The 2006 silver medallists have been placed in Pool D with the Wallabies, Namibia and Sri Lanka for the tournament that takes place on October 11 and 12, marking almost exactly a year since the International Olympic Committee announced the inclusion of rugby sevens as an Olympic sport.

England were beaten 29-21 in the Melbourne final four years ago when New Zealand claimed their third gold medal following their wins at Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Manchester in 2002.

"It brings it all to life now the draw has been made and it will concentrate our minds on the task in hand and what we need to do over the two days to finish top of the pile at the Commonwealth Games," said Ryan.

"Over the years we've had the upper hand against Australia but this season just gone they've put together a side equal to any in the world.

"The scoreline from the last IRB Sevens World Series reads won two, lost two, drawn one which shows you how tight it's been.

"It's going to be an absolute ding-dong in Delhi and it's the tastiest match-up in the qualifying round.

"It's also good to be playing sides we haven't met before in the pool stages.

"We've never played Namibia before as far as I know and last played Sri Lanka a couple of years ago in Hong Kong.

"One of the most exciting things is being part of a larger Team England.

"Building relationships, seeking advice and sharing knowledge with other sports is something we've been doing for a while and to be able to go to the Commonwealth Games with them all will be a great experience."

Top seeds New Zealand are in Pool A, where they will face opening matches against World Series regulars Scotland and Canada as well as Caribbean champions Guyana.

South Africa, the 2002 bronze medallists, head Pool B and face opening ties against world champions Wales, Tonga and the host nation India.

IRB Sevens World Series champions Samoa top Pool C and take on Kenya, Uganda and Papua New Guinea.

"Having sevens played at the Commonwealth Games plays an integral role in the ongoing development and promotion of rugby around the world.

"The event features teams from Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, North America and the Caribbean and continues to attract some of the world's top players, delivering exciting matches and attracting new fans," said International Rugby Board (IRB) President, Bernard Lapasset (pictured).

"Sevens has consistently proven to be successful at the Commonwealth Games and this year we are particularly excited that the event is being held in India, where rugby is reaching out to new, young audiences in a rapidly developing market for our sport.

"We are looking forward to what promises to be a memorable tournament for the global rugby family."

Mike Hooper, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, added: "With a record crowd of 50,000 at the final rugby sevens session in Melbourne in 2006, the rugby sevens tournament has become one of the most sought-after attractions at the Commonwealth Games, providing an excellent spectacle for both fans and television viewers.

"The inclusion of some of the world's best sevens teams and star players from every corner of the world continue to broaden the Games' global appeal even further."