WORLD CUP SEVENS: IRELAND FACE a difficult task in today's opening session of the World Cup Sevens in Dubai when they face Samoa, regularly seeded in the top four, in the first of their three pool games.

Manager Hugh McCaughey knows it is a hard ask for Ireland given his side’s absence from the global game since the last World Cup four years ago in Hong Kong.

“We know it will be an uphill struggle simply because we played much less sevens rugby than our opponents,” said Ulsterman McCaughey, whose side had to go through qualifying last summer to reach these finals.

Four years ago Ireland failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, but McCaughey is confident that this year the Irish side is ready to take on the big boys.

“I think that the preparation this time round is much better. Our coach, John Skurr, knows his sevens and has played on the world circuit,” he said.

The world circuit in question is the IRB World Sevens Series, of which Ireland is not a member, unlike Wales and Scotland. But Ireland were able to measure their worth in the qualifying tournament last summer.

“We just lost by 14-12 to Portugal, and don’t forget that the Portuguese beat Samoa this season,” observed McCaughey. “I’d be disappointed if we didn’t spring a few surprises.”

There are 24 teams in these finals. Ireland are in a pool with Portugal, Australia and Samoa.

The qualifiers for the quarter-finals will be the six pool winners and the two best runners-up, based on pool points and points difference.

After opening against Samoa today, Ireland play play Australia tomorrow before completing their pool matches with the all-important game against Portugal.

IRELAND SEVENS SQUAD: Gary Brown (Leinster), Kieran Campbell (Connacht, capt), Brian Carney (Munster), James Coughlan (Munster), Conan Doyle (Munster), Tom Gleeson (Munster), Eoghan Grace (Munster), Felix Jones (Leinster), Paul Marshall (Ulster), Daniel Riordan (Connacht), Kyle Tonetti (Leinster), Brian Tuohy (Cornish Pirates).

GROUPS– Pool A: New Zealand, Tonga, Arabian Gulf, Italy; Pool B: Fiji, France, US, Georgia; Pool C: South Africa, Scotland, Canada, Japan; Pool D: Samoa, Australia, Portugal, Ireland; Pool E:England, Kenya, Tunisia, Hong Kong; Pool F: Argentina, Wales, Zimbabwe, Uruguay.