World Rugby have confirmed the pools and match schedule for the opening round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for both men and women, with competition set to take place in Dubai.

team women’s event is due to start on December 3 with the defending series and Dubai leg champions New

Zealand set to compete in Pool A against Brazil, France and Russia.Pool B in the United Arab Emirates

Zealand in Pool C, while Pool D comprises of Australia, England, Kenya and Wales.South Africa's men

With new iconic locations, new star players and anticipated record attendances, broadcast and social

media exposure, never before has there been so much excitement ahead of a new season of sevens.

Italian windsurfing great Alessandra Sensini was one of seven sailors to be inducted into the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Hall of Fame during the governing body’s 2015 Annual Conference in Sanya, China.

“I hope that I will be able to inspire the new generation and pass on my knowledge in the sport of

was inducted having claimed several prestigious titles during his glittering career.Sir Peter led New

Zealand to two America’s Cup titles, as well as winning the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Fame when it was introduced in 2007 to mark the ISAF centenary year.Related storiesNovember 2015: New

Zealand pair Burling and Tuke and Britain's Ayton named ISAF World Sailors of the YearOctober 2015: 

New Zealand Football (NZF) has confirmed that it will not be appealing to the Court of Arbitration for

New Zealand were dramatically thrown out of the Olympic qualifying tournament hours before the final

We want to secure the opportunity for young people who have moved to New Zealand with their families

as children and young adults for non-football reasons to play the game they love in New Zealand and represent

 New Zealand were dramatically thrown out of the Olympic qualifier just hours before they were due

adjourns New Zealand Football's appeal against Olympic disqualificationAugust 2015: New Zealand

World Rugby has announced the regional and cross-regional qualification process for the 2019 World Cup in Japan, where a further eight teams will secure their spot at the tournament.

A total of 12 countries - New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Ireland, Scotland, France

The first-ever North American professional rugby union league will be launched in the United States in April 2016, it has been announced.

subsequently cancelled.An English Premiership match between London Irish and Saracens will take place in New

Related storiesNovember 2015: Rugby World Cup 2015 declared biggest and best tournament everOctober 2015: New

Zealand become first team to retain Rugby World Cup after defeating Australia in the finalOctober 2015

winnersOctober 2015: Ashley-Cooper bags hat-trick as Australia set up Rugby World Cup final clash with New

Zealand

New Zealand has become the first National Olympic Committee to be named World Winner at the International

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) was recognised for its "longstanding efforts promoting women

been presented to an organisation or individual from New Zealand."

Zealand Olympic CommitteeJune 2015: Award for New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary general in Queen's

Birthday HonoursMay 2015: New Zealand Olympic Committee reveal new integrity regulationOctober 2014:

 New Zealand Olympic Committee names new Athletes' Commission members

New Zealand duo Peter Burling and Blair Tuke and Great Britain’s Sarah Ayton have been named the 2015

Trofeo Princesa Sofia, while also competing in the America's Cup World Series with Emirates Team New

looking ahead and keeping the hammer down towards the Olympics and then towards bringing the Cup back to New

Zealand."

New Zealand's Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have dominated sailing over the last year ©Getty ImagesThe

Tier two nations will have more influence on the decision-making within World Rugby after the governing body announced an expansion of its ruling Council, which comes into effect next year.

This exciting new model, developed following extensive review and consultation, will ensure that World

world.The governance reform comes after the 2015 Rugby World Cup concluded in England on October 31 with New

Zealand becoming the first team to retain the title with a 34-17 victory over Australia.Related storiesNovember

2015: Rugby World Cup 2015 declared biggest and best tournament everOctober 2015: New Zealand

Zealand

Two-time Olympic triathlete Laurent Vidal has died in his sleep at the age of 31, the French Triathlon Federation have announced.

swimming training session and following his recovery he began coaching his fiancée Andrea Hewitt of New

Zealand, as well as several top French athletes.Reflecting on the news Philippe Lescure, President

“He was constantly coming up with new ideas to take our sport to the new level, pushing the envelope

Retired cyclist Catherine Cheatley, a member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) Aspiring Women

Zealand team from the initial development stage right through to the Olympics.Graduating with the UCI

Zealand at an Olympic or Commonwealth Games and offers targeted support to selected women and helps

Zealand Olympic CommitteeJune 2015: Award for New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary general in Queen's

Birthday HonoursMay 2015: New Zealand Olympic Committee reveal new integrity regulationOctober 2014:

 New Zealand Olympic Committee names new Athletes' Commission membersJuly 2014: New Zealand Olympic Committee

Japan launched a spirited fightback from 10-0 down at half-time to seal their spot at Rio 2016 with a 24-10 victory over hosts Hong Kong at the Asian rugby sevens regional Olympic qualifying event today.

and sixth place, thanks to a 38-5 thrashing of Malaysia.The Japanese will join the likes of Fiji, New

Zealand and South Africa, who all qualified through the World Rugby Sevens Series, and fellow continental

Hong Kong braced to host Asia Rugby sevens Rio 2016 qualifierOctober 2015: Rugby will be taken to a "new

You can guarantee that following the conclusion of every major sporting event, one of the organisers will declare it as “the best-ever”.

an emphatic and pulsating close exactly a week ago with the final between arch-rivals Australia and New

pundits and media alike who would have taken particular joy in the Japanese never-say-die displays.New Zealand

World Rugby Sevens Series champions Fiji are the favourites, and the usual suspects of Australia, New

Zealand, England and South Africa will also fancy their chances of becoming the first-ever rugby sevens

Zealand and South Africa - suggests their success was not a total surprise, it was still pleasing to

Veronica Vadovicova of Slovakia continued her reign of dominance at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Shooting World Cup as she claimed her seventh gold medal of the event while three countries bagged further Rio 2016 quota places in Fort Benning.

Malevnosky finished fifth, which was enough to earn his country another Rio 2016 quota place, while New

Zealand secured their third Rio 2016 berth thanks to Gregory Reid, who was eighth.There was also more

Shooters from Brazil, the United States, Sweden and Germany sealed spots for their countries at Rio 2016 on day two of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Shooting World Cup in Fort Benning today.

closeSeptember 2015: Jeffery secures Rio 2016 spot with gold at IPC Shooting World CupJuly 2015: Paralympics New

Zealand announces team for IPC Shooting World Cup in Sydney

South Africa’s Von Zeuner Kohne and Switzerland’s Paul Schnider secured their country’s first spots in next year's Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro shooting competitions, despite missing out on the mixed 25 metres pistol SH1 podium at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Shooting World Cup in Fort Benning.

closeSeptember 2015: Jeffery secures Rio 2016 spot with gold at IPC Shooting World CupJuly 2015: Paralympics New

Zealand announces team for IPC Shooting World Cup in SydneyApril 2015: Ibragimov claims world record