IRELAND WOMEN SET up a quarter-final showdown against Olympic champions New Zealand as the new rugby sevens season got underway in Dubai.

Ireland Women beat Fiji and series newcomers China in their opening pool matches on Saturday before falling to another defeat against their Paris conquerors Australia.

That loss saw them finish as runners-up in Pool A, and facing a knockout clash against New Zealand in the early hours of Sunday morning (kick-off 6.04am).

Meanwhile, Ireland Men will be playing for ninth place at best after they lost all three of their pool matches on Saturday. Defeats against Great Britain, Uruguay and Argentina leave Ireland facing a rankings playoff against Kenya on Sunday (kick-off 10.06am).

Vicki Elmes Kinlan and Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe scored two tries apiece as Ireland Women opened the new campaign with a 30-12 win against Fiji.

And it was Murphy Crowe who once again starred against China, running in a hat-trick in a 31-21 win, before a 24-5 defeat to Australia in the pool decider saw Ireland finish in second place.

In the men’s tournament, Harry Glover’s golden score gave Great Britain a 22-17 win over Ireland in the sides’ Pool B opener.

Josh Costello scored a try in either half against Uruguay but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 26-14 defeat, before five-try Argentina cruised to a 29-7 win in the final round of pool matches.