Draw for USA Sevens announced

Mexico make their debut

The draw for the USA leg of the 2004/05 IRB Sevens series sees England sharing a pool with Fiji, New Zealand with Samoa and South Africa with Australia.

The tournament takes place at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles on 12/13 February and the hosts will hope to draw on hometown support when they take on their neighbours Canada in Pool C.

They are joined in the same pool by South Africa and Australia.

England and Fiji find themselves in Pool A, along with Tonga and West Indies.

Uruguay face a tough assignment in Pool B, where they will play New Zealand, Samoa and Scotland.

Mexico - making their first appearance in the IRB Sevens - will face Argentina, France and Kenya.

The series heads to Wellington in New Zealand for the February 4/5 tournament before the event in the USA which will be the last chance for players to impress before the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2005, which takes place on 18-20 March.

England Sevens captain Simon Amor, who was unable to play in George due to an injury he incurred against Fiji in the Final of the Dubai leg, was looking forward to his Californian date with the Islanders.

"The draw there is a really tough one for us," he said.

"We have had two close battles with Fiji already this season with one win a piece and I am looking forward to another close encounter. 

"Los Angeles is an interesting tournament as support for rugby in America is growing all the time and the facilities are awesome. 

"These next two tournaments are so important for England if we are going to win the series this season, as well as being the last chance at playing before the Rugby World Cup Sevens in March.

"Every member of the squad will be desperate to be selected, and competition for places will be fierce. 

"Both Wellington and Los Angeles are really important tournaments for England, and we must play well."

Draw for Los Angeles (February 12-13):

Pool A:                              Pool B:
England                              New Zealand
Fiji                                     Samoa
Tonga                                 Scotland
West Indies                        Uruguay

Pool C:                              Pool D:
South Africa                        Argentina
Australia                             France
Canada                               Kenya
USA                                   Mexico