Unlike the men's game, there are few tournaments that are set in stone for the women's game outside of the regular World Cups in both the Sevens and 15s and the Six Nations, so the continuation of the Rugby World Cup Sevens is vitally important.
The first year of the Women's Sevens World Series was an undoubted success and the expansion of the number of core sides next season (from six to eight) will be a big boost to those sides who grab the chance to be part of the circuit full-time.
There is huge potential with the World Series, which is likely to visit new venues and expand in size as we head towards Rio 2016. And now with the continuation of Rugby World Cup Sevens, there is even more for international players to aspire to.
But with the road to Moscow getting shorter and shorter, let's take a look at the contenders for the title.
The beauty about Sevens is that in any given game, on any given day, every sides is capable of beating another, and that will be truer than ever in Moscow.
The added incentive of the top eight sides being granted spots in the World Series next season means that every game will have something riding on it in Russia. It's an exciting prospect.
Rugby World Cup Sevens: The key contenders
First to Pool A where Canada, New Zealand, Netherlands and Tunisia will square up. This pool is among the toughest at the World Cup in the women's competition and in the final round of the World Series in Amsterdam recently Canada and New Zealand served up a fantastic fare of Sevens in the final - certainly there was enough to suggest that this pool really will be a titanic battle.New Zealand will start the World Cup as slight favourites, coming in off the back of winning the first ever World Series title and Sean Horan's charges have huge momentum behind them, having won three of the four competitions already this season.
But Canada cannot be discounted and they are a big game team who have plenty of experience in winning major titles. Netherlands have had an up and down season but have the ability to take scalps and when they get their pacy running game together they are capable of beating any opposition. Tunisia are relative newcomers to this level of international rugby and will probably be targeting the lower levels of the World Cup. Prediction: New Zealand to top the pool.
Pool B includes the current World Cup champions Australia along with South Africa, China and Ireland. Australia go in with the pressure of having the reigning title holder tag and this is no easy pool for the side captained by the experienced Sharni Williams.
They lost once to Ireland this season - though it was a narrow loss - and they will know that South Africa are capable of surprises, as evidenced when they reached the Dubai Sevens final earlier in the season. But Australia should be strong enough to top this pool and have enough experience to see them through the tight battles.
Ireland will be a side worth watching, as they have enjoyed relative success this season, despite it being their first full season with an international Sevens programme in place. China are still building as a young, quick team while South Africa will be desperate to recreate their early season form. Prediction: Australia to top the pool.
In Pool C the USA, Spain, Brazil and Fiji do battle in a pool that really could throw up some surprises. On paper USA will start as favourites after a good first season on the World Series and one year into a full-time professional Sevens programme.
Ric Suggit's team are one of the quickest in the world and they are a physical outfit too, so life will not be easy for their pool opponents. Spain, though, will fancy their chances and in the recent European tournaments they have shown that when they are on their game, they can threaten any side.
Brazil and Fiji are likely to be fighting it out for third place, although the incentive of finishing in the top eight will be huge for two sides who have ambitious long term plans. That is especially true of Brazil, who are hosting the next Olympics. They would dearly love to keep building on their experience. Prediction: USA to top the pool.
Finally, Pool D is a European-looking affair with England, France and Russia included alongside Japan. It is the European sides here who will be the most likely to take the honours in this pool, with England just perhaps behind New Zealand in the overall tournament favourite stakes.
Russia are one of the most improved sides in the world, however, and on home soil they will be even more motivated than ever to achieve success in this competition.
France showed in the recent European Championships that they can be a handful and should not be taken lightly so this pool will be among the most competitive. Japan were thrilled to qualify for this tournament and are not yet at the level of their more experienced pool opponents. Prediction: England to top the pool.
Follow all of the news on the Rugby World Cup Sevens on rwcsevens.com
