = Lawrence Dallaglio and Matt Dawson have won both the World Cup in both Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens for England. = England’s Ben Gollings is the top point scorer of all time for the HSBC Sevens World Series with 2,652 points!

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.rfu.com/squadsandplayers/englandsevens

eNglANd plAyer proFiles

Danielle WatermanDOB: 20.01.1985Height: 1.65mWeight: 65kgPosition: BackFact: Danielle, nicknamed Nolli, made her Fifteens Test debut in 2003 and became the youngest player to represent England Women at the age of 18. She has since gone on to be capped more than 50 times for England in both Rugby Fifteens and Rugby Sevens.

Dan NortonDOB: 22.3.1988Height: 1.80mWeight: 82kgPosition: WingFact: Dan was top try scorer in the IRB 2012-2013 World Series with 52 tries.

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About Fiji = The main official language of Fiji is Fijian. = Fiji gained independence from the British Empire in 1970 after 96 years as a British colony.= There are 322 islands in Fiji and over 500 small islets. Around 110 of these islands are inhabited. The islands are spread over 194,000 km² of which just 10% is land.= Major industries in Fiji are tourism and sugar. Exports also include garments, gold, timber and fish.= Fiji is a major tourist location, with its white sandy beaches, beautiful islands, all-year-round tropical weather and stunning coral reefs.= The currency of Fiji is the Fijian dollar.= Modern Fijian cuisine is diverse with great influences from Indian cuisine and spices along with traditional local tropical fruits, vegetables, fish and wild pork.

Fiji rugby FActs= Fiji Men and Fiji Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Rugby is the most popular sport in Fiji with a participation rate of nearly 10% of the population. = Fiji Men are the reigning Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens champions. They won last year’s trophy with victory over South Africa in the final.= Fiji claimed the 2014 Tokyo Sevens title after beating South Africa 33-26 in a close fought final= The Fijian rugby sevens legend Waisale Serevi was famous for striking runs and unparallel flair. He is still ranked fouth in the HSBC Sevens World Series with 1,310 sevens career points! = Fiji Men won the Gold Coast Sevens 2014, so are the team to watch in Dubai.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.com www.fijirugby.com

Fiji plAyer proFiles

Setefano CakauDOB: 03.09.1978Height: 1.78mWeight: 93kgPosition: Prop Fact: Cakau’s try in the final, in the opening round of the Series in Australia, was voted by fans as the best try from the tournament.

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About FrANce = France is part of the continent of Europe. = The Alps mountain range on the border of France and Italy is home to France’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, which stands at 4,807m high.= The official language is French.= The capital city is Paris, other major cities include Marseille, Lyon and Nice. = France is the most visited country in the world, with over 80 million visitors every year.= The Louvre is the most visited art museum in the world. The famous Mona Lisa painting is on display in this museum.= The famous Eiffel Tower in Paris was built as the entrance point for the 1889 World Fair. It is one of the most visited monuments in the world.= The most famous road bicycle race in the world, the Tour de France, zig zags through the French landscape.

FrANce rugby FActs= France Men and France Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= The French Rugby team is known as the Blues, the crowd cheer ‘Allez les Bleus’ which translates as ‘go the blues’. = France’s first rugby union was formed in 1978. = There are currently approximately 360,000 people playing rugby in France. = France finished 10th in the HSBC World Sevens Series in the 2013/2014 season.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.ffr.fr/index.php/ffr

FrANce plAyer proFiles

Terry BouhraouaDOB: 29.7.1987Height: 1.67mWeight: 65kgPosition: Hooker Fact: Terry was part of the successful France U21s who won the 2006 World Championships.

Marjorie MayansDOB: 19.11.1990Height: 1.71mWeight: 67kgPosition: CentreFact: Marjorie made her debut for the national side in 2011.

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About jApAN = Japan belongs to the continent of Asia. = Japan is made up of 6,852 islands.= The highest point in Japan is Mount Fuji, which stands at 3,776m.= Japan has the tenth largest population in the world.= Japan sits along the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, so has many volcanoes and experiences many earthquakes. = Ancient warriors of Japan were known as Samurai. They were very skilled fighters and swordsmen. = Some of the most well-known companies in the world such as Toyota, Honda, Sony, Nintendo, Canon, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Sharp, are japanese.= Japanese cuisine has become popular around the world. Some well-known dishes are sushi, sashimi and tempura.= Japan is home to many different forms of martial arts. Karate, Judo, Sumo, Kendo, Jujutsu, and Aikido to name a few.

jApAN rugby FActs= Japan Men will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Japan qualified as a core team for the HSBC Sevens World Series by winning the qualification tournament in Hong Kong in march 2014.= Japan hosts the seventh round of the HSBC Sevens World Series, it is held at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground. = The Japan Rugby 7s team is known as the Brave Blossoms.= Rugby is popular in Japan -with 107,673 participants and 3,361 clubs, it boasts the largest playing population in Asia. = Japan’s rugby union was formed in 1987 and rugby in Japan has grown steadily since then.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comjrfu.org/jrfu/index.php

jApAN plAyer proFiles

Katsuyuki SakaiDOB: 07.09.1988Height: 1.72mWeight: 88kgPosition: Fly-half/ Centre (Captain) Fact: He scored 60 points in just one game, while playing in the National High School Rugby Tournament.

Yusaku Kuwazuru DOB: 23.10.1985Height: 1.88mWeight: 97kgPosition: PropFact: Yusaku has the Japanese record for playing in the most major Sevens tournaments.

©JRFU 2014, photo by H.Nagaoka

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About keNyA = Kenya is located in East Africa, on the equator.= The capital and largest city is Nairobi. Mombasa is the second largest city.= The two official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili, although there are dozens of other languages spoken in various parts of the country.= Kenya shares Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest fresh water lake, with Tanzania and Uganda.= Kenya features many national parks and wildlife reserves, with safaris being a popular activity for visitors.= Large animals such as lions, buffalo, leopards, elephants and rhinoceros are present in Kenya.= Kenya is named after Mt Kenya, the tallest mountain in the country at 5,199 metres tall.

keNyA rugby FActs= Kenya Men will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Kenya is the people’s favourite at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, with the crowd always getting behind this charismatic side. = Kenya came 14th in the HSBC World Sevens Series 2013/2014 season.= Kenya has the 3rd largest rugby playing population in Africa, behind South Africa and Madagascar.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.kenyarfu.com

keNyA plAyer proFile

Collins Injera “Collo”DOB: 18.10.1986Height: 1.86mWeight: 80kgPosition: Centre Fact: Collo is Kenya’s all time top try scorer in the IRB circuit.

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About New zeAlANd = New Zealand is located in the south-western Pacific Ocean and features two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, as well as other smaller ones.= The capital city of New Zealand is Wellington while the largest city is Auckland.= The official spoken languages of New Zealand are English and Te Reo Maori, with English being the most widely used.= Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.= The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa.= The bird species of New Zealand are particularly diverse, including alpine parrots and ground dwelling kiwis.= The term ‘Kiwi’ is also used as a nickname for a New Zealander.= The Lord of the Rings movies were filmed in New Zealand.

New zeAlANd rugby FActs = New Zealand Men and New Zealand Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Jonah Lomu, the Rugby Union legend, also played 7s for New Zealand. = New Zealand Men are a ferocious Sevens side and have won the IRB World Sevens Series circuit twelve out of fifteen times! = The New Zealand women’s sevens team won the first Women’s World Cup Sevens in 2012/2013 in Moscow. = They also won the first two IRB Women’s Sevens World Series. = New Zealand also hosts the Wellington Sevens, the fourth round of the HSBC Sevens World Series.= New Zealander Tomasi Cama is the second highest point scorer in the HSBC Sevens World Series with 2026 points!

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.allblacks.com/Teams/Sevens

New zeAlANd plAyer proFiles

Honey HiremeDOB: 08.05.1981Height: 1.72mWeight: 82kgPosition: BackFact: Honey has represented New Zealand in 3 rugby codes. Rugby Sevens, Rugby Union and Rugby League. Her unbelievable rugby skills across all codes has earned her the nickname of “Honey Bill Williams”.

DJ ForbesDOB: 15.12.1982Height: 1.89mWeight: 104kgPosition: PropFact: He was given the captaincy in 2006 and has been the lynch pin of the All Black Sevens since. He is a powerhouse and is always a favourite of fans. His terrific form over 2013/14 saw him named in the IRB Dream Team!

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About portugAl = Portugal is the most western country on the European mainland.= The Portuguese Empire was the longest-lived of the modern European empires and was spread throughout areas that now make up 53 different sovereign states. = Portugal was one of the original member states of the Eurozone in 1999.= Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. It is the oldest city in Western Europe and one of the oldest cities in the world. = Portugal is named after its 2nd largest city, Porto.= The country is one of the 20 most visited countries in the world with more than 13 million tourists visiting each year.

portugAl rugby FActs = Portugal Men will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Portugal came 11th in the 2013/2014 HSBC Sevens World Series. = Portugal lost in the Bowl final at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens last year to Australia 12-17, finishing in 10th place. = Approximately 42,000 people play rugby in Portugal.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.fpr.pt

portugAl plAyer proFile

Aderito EstevesDOB: 08.10.1985Height: 1.93mWeight: 102kgPosition: ForwardFact: His sheer size and explosive pace makes Aderito a formidable attacker.

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About russiA = Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of land area. = Russia is located across 9 time zones.= At the beginning of 2013, Russia was estimated to have a population of around 143 million.= The capital and largest city in Russia is Moscow. Other major cities in Russia include Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk.= The world’s first satellite, named Sputnik, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.= The official residence of the Russian president is the Kremlin in Moscow. The name Kremlin means fortress.= Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world. It contains around 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water.= Russia’s Volga River is the longest in Europe, with a length of around 3,690 kilometres.= Russia has the world’s largest area of forests.= Russia produces a large amount of renewable energy thanks to its well developed hydropower stations.

russiA rugby FActs = Russian Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= The Russian rugby team are known as the Bears. = Russia Women are fifth in the all time IRB Series rankings. = Russia came third at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens last year after beating Canada 15-10. = Russia Women came 5th in last years IRB Women’s Sevens World Series. = Russia currently have approximately 28,500 people playing rugby in their country.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.com

russiA plAyer proFiles

Ekaterina KazakovaDOB: 08.08.1990Height: 1.68mWeight: 64kgPosition: BackFact: Ekaterina is currently 15th in the IRB Women’s Sevens Series all time player points.

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About sAmoA = Samoa is located in the South Pacific Ocean about 3,540 km south of Hawai.= Samoa became independent from New Zealand in 1962= Samoa has its own ancient pyramid. The Star Pyramid, is situated on the Island of Savai’I and was built between 1100-1400 AD.= Samoa has only one city – Apia, which is also the capital of Samoa.= Samoa has had 7 flags since the history of its nation. The current Samoan flag, was introduced in 1949 while under New Zealand rule.

sAmoA rugby FActs = Samoa Men will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Despite it’s small size Samoa is a very competitive rugby playing nation= The team is known as Manu Samoa in honor of a famous Samoan warrior.= Samoa have their own war dance prior to a match, the Manu Siva Tau, which is used to psych the players up before a match and intimidate the opposition. = Samoa were knocked out of last years Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens in the bowl semi-final by Australia, 14-19.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.com www.irb.com/unions/union=11000015

sAmoA plAyer proFile

Lolo Lui DOB: 22.12.1989Height: 1.85mWeight: 85kg Position: FullbackFact: Lolo was part of the successful Samoan side that won the IRB Sevens World Series 2009-2010.

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About scotlANd = Scotland is located in Europe, at the northern end of Great Britain.= Scotland is a part on the United Kingdom, along with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.= Scotland includes over 700 islands. These include groups called Orkney, Shetland and The Hebrides.= The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, while the largest city is Glasgow. = Other major cities include Aberdeen and Dundee.= The highest mountain in Scotland is Ben Nevis which stands at a height of 1,344 metres.= Scotland has a unique culture with traditions such as bagpipes, kilts and highland dancing.= The thistle is a national symbol of Scotland.

scotlANd rugby FActs = Scotland Men will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= The game of Rugby Sevens started in Scotland, in 1883, when a local butcher and keen Rugby Union player proposed a short version of the full game as a fundraising idea for his local club, Melrose RFC.= Glasgow also held the 2014 Commonwealth Games which saw the inclusion of Rugby Sevens for the first time! = Scotland were knocked out in the Plate semi-final in last year’s Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens by Argentina, 5-12. = Scotland came 11th in last years HSBC Sevens World Series.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.scottishrugby.org/scotland-squads/scotland-sevens

scotlANd plAyer proFile

Gregor YoungDOB: 03.07.1991Height: 1.93mWeight: 92kgPosition: PropFact: Gregor’s twin brother also plays for Scotland Sevens! They be-came the first twins to play in the Scotland jersey at the same time at the 2014 London Sevens.

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About south AFricA = The official name of South Africa is the Republic of South Africa.= South Africa has 11 official languages, including Zulu, Afrikaans, Xhosa and English.= South Africa has the largest economy of any African country.= South Africa has had an unsettled history, with apartheid policies enforcing a system of segregation from 1948 until 1994. = Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994 after South Africa’s first universal democratic elections.= South Africa’s coastline stretches over 2,500 km in length.= South Africa is home to a wide variety of animals including giraffes, hippopotamus, leopards and lions.= The first human heart transplant was performed in a Cape Town hospital in 1967.= Cave paintings have been found in South Africa that date to around 75,000 years ago.

south AFricA rugby FActs = South Africa Men and South Africa Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= South Africa host the third round of the HSBC Sevens World Series at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.= South Africa has played host to a World Series tournament since it’s inauguration in 1999.= The South Africa Springbok Sevens team is nicknamed the Blitzbokke, meaning Lightening Springbok. = South Africa Men’s came runners up in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2013, when they were beaten by Fiji in the final.= South Africa has the biggest rugby playing population in Africa, with 387,000 people playing the game!

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.sarugby.net

south AFricA plAyer proFiles

Frankie HorneDOB: 24.02.1983Height: 1.83mWeight: 105kgPosition: ForwardFact: In 2013 he became the first Sevens player to play 50 consecutive tournaments! He was also part of the Gold medal winning team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Fundiswa PlaatjieDOB: 04.12.1985Height: 1.56mWeight: 65kgPosition: Scrum-halfFact: Her favourite genre of music is R&B and house music.

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About spAiN = The Spanish name for Spain is España.= The Spanish language is spoken in many areas of the world due to the early influence of the Spanish Empire.= Spain is located in Europe.= The largest city and capital of Spain is Madrid.= The second largest city is Barcelona, which is located in Catalonia.= The currency used in Spain is the Euro.= It is believed that humans first arrived in Spain around 32,000 years ago.= Mount Teide is the highest mountain in Spain (3,718m) and is an active volcano.= Spain has a variety of foods and unique dishes such as paella (a type of rice dish) and tapas (a range of small snacks or appetizers).

spAiN rugby FActs = Japan Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Spain Women came 6th in last year’s IRB Women’s Sevens World Series.= Spain lost the plate final to England 10-17 at last years Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens.= 51,000 people play rugby in Spain. = The Spain Rugby Union was founded in 1988.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.ferugby.es

spAiN plAyer proFile

Patricia Garcia Rodriguez DOB: 02.12.1989Height: 1.63mWeight: 64kgPosition: Scrum-halfFact: Patricia was the ambassador for Rugby Sevens in Madrid’s Olympic Games 2020 bid.

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About usA = The United States of America is also called the USA, US, United States or America.= On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was issued, establishing the United States of America.= The USA is the 4th largest country in the world by land area and 3rd by population.= The USA has the world’s largest economy.= The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers combine to form the longest river system in the US and the fourth longest in the world.= Hawaii is the most recent of the 50 states in the USA (joining in 1959) and is the only one made up entirely of islands.= Most of the world’s tornadoes occur in the Midwest region of the USA known as Tornado Alley.= The first man to walk on the moon was American Neil Armstrong (July 21, 1969).

usA rugby FActs = USA Men and USA Women will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= The United States are the world’s reigning Olympic Rugby champions; they took the gold medal in 1924 when rugby union 15s was last played at the Olympics.= The USA Men came 9th in last years HSBC World Sevens Series. = The USA Women came 7th in last years IRB Women’s Sevens World Series. = The USA hosts the fifth round of the HSBC Sevens World Series, it is hosted at the Sam Boyd Stadium, the home of the University of Las Vegas Rebels football team. = The national rugby team is known as the USA Eagles.

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.usarugby.org

usA plAyer proFile

Carlin IslesDOB: 21.11.1989Height: 1.72mWeight: 75kgPosition: WingFact: Carlin Isles is known as the fastest man in Sevens, his lighten-ing speed of 10.13 seconds over 100 meters would have been good enough for the semi-finals at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

Ida BernsteinDOB: 03.02.1985Height: 1.76mWeight: 77kgPosition: BackFact: She has represented the USA in two sports. She first represent-ed her country on the Team USA bobsled team in 2011 and pulled on a USA Eagles shirt for the first time in 2009.

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About wAles = Wales is called Cymru in Welsh.= The country of Wales is a part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain.= English and Welsh are the two official languages of Wales. Welsh is a Celtic based language and is spoken by over 20% of the population.= Cardiff is the largest city and also the capital of Wales.= The country of Wales is said to contain more castles per square mile than any other country in the world.= Wales is often termed “the land of song” The country is known for its male choirs, and solo artists.= The original national emblem of Wales was the Leek (Cenhinen), over the years this confused with a very similar Welsh word Cehhinen Bedr which means daffodils and so the daffodil was adopted as a second emblem of Wales.

wAles rugby FActs = Wales Men will be competing in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2014.= Rugby Union is seen as the national sport and is passionately played and followed by most of the country.= Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium has the largest retractable roof of any sports stadium in the world.= Wales came joint 7th in last years HSBC Sevens World Series with Australia. = Wales lost to Argentina 5-21 in the Plate final at last years Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens. = 66,000 people play rugby in Wales, this is nearly 2% of their entire popuation!

For more team stats go to:

www.irbsevens.comwww.wru.co.uk/eng/matchcentre/squads_wales_sevens.php

wAles plAyer proFiles

Tomos WilliamsDOB: 01.01.1995Height: 1.78mWeight: 79kgPosition: Scrum-halfFact: Tomos made his Sevens debut at Japan Sevens 2014 aged just 19 years old. Since then he has competed in 3 tournaments and has his sights firmly on the Dubai Sevens 2014.

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