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IRB Sevens World Series leaders Samoa carry a seven point lead heading into the final leg of the season at Murrayfield this weekend.

The Pacific Islanders can claim an historic inaugural Series win by making the Edinburgh Sevens final on Sunday.

New Zealand need to win at Murrayfield and hope their rivals crash out in the semi-finals or earlier to claim their ninth overall IRB Sevens crown in 11 seasons.

Last weekend’s London Sevens saw the Samoans rack up their sixth consecutive win over New Zealand this season.

Kiwi coach Gordon Tietjens admitted he thought their World Series chances were "probably gone" at that point, but Samoa stumbled in the semi-finals against South Africa and New Zealand snatched the Plate final with a late try against Fiji to keep themselves in the running.

"I've certainly got a team here who can win this tournament. We're a good side and we've got to just perform on the day," Tietjens told NZPA.

"We won two of our games at the weekend on the last play of the game. That's how close it is, it comes down to a missed tackle or a dropped pass and that's what wins you games and tournaments.

"For us it's about eliminating those errors and applying heaps of pressure to the opposition."

In both 2000 and 2008 New Zealand were victorious at the final tournament of the year to clinch the an overall Series win.

Inspirational New Zealand captain DJ Forbes has claimed the pressure is now on Samoa and are hoping that fortunes change should the two meet each other this weekend.

"They are the competition leaders and they have been beating us all year so the pressure will be on them,” Forbes told the IRB.

“I would like to say we haven't given it our best shot, we haven't played perfect rugby against them and the boys are waiting for that time when we do play the perfect game."

New Zealand face Russia, Italy and South Africa in Pool B on Saturday. If the Kiwis slip up and Samoa top Pool A, another possible quarter-final between the pair is likely.

The Samoan’s passage is not straight forward either, as they face London semi-finalists Argentina, Kenya and France on the opening day’s play.

Australia team to beat?

London Sevens winners Australia currently occupy joint third place with Fiji. Aussie Coach Michael O’Connor admits teams will probably be gauging his side in a different light following their success.

"We have probably flown under the radar a bit so we are now the hunted. That is a different situation to be in and it brings extra pressure which isn't necessarily bad, I think it is good for them."

Last weekend’s win at a buzzing Twickenham was Australia's first Cup victory since Brisbane in 2002 on the IRB Sevens World Series.

The Australians are once again pooled with rivals England in Pool C and enjoyed a 38-5 crushing win against them at the Pool stages in London.

England find themselves without wingers Tom Varndell and Christian Wade in Edinburgh who are replaced by Nick Royle and Uche Odouza.

Scottish woes

Struggling Scotland coach Stephen Gemmell claims other teams can use Australia’s success as a motivating tool heading into the final tournament of the year.

“Australia winning the tournament (London Sevens) should give all teams hope as it wasn't one of the so called big hitters that have been around all season,” Gemmell told the IRB.

It has been an unsatisfactory season for the Edinburgh hosts who are yet to make a Cup quarter-final and also chalk up any points in the overall log.

"It's been difficult and disappointing but from our point of view, you can hear the bagpipes, there is no better place to revive it than on home soil at Murrayfield this weekend,” added Gemmell.

Samoa have three of the four finalists for the International Rugby Board's (IRB) World Player of the Year award; Alafoti Fa'osiliva, Lolo Lui and Mikaele Pesamino, who is comfortably the season's leading try-scorer with 50.
England's Ben Gollings, the season's leading point scorer with 309, is the other finalist.

Upon completion of this season’s IRB Series, thoughts for many teams will be turning towards October’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi. 

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2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series
Samoa – 140
New Zealand – 133
Australia -102
Fiji – 102
England 80
South Africa 74
Argentina 54
Kenya 52

Edinburgh Sevens Pools:
Pool A – Samoa, Kenya, Argentina, France
Pool B – New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Russia
Pool C – Australia, England, Canada, Portugal
Pool D – USA, Fiji, Wales, Scotland