All 10 rugby nations that have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in August are bringing their elite players to Las Vegas for a showdown this weekend. 

New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji, England, France and Argentina have assembled some of the best available super stars to represent their countries in the International Rugby Board’s Vegas tournament. 

USA, Kenya, and Japan have also added more firepower to their squads in the hope of creating an upset during the three-day event.  Brazil which is not taking part in the Las Vegas tournament automatically qualifies for the Olympic Games sevens competition by virtue of its hosting the Olympic Games this year. 

The IRB Vegas affair and five others that will follow will help sharpen the players’ skills and play as the countdown ticks toward the biggest Olympic gold medal confrontation between 12 countries at Brazil’s Deodoro Sports Complex on August 8 for there days. 

It will be the first time in 92 years that rugby will again be included as a medal event in the Olympics.  The last gold medal awarded in rugby was in 1924 when the USA beat France in the Paris Olympics, 17-3 in the 15-man format.  In Brazil, rugby will be contested in the seven-man code.

Samoa, considered as one of the best sevens teams in the world not too long ago has fallen off the rugby ladder and is fighting for the last slot in the 12-nation Olympic rugby sevens event.  It will compete against 15 other countries in the last qualifying tournament that will be held in Monaco for two days starting on June 18.

The Samoans will have a tough time against some of the teams that have beaten them in the past like; Canada, Tonga, Ireland, and Zimbabwe.

The Kiwis are showcasing their big guns in Las Vegas featuring Liam Messam and three part-Samoan players: Sonny Bill Williams, DJ Forbes and Sherwin Stowers.  The sensational Ioane brothers who played in the Wellington and Sydney competitions have returned to Super Rugby but it is believed that they will be available for New Zealand’s Olympic rugby squad later this year.

Despite their success in the IRB series, the New Zealanders have never won in Las Vegas.  But with such a huge selection of talent in their squad, the Kiwis believe this will be their year to break the losing drought in the Nevada desert.

New Zealand shares the lead with Fiji and South Africa at the top of the current IRB series points standing after two consecutive championship finals last month in Wellington and Sydney.  Fiji won the first sevens tournament in Dubai last November while South Africa took the Cup in its home soil in George a week after.

South Africa is fielding a strong squad starring Bryan Habana, perhaps the fastest man in rugby.  Habana is a household name and made his debut in the USA in 2004 when he appeared for his country in the IRB sevens tournament that was played in Los Angeles.  This will be his first reintroduction to the sevens game after playing for South Africa’s Springboks for 12 years.

Australia has its most well known player, Quade Cooper in its team.  He will rely on his experience gained from 58 tests played for the Wallabies as he links up with the Aussie/Samoan upcoming star, Allan Fa’alava’au to give the men from Down Under a chance to win the championship this weekend at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Samoa has added two new players in its team.  They are; Alamanda Motuga and Alex Samoa who were selected late last month after they put on excellent performances for their Auckland Marist team that won the Apia Marist International Sevens tourney in Apia in February.

Samoa will have a hard time in Vegas, as it will go up against last year’s Cup championship, Fiji on its first match on Friday in pool C.  After that it will face Argentina in its second game on the same day.  On Saturday, Samoa will take on France to complete its pool matches.  Then on Sunday depending on the results of the previous two days, Samoa will either play for the championship Cup rounds or be relegated to the plate, bowl, and shield categories.

New Zealand heads pool A with Kenya, Portugal, and Russia.  In pool B, Australia faces, England, Scotland, and Japan and in pool D, the USA tackles South Africa, Wales and Canada.