Rugby sevens
Encyclopedia
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union
in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board
(IRB), the body responsible for rugby union worldwide. The game originated in Melrose, Scotland
, where the Melrose Sevens
tournament is still played annually. The game is popular at all levels, with amateur and club tournaments generally held in the summer months. Sevens is one of the most well distributed forms of rugby, and is popular in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and especially in the South Pacific.
Notable international competitions include the IRB Sevens World Series
and the Rugby World Cup Sevens
. Rugby sevens is also played at some multi-sport events such as the Commonwealth Games
, taking place four times (1998 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2002 - Manchester, England, 2006 - Melbourne, Australia, and 2010 - Delhi, India), each time the gold medal being won by New Zealand
.
Rugby sevens is now recognised as an Olympic sport and will make its debut in the 2016 Summer Olympics
. This follows a vote by the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
to include the sport. That decision was backed at the 121st International Olympic Committee Session
in Copenhagen
on October 9, 2009.
, and is played under substantially the same laws and on a field of the same dimensions as the 15-player game
. While a normal rugby union match lasts at least 80 minutes, a normal sevens match consists of two halves of seven minutes with a one-minute half-time break. The final of a competition can be played over two halves of ten minutes each, with a half-time break of two minutes. (In the IRB Sevens World Series, only the Cup final, which determines the overall winner of an event, is played with 10-minute halves; all finals for lower-level trophies are played with 7-minute halves.) This allows rugby tournaments to be completed in a day or a weekend. However, sevens scores are generally comparable to union scores; scoring occurs much more frequently in sevens, since the defenders are more spaced out.
Many sevens tournaments have a competition for a cup, a plate, a bowl, and a shield, allowing many teams of different standards to avoid leaving empty handed.
Sevens tournaments are traditionally known for having more of a relaxed atmosphere than fifteen-a-side games, and are often known as "festivals". As The Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football (1976) puts it, they gained their "popularity as an end of season diversion from the dourer and sterner stuff that provides the bulk of a normal season's watching."
Fans frequently attend in fancy dress
, and entertainment is put on for them.
The Hong Kong Sevens
tournament has been especially important in popularising the game in Asia, and rugby sevens has been important as a form of international rugby "evangelism", hence is perhaps the most widely played form of the game, with tournaments in places as far apart as Bogota and Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Kenya, Singapore and Scandinavia, as well as the countries in which rugby union is well known.
playing field as defined in the International Rugby Board
's handbook. The field measures up to 100 metres (328.1 ft) long and 70 metres (229.7 ft) wide. On each goal line are H-shaped goal posts.
Scrum
s are composed of just three players from each team. Because of the speedy nature of the game, good sevens players are often backs or loose forwards in fifteens rugby.
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Rugby sevens was initially conceived by Ned Haig
and David Sanderson, who were butchers from Melrose
, Scotland
as a fund-raising event for his local club, Melrose RFC
, in 1883. The first ever sevens match was played at the Greenyards, the Melrose ground, where it was well received. Two years later, Tynedale was the first non-Scottish club to win one of the Borders Sevens titles at Gala
in 1885.
Despite sevens' popularity in the Borders, it did not catch on elsewhere until after WWI, in the 1920s and 30s. The first sevens tournament outside Scotland was the Percy Park Sevens at North Shields
in north east England in 1921. Because it was not far from the Scottish Borders
, it attracted interest from the code's birthplace, and the final was contested between Selkirk
(who won) and Melrose RFC
(who were runners up). In 1926, England's major tournament, the Middlesex Sevens was set up by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London based Scot.
One of the key events in the spread of sevens to England was the Middlesex Sevens, which had some formidable figures on its subcommittee such as Wavell Wakefield and Bill Ramsay. The Middlesex Sevens were also a great fundraiser for charity, and in 1926, they raised £1,600 for King Edward Hospital, at a time when standard admission was a shilling, and stand seats cost five shillings.
A 1927 description of the game at the Middlesex Sevens (also for King Edward Hospital) gives an idea of the novelty of the game to English people:
Whereas the Scottish Borders were a rural area, with a population in the tens of thousands, albeit near Edinburgh
and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the Middlesex Sevens were more or less in the suburbs of London
, a densely populated area and transport hub, which was home to millions. As a result 10,000 spectators attended the second Middlesex tournament. And while the Border Sevens had honed the skills of players in the Scottish rugby heartland, the Middlesex Sevens did likewise for London rugby, with locally based players such as the aforementioned Wavell Wakefield, Carl Aarvold (later Recorder of the City of London) of Blackheath FC, Wick Powell
of London Welsh RFC, and John Tallent, who would later become chairman of the Four Home Unions Tours Committee. They rubbed shoulders with various invitation sides such as Sale RFC
in 1936, which included such players as Wilf Wooller and Claud Davey of and Ken Fyfe of amongst their backs; and in 1939, Cardiff RFC
, which included players such as Wilf Wooller again, and Les Spence and "Wendy" Davis.
The first ever officially sanctioned international tournament occurred at Murrayfield
as part of the "Scottish Rugby Union
's Celebration of Rugby" centenary celebrations in 1973.
Due to the success of the format, the ongoing Hong Kong Sevens
was launched three years later. In 1993, the Rugby World Cup Sevens
, in which the Melrose Cup is contested, was launched. Three of the best known sevens competitions are the Hong Kong Sevens, Wellington Sevens
, and the Dubai Sevens
which now make up part of the IRB
Sevens World Series
.
The Scottish connection continued in the foundation of the Hong Kong Sevens
in the 1970s, founded largely by expats such as "Tokkie" Smith, and in England, London Scottish RFC was strongly involved in the Middlesex Sevens from the start. The Hong Kong Sevens were ahead of their time, and an influential force in the modernisation of rugby union, for example, the Hong Kong Sevens were one of the first rugby union tournaments to attract major sponsorship, when the airline Cathay Pacific
sponsored the 1976 tournament. They also provided a level of cosmopolitan international competition, which tended not to exist in rugby before the first Rugby World Cup
in 1987, especially since was not seen as one of the "Big Eight", and other than some involvement with , the British Commonwealth teams tended to be notoriously clannish. By 1986, the Hong Kong Sevens were held up as a positive example to others:
However, despite this apparent diversity, some of the same old problems which had dogged international rugby were still manifest in the Hong Kong Sevens in the 1980s - for example, in a photograph of the Hong Kong
vs Bahrain
game at the tournament in 1984, the teams do not appear to include anyone who is ethnically Arabian or Chinese, instead both teams are quite clearly of northern European ethnic origin.
Rugby sevens continues to be popular in the Scottish Borders
, where the ten most prestigious of these tournaments make up a league competition known as the "Radio Borders Kings of the Sevens". Sevens has also taken strong root in the South Sea island nations of Fiji
, Tonga
, and Samoa
, as well as the African nation of Kenya
.
In many minor rugby nations, such as the case of rugby union in Poland
, development, has tended to concentrate on rugby sevens as a means of introducing the sport to people. Rugby sevens has become popular in places such as Hong Kong
, Singapore
and Dubai, which are not so successful in the full fifteen-a-side code. In addition, four of the 12 current "core teams" that compete in all legs of the IRB Sevens World Series represent nations that are not within the recognised top tier of the 15-man game—Fiji
, Kenya
, Samoa
, and the USA
.
In honour of the role of Melrose RFC in the creation of rugby sevens, the club was inducted along with Haig to the IRB Hall of Fame
in 2008.
, who wrote in 2010 that sevens
A number of administrative issues related to differences between the structures of international rugby union and the Olympic movement remain to be sorted out before the 2016 Olympic Games.
One issue is the status of Ireland, more specifically Northern Ireland. The International Rugby Board
recognises the Irish Rugby Football Union
as the sport's governing body for the entire island of Ireland. By contrast, the International Olympic Committee
recognises the British Olympic Association
as the governing body of the UK Olympic team, which usually includes athletes from Northern Ireland which is part of the UK, while the Olympic Council of Ireland
usually fields teams representing all of Ireland in case of sports organised on an all-Ireland basis. The sport's various governing bodies have not yet stated clearly whether a Northern Irish sevens player would be eligible to play for a Great British team or an Irish team, or, if good enough, would be given the choice.
The issue of a combined British team, specifically for the 2012 Games in London, has proven highly contentious in association football, with the four Home Nations wary of any action that could undermine the separate status they currently have within FIFA
. However, this issue is apparently less of a problem in rugby union. In April 2011, IRB chief executive Mike Miller endorsed the concept of a combined British sevens team for the 2016 Olympics and beyond, stating
.
since its first appearance, at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
, in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia. Appearing in the 2002
(Manchester
), 2006
(Melbourne
) and 2010 Games
(Delhi
), it is now considered a "Core" sport by the Commonwealth Games Federation, necessitating its appearance at all future games, including the 2014 Games
(Glasgow
). The New Zealand team has won the gold medal on each occasion. It is one of the two male-only sports at the Commonwealth Games, the other being boxing
.
on the program for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
. The other 26 sports were also confirmed with a large majority of the votes. The 2016 Summer Olympic program is scheduled to feature 28 sports and a total of 38 disciplines. There were two open spots for sports and initially seven sports began the bidding for inclusion in the 2016 program.
, but this is due to cease as it is now an Olympic sport.
defeated Russia
28-26 to the Grand Final of the 2005 FIRA European Sevens in Moscow
to retain the trophy they have won for the last three years. Spain
won the Plate with a 25-14 win over Germany
, whilst Lithuania
claimed the Bowl. Portugal topped their group on day one, recording four victories and a 7-7 draw, against Italy
. In Pool B, Russia delighted the home fans with five wins out of five, including a 33-7 victory over France
. They followed that up on day two by defeating Italy 17-0 in the Cup semi-finals, whilst Portugal beat France 22-7.
is the winner of the competition. England
, for its entry in the European Championship, had a great start (victories on the two first stages in Lyon and Moscow) but finally finished second of the competition. Spain
is third while Russia
take the fourth place after winning in Bucharest.
Next year, Germany and Scotland will enter the competition. Romania and Moldova will be playing in Division A
The inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament took place in Dubai together with the men’s tournament during the first weekend of March 2009. England defeated Canada 12-0 in the Bowl final while Australia edged New Zealand 15-10 in extra-time to become the first to win the Women's Rugby World Cup.
The IRB will organise its first official women's sevens tournament outside of the World Cup as part of the 2011 Dubai Sevens. This is part of a plan to launch a full IRB International Women's Sevens Series for 2012–13.
Women's rugby sevens was included in the IRB's successful bid to reintroduce rugby to the Olympics in 2016. It is also bidding for inclusion in the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
(IRB), the body responsible for rugby union worldwide. The game originated in Melrose, Scotland
Melrose, Scotland
Melrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
, where the Melrose Sevens
Melrose Sevens
Melrose Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Melrose Rugby Club, in Melrose, Scotland. It is the oldest rugby sevens competition dating from 1883, when the tournament was suggested by former Melrose player Ned Haig....
tournament is still played annually. The game is popular at all levels, with amateur and club tournaments generally held in the summer months. Sevens is one of the most well distributed forms of rugby, and is popular in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and especially in the South Pacific.
Notable international competitions include the IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
and the Rugby World Cup Sevens
Rugby World Cup Sevens
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
. Rugby sevens is also played at some multi-sport events such as the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, taking place four times (1998 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2002 - Manchester, England, 2006 - Melbourne, Australia, and 2010 - Delhi, India), each time the gold medal being won by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Rugby sevens is now recognised as an Olympic sport and will make its debut in the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
. This follows a vote by the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
to include the sport. That decision was backed at the 121st International Olympic Committee Session
121st International Olympic Committee Session
The 121st International Olympic Committee Session was held on October 1–9, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark, during which Rio de Janeiro was selected as the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on October 9, 2009.
Overview
Rugby sevens is sanctioned by the IRBInternational Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
, and is played under substantially the same laws and on a field of the same dimensions as the 15-player game
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. While a normal rugby union match lasts at least 80 minutes, a normal sevens match consists of two halves of seven minutes with a one-minute half-time break. The final of a competition can be played over two halves of ten minutes each, with a half-time break of two minutes. (In the IRB Sevens World Series, only the Cup final, which determines the overall winner of an event, is played with 10-minute halves; all finals for lower-level trophies are played with 7-minute halves.) This allows rugby tournaments to be completed in a day or a weekend. However, sevens scores are generally comparable to union scores; scoring occurs much more frequently in sevens, since the defenders are more spaced out.
Many sevens tournaments have a competition for a cup, a plate, a bowl, and a shield, allowing many teams of different standards to avoid leaving empty handed.
Sevens tournaments are traditionally known for having more of a relaxed atmosphere than fifteen-a-side games, and are often known as "festivals". As The Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football (1976) puts it, they gained their "popularity as an end of season diversion from the dourer and sterner stuff that provides the bulk of a normal season's watching."
Fans frequently attend in fancy dress
Costume party
A fancy dress party or a costume party , mainly in contemporary Western culture, is a type of party where guests dress up in a costume.-Fancy dress parties in Britain:...
, and entertainment is put on for them.
The Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
tournament has been especially important in popularising the game in Asia, and rugby sevens has been important as a form of international rugby "evangelism", hence is perhaps the most widely played form of the game, with tournaments in places as far apart as Bogota and Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Kenya, Singapore and Scandinavia, as well as the countries in which rugby union is well known.
Playing area
Sevens is played on a standard rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
playing field as defined in the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
's handbook. The field measures up to 100 metres (328.1 ft) long and 70 metres (229.7 ft) wide. On each goal line are H-shaped goal posts.
Teams and positions
Teams are composed of three forwards, one scrum half and three backs.Scrum
Scrum (rugby)
Scrum , in the sports of rugby union and rugby league, is a way of restarting the game, either after an accidental infringement or when the ball has gone out of play...
s are composed of just three players from each team. Because of the speedy nature of the game, good sevens players are often backs or loose forwards in fifteens rugby.
Variations to the Laws of the Game
There are several variations in laws which apply to Rugby Sevens, primarily to speed up the game and to account for the reduced number of players. The main changes can be summarised as follows:- Seven players per team on field (instead of 15).
- Five substitutes, with only three interchanges (instead of 7 and 7).
- Seven minute halves, though ten minute halves are allowed in the final of a competition (instead of forty minute halves).
- One minute half-time, two minutes in finals (instead of ten minutes).
- Matches drawn after regulation are continued into Extra Time, in 5-minute periods.
- All conversion attempts must be drop-kicked (instead of having the option to place-kick).
- Conversions must be taken within 40 seconds of scoring a try (instead of 60 seconds).
- Three player scrums (instead of eight players).
- Kick-offs: in sevens, the team which has just scored kicks off, rather than the conceding team, as in fifteen-a-side.
- Yellow cards net a 2-minute suspension (instead of 10 minutes).
- Suspensions are more severe in Sevens than in Fifteens. The team plays a man down for 1/7 of the match instead of 1/8, and losing 1 man out of 7 opens up more space than 1 man out of 15.
- Referees decide on advantage quickly (where one play usually ends advantage, not true in fifteens).
- In major competitions, there are additional officials present (in-goal touch judges) to judge success of kicks at goals and hence the game is not delayed waiting for touch judges to move into position to judge conversion attempts.
History
Ned Haig
Ned Haig was a butcher and rugby union player notable for founding the sport of rugby sevens. He moved to Melrose when he was young. There he took up rugby and joined Melrose Rugby Football Club in 1880...
and David Sanderson, who were butchers from Melrose
Melrose, Scotland
Melrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
as a fund-raising event for his local club, Melrose RFC
Melrose RFC
Melrose Rugby Football Club, located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world.-History:The club was formed in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1880...
, in 1883. The first ever sevens match was played at the Greenyards, the Melrose ground, where it was well received. Two years later, Tynedale was the first non-Scottish club to win one of the Borders Sevens titles at Gala
Gala RFC
Gala Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, founded in 1875, they play their home games at Netherdale....
in 1885.
Despite sevens' popularity in the Borders, it did not catch on elsewhere until after WWI, in the 1920s and 30s. The first sevens tournament outside Scotland was the Percy Park Sevens at North Shields
North Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
in north east England in 1921. Because it was not far from the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, it attracted interest from the code's birthplace, and the final was contested between Selkirk
Selkirk RFC
Selkirk Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side based in Selkirk in the Borders, Scotland.They play in their home games at Philiphaugh, and are now in Premiership Division Two and the Border League ....
(who won) and Melrose RFC
Melrose RFC
Melrose Rugby Football Club, located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world.-History:The club was formed in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1880...
(who were runners up). In 1926, England's major tournament, the Middlesex Sevens was set up by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London based Scot.
One of the key events in the spread of sevens to England was the Middlesex Sevens, which had some formidable figures on its subcommittee such as Wavell Wakefield and Bill Ramsay. The Middlesex Sevens were also a great fundraiser for charity, and in 1926, they raised £1,600 for King Edward Hospital, at a time when standard admission was a shilling, and stand seats cost five shillings.
A 1927 description of the game at the Middlesex Sevens (also for King Edward Hospital) gives an idea of the novelty of the game to English people:
- "You see the field is so open that if a man gets away with the ball a full sized gallop is required to catch him and very often it... wasn't there."
Whereas the Scottish Borders were a rural area, with a population in the tens of thousands, albeit near Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the Middlesex Sevens were more or less in the suburbs of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, a densely populated area and transport hub, which was home to millions. As a result 10,000 spectators attended the second Middlesex tournament. And while the Border Sevens had honed the skills of players in the Scottish rugby heartland, the Middlesex Sevens did likewise for London rugby, with locally based players such as the aforementioned Wavell Wakefield, Carl Aarvold (later Recorder of the City of London) of Blackheath FC, Wick Powell
Wick Powell
William Charles "Wick" Powell was a Welsh international rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby for London Welsh and county rugby for Middlesex...
of London Welsh RFC, and John Tallent, who would later become chairman of the Four Home Unions Tours Committee. They rubbed shoulders with various invitation sides such as Sale RFC
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
in 1936, which included such players as Wilf Wooller and Claud Davey of and Ken Fyfe of amongst their backs; and in 1939, Cardiff RFC
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
, which included players such as Wilf Wooller again, and Les Spence and "Wendy" Davis.
The first ever officially sanctioned international tournament occurred at Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
as part of the "Scottish Rugby Union
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
's Celebration of Rugby" centenary celebrations in 1973.
Due to the success of the format, the ongoing Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
was launched three years later. In 1993, the Rugby World Cup Sevens
Rugby World Cup Sevens
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
, in which the Melrose Cup is contested, was launched. Three of the best known sevens competitions are the Hong Kong Sevens, Wellington Sevens
Wellington Sevens
The Wellington Sevens or the New Zealand International Sevens is an annual rugby sevens tournament held in Wellington, New Zealand. The tournament, the third on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit, is played at Wellington's Westpac Stadium in early February and includes teams from 16 countries...
, and the Dubai Sevens
Dubai Sevens
The Dubai Sevens is an annual rugby union sevens tournament held in Dubai, UAE. Through the 2007 edition, it was held at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Ground, but in 2008 it moved to The Sevens, a new stadium built to host the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The 2009 competition took place between 3-5...
which now make up part of the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
.
The Scottish connection continued in the foundation of the Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
in the 1970s, founded largely by expats such as "Tokkie" Smith, and in England, London Scottish RFC was strongly involved in the Middlesex Sevens from the start. The Hong Kong Sevens were ahead of their time, and an influential force in the modernisation of rugby union, for example, the Hong Kong Sevens were one of the first rugby union tournaments to attract major sponsorship, when the airline Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
sponsored the 1976 tournament. They also provided a level of cosmopolitan international competition, which tended not to exist in rugby before the first Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
in 1987, especially since was not seen as one of the "Big Eight", and other than some involvement with , the British Commonwealth teams tended to be notoriously clannish. By 1986, the Hong Kong Sevens were held up as a positive example to others:
- "This Seven-a-Side international tournament is without a doubt the most spectacular, exotic, best organized Rugby competition of its kind in the world, and it has consistently produced the highest standard of Sevens Rugby seen anywhere.
- "I was not surprised on my first visit to see quality play from the Australian, New Zealand, Fijian, and British players, but I was staggered at the amazingly high quality play produced by countries I never even knew played Rugby. South KoreaSouth Korea national rugby union team (sevens)The South Korea national rugby union sevens is a minor national sevens side. They regularly take part in the Rugby World Cup Sevens, and have competed in the Hong Kong Sevens since the 1980s...
and Western SamoaSamoa national rugby union team (sevens)The Samoa national rugby union team represent Samoa internationally in rugby sevens, a competitive sports tournament titled the IRB Sevens World Series which takes place annually in seven countries; United Arab Emirates, South Africa, New Zealand, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, England and...
were every bit as good as and . , and found their lack of sheer size and bulk an insuperable handicap, but against each other they displayed a range of running and handling skills which demanded unqualified praise. , and the were inevitably outgunned by the teams from the major Rugby-playing nations but they still have a remarkably high level of skill which promises well for the future of the game.
- "The week of the Hong Kong tournament allows 24 Rugby-playing nations to intermingle for several days, and the huge cross-fertilisation of ideas can only be beneficial in the long term for the emerging nations. After the first day of the play when the top eight seeded teams meet the smaller fish in a pool system, the second day is divided into three different competitions... The strength of this great tournament is that on the opening day the most famous players in the world share a pitch with unknown opponents from countries where Rugby is a minority sport... While tournaments like the Hong Kong Sevens continue to be played, Rugby administrators can be confident that the game will continue to thrive in over 100 countries worldwide."
However, despite this apparent diversity, some of the same old problems which had dogged international rugby were still manifest in the Hong Kong Sevens in the 1980s - for example, in a photograph of the Hong Kong
Hong Kong national rugby union team (sevens)
The Hong Kong national rugby union sevens is a national sevens side. They are best known for hosting the Hong Kong Sevens-2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens:Pool E -Bowl --Current Squad:Squad to 2011 Hong Kong Sevens*Simon Leung*Kwok Ka Chun...
vs Bahrain
Bahrain national rugby union team (sevens)
The Bahrain national rugby union sevens is a minor sevens side. They have competed in the Hong Kong Sevens.They are traditionally seen as "minnows"...
game at the tournament in 1984, the teams do not appear to include anyone who is ethnically Arabian or Chinese, instead both teams are quite clearly of northern European ethnic origin.
Rugby sevens continues to be popular in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, where the ten most prestigious of these tournaments make up a league competition known as the "Radio Borders Kings of the Sevens". Sevens has also taken strong root in the South Sea island nations of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, and Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, as well as the African nation of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
In many minor rugby nations, such as the case of rugby union in Poland
Rugby union in Poland
Rugby union in Poland is a minor but growing sport.-Governing body:The Polish Rugby Union was founded in 1957, and joined the IRFB in 1988.The official supplier of equipment to the PRU is O'Brien sport....
, development, has tended to concentrate on rugby sevens as a means of introducing the sport to people. Rugby sevens has become popular in places such as Hong Kong
Rugby union in Hong Kong
Rugby union in Hong Kong is long established, partly as a result of its being a British colony. In contrast to the People's Republic of China, it has had a continuous existence dating back over a hundred years, and is most notable for its sevens tournaments....
, Singapore
Rugby union in Singapore
Rugby union in Singapore is a significant sport, albeit one very much linked to the complicated history of the country. Singapore is currently ranked 52nd, 9,400 registered players, and has thirteen formally organised clubs.-History:...
and Dubai, which are not so successful in the full fifteen-a-side code. In addition, four of the 12 current "core teams" that compete in all legs of the IRB Sevens World Series represent nations that are not within the recognised top tier of the 15-man game—Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team (sevens)
The Fiji Sevens side is one of the most popular and successful Sevens teams in the world and has won the Hong Kong Sevens a record nine times since its inception in 1976. Fiji has also won the Sevens World Cup twice, winning that event in 1997 and 2005...
, Kenya
Kenya national rugby union team (sevens)
The Kenya national rugby union sevens team compete in the IRB Sevens World Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens. They are currently one of the 12 "core teams" of the IRB Sevens, with a guaranteed place in all eight events each season....
, Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team (sevens)
The Samoa national rugby union team represent Samoa internationally in rugby sevens, a competitive sports tournament titled the IRB Sevens World Series which takes place annually in seven countries; United Arab Emirates, South Africa, New Zealand, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, England and...
, and the USA
United States national rugby union team (sevens)
The United States National Rugby Union Sevens team competes in the IRB Sevens World Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens, World Games, and Pan American Games. The Team will also represent the United States in the Summer Olympics beginning in 2016. Under current head coach Al Caravelli the Eagles have...
.
In honour of the role of Melrose RFC in the creation of rugby sevens, the club was inducted along with Haig to the IRB Hall of Fame
IRB Hall of Fame
The IRB Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Rugby Board that recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The IRB Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and other individuals...
in 2008.
Future concerns
Although sevens has proven a commercial and competitive success, some within the rugby community have expressed concern that sevens is starting to become divorced from the 15-man game. One such voice is former Wales international and current pundit John TaylorJohn Taylor (rugby player)
John Taylor is a Welsh former rugby union player and current commentator. Nicknamed "Basil Brush" thanks to his wild hair and beard, he played as a flanker for London Welsh , and represented Wales 26 times between 1967 and 1973.-Rugby career:Perhaps his most famous moment was in the Five Nations...
, who wrote in 2010 that sevens
A number of administrative issues related to differences between the structures of international rugby union and the Olympic movement remain to be sorted out before the 2016 Olympic Games.
One issue is the status of Ireland, more specifically Northern Ireland. The International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
recognises the Irish Rugby Football Union
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
as the sport's governing body for the entire island of Ireland. By contrast, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
recognises the British Olympic Association
British Olympic Association
The British Olympic Association is the national Olympic committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1905 in the House of Commons, and at that time consisted of seven national governing body members from the following sports: fencing, life-saving, cycling, skating, rowing,...
as the governing body of the UK Olympic team, which usually includes athletes from Northern Ireland which is part of the UK, while the Olympic Council of Ireland
Olympic Council of Ireland
The Olympic Council of Ireland or OCI is the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Ireland. Its mission is "to develop and protect the Olympic Movement in Ireland, in accordance with the International Olympic Committee’s guiding document — the Olympic Charter."-History:After the First...
usually fields teams representing all of Ireland in case of sports organised on an all-Ireland basis. The sport's various governing bodies have not yet stated clearly whether a Northern Irish sevens player would be eligible to play for a Great British team or an Irish team, or, if good enough, would be given the choice.
The issue of a combined British team, specifically for the 2012 Games in London, has proven highly contentious in association football, with the four Home Nations wary of any action that could undermine the separate status they currently have within FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
. However, this issue is apparently less of a problem in rugby union. In April 2011, IRB chief executive Mike Miller endorsed the concept of a combined British sevens team for the 2016 Olympics and beyond, stating
Statistics
Players in bold were active in the 2010–11 IRB Sevens World Series2010–11 IRB Sevens World Series
The 2010–11 IRB Sevens World Series was the 12th annual series of rugby union sevens tournaments for full national sides run by the International Rugby Board since 1999–2000....
.
| Player | Nationality | Tries |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago Gomez Cora Santiago Gomez Cora Santiago Gómez Cora is a rugby union sevens player for Argentina . As of June 2008, he holds the all-time record for number of tries scored on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit with 230 tries. Gomez Cora is now a full-back for the Pumas. In March 2008 it was confirmed he would move to Welsh club... |
230 | |
| Ben Gollings Ben Gollings Ben Gollings is a rugby union footballer who plays fly-half for Rugby Lions and formerly for England Sevens.-Career:... |
220 | |
| Fabian Juries Fabian Juries - External links :**... |
179 | |
| Mikaele Pesamino Mikaele Pesamino Mikaele Pesamino is a rugby union player in the Samoa Sevens team. He is one of the highest point scorers in the 2009–2010 IRB Sevens World Series.Pesamino was born in Vailele on the island of Upolu in Samoa.... |
158 | |
| Uale Mai Uale Mai Uale Mai Vala is a rugby union player and currently plays for the country's national teams, Manu Samoa and Samoa Sevens. He is a former captain of the Samoa Sevens team which represent Samoa internationally in the IRB Sevens World Series. He is Sevens rugby's most capped player and is considered... |
136 | |
| Collins Injera Collins Injera Collins Injera is a rugby player from Kenya. He is known for his achievements with Kenyan national rugby sevens team.- Career :... |
124 | |
| Nasoni Roko Nasoni Roko Nasoni Rokobiau, born 29 November 1979, in Vunidawa, Fiji is a rugby union player. Rokobiau has represented Fiji in their Rugby Sevens team, as well as Fiji 'A' in the 15 man form of the game. He has played Sevens for Fiji since 2002, representing his country in many International Rugby Board... |
123 | |
| Karl Te Nana Karl Te Nana Karl Te Nana is a rugby player from New Zealand.-Playing career:A professional rugby union player, Te Nana won a gold medal as part of the New Zealand Seven's rugby team at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.. He is 8th highest try scorer in Rugby Sevens history, having scored 113 tries for New Zealand... |
113 | |
| Humphrey Kayange Humphrey Kayange Humphrey Kayange is a Kenyan rugby union player. Kayange is well known within the rugby sevens community, as he has produced some of the best performances for the Kenya national sevens side. He is the captain of the team.-Career:... |
112 | |
| Amasio Valence Amasio Valence Amasio Valence is a Rugby sevens player who switched allegiances to New Zealand after he first made his break into professional rugby in 2000... |
112 | |
| Tafai Ioasa Tafai Ioasa Tafai Ioasa is a New Zealand Rugby union player who has play for New Zealand Sevens team. Now plays his rugby in Japan for Fukuoka Sanix Blues.-Career highlights:*New Zealand Sevens 2001–present... |
111 | |
| Alafoti Faosiliva | 108 | |
| Peter Miller | 107 | |
| Dave Moonlight Dave Moonlight David James Moonlight is a retired Canadian rugby union player. He played on the wing for Canada. He made his debut against England at Twickenham on November 13, 2004. Moonlight played his last Test against the United States of America at Edmonton on June 26, 2005... |
107 | |
| Richard Haughton Richard Haughton (rugby player) Richard Haughton is a rugby union footballer who plays on the wing for London Wasps in the Aviva Premiership, England Saxons and England Sevens. He previously played for Saracens.... |
106 | |
| William Ryder | 105 | |
| Marius Schoeman | 103 | |
| Rob Thirlby Rob Thirlby Rob Graham Thirlby born in Penzance, Cornwall is a Cornish rugby union footballer who plays on the wing or full back for Yatton whilst also acting as the video analyst for Gloucester Rugby... |
101 | |
| Zar Lawrence Zar Lawrence Zar Lawrence is a New Zealand Rugby union player who plays for the New Zealand Sevens team and for Bay of Plenty in the Air New Zealand Cup.-Career highlights:*New Zealand Sevens 2005–present*NZ Maori 2006... |
100 |
Major tournaments
- Rugby World Cup SevensRugby World Cup SevensThe Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
— Sponsored by the IRB, and held every four years, this is the highest prize in the Sevens version of rugby union. However, due to the upcoming introduction of sevens to the Olympics in 20162016 Summer OlympicsThe 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
, the next edition in 20132013 Rugby World Cup SevensThe 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup, to be held in Moscow, Russia, will be the sixth edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens. The International Rugby Board has stated that the Rugby World Cup Sevens will be scrapped if rugby sevens were to be included in the Olympic programme for the 2016 Summer Olympics...
will be the last. - IRB Sevens World SeriesIRB Sevens World SeriesThe IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
: New ZealandNew Zealand national rugby union team (sevens)The New Zealand national rugby union sevens team is the New Zealand representative team in rugby union sevens and competes in the IRB Sevens World Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-IRB Sevens:...
has been by far the dominant force in the IRB World Sevens Series, winning nine out of the 12 seasons. However, in recent years, several other teams have successfully challenged New Zealand's dominance. FijiFiji national rugby union team (sevens)The Fiji Sevens side is one of the most popular and successful Sevens teams in the world and has won the Hong Kong Sevens a record nine times since its inception in 1976. Fiji has also won the Sevens World Cup twice, winning that event in 1997 and 2005...
, long a power in sevens, were winners in 2005-06; South AfricaSouth Africa national rugby union team (sevens)The South African national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Current squad:2011–12 IRB Sevens World Series 14-man squad :#Cecil Afrika...
won in 2008–09; and SamoaSamoa national rugby union team (sevens)The Samoa national rugby union team represent Samoa internationally in rugby sevens, a competitive sports tournament titled the IRB Sevens World Series which takes place annually in seven countries; United Arab Emirates, South Africa, New Zealand, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, England and...
claimed the 2009–10 crown. Other strong contenders in recent years have included EnglandEngland national rugby union team (sevens)The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
, Australia, and ArgentinaArgentina national rugby union team (sevens)The Argentina national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens.-Current squad:A 12-man squad for the 2010–11 IRB Sevens World Series:#Santiago Bottini#Francisco Cuneo#Gonzalo Gutierrez Taboada#Francisco Merello...
, all of whom have won an event within the last three seasons.
Commonwealth Games
Rugby sevens has been played at four Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
since its first appearance, at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
, in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia. Appearing in the 2002
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
(Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
), 2006
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
(Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
) and 2010 Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
(Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
), it is now considered a "Core" sport by the Commonwealth Games Federation, necessitating its appearance at all future games, including the 2014 Games
2014 Commonwealth Games
The 20th Commonwealth Games in 2014 will be held in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The winning city was announced by the Commonwealth Games Federation on 9 November 2007 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Games will run over 11 days of competition from 24 July to 3 August 2014...
(Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
). The New Zealand team has won the gold medal on each occasion. It is one of the two male-only sports at the Commonwealth Games, the other being boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
.
Summer Olympics
On 9 October 2009, the IOC voted to include rugby sevens and golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
on the program for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The other 26 sports were also confirmed with a large majority of the votes. The 2016 Summer Olympic program is scheduled to feature 28 sports and a total of 38 disciplines. There were two open spots for sports and initially seven sports began the bidding for inclusion in the 2016 program.
Other multisport tournaments
Rugby sevens is also played at various multisport competitions including the Asian Games, Pacific Games, and Pan American Games. Rugby union was formerly played at the World GamesRugby union at the World Games
Rugby union was introduced as a World Games sport for men at the 2001 World Games in Akita. Women's rugby competition has not yet been introduced....
, but this is due to cease as it is now an Olympic sport.
FIRA-AER European Sevens
2005 FIRA-AER European Sevens
PortugalPortugal national rugby union team (sevens)
The Portugal national rugby union team represent Portugal in international rugby sevens. The team has played for the first time in 1992, at the Catania Sevens, World Cup 1993 European Qualifier....
defeated Russia
Russia national rugby union team (sevens)
The Russia national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, and Rugby World Cup Sevens.-Current Squad:12-man squad for 2010–11 IRB Sevens World Series :#Vladimir Ostroushko#Nikolay Goroshilov#Yury Gostyuzhev...
28-26 to the Grand Final of the 2005 FIRA European Sevens in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to retain the trophy they have won for the last three years. Spain
Spain national rugby union team (sevens)
The Spain national rugby union sevens is a minor national sevens side.-2008 Hannover Sevens:Group A matches --Current Squad:Squad to 2011 Hong Kong Sevens*Victor Gomez*Carlos Blanco*Federico Negrillo*Pablo Feijoo*Facundo Lavino*Martin Heredia...
won the Plate with a 25-14 win over Germany
Germany national rugby union team (sevens)
The German Sevens team is the national team of Germany in the sport of Sevens rugby.Germany's aim is, to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics sevens tournament.-Punta del Este and Paris:...
, whilst Lithuania
Lithuania national rugby union team (sevens)
The Lithuania national rugby union sevens is a minor national sevens side. They won the Bowl in the 2005 FIRA European Sevens in Moscow....
claimed the Bowl. Portugal topped their group on day one, recording four victories and a 7-7 draw, against Italy
Italy national rugby union team (sevens)
The Italy sevens national rugby union team is Italy's national rugby union sevens team. They compete in the IRB Sevens World Series, and have done so since the series' was introduced in 1999. Although they do compete in the series, they do not participate in every leg...
. In Pool B, Russia delighted the home fans with five wins out of five, including a 33-7 victory over France
France national rugby union team (sevens)
The France national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens.-Current squad:2011–12 IRB Sevens World Series squad :*Vincent Deniau*Jean Baptiste Mazoue*Terry Bouhraoua...
. They followed that up on day two by defeating Italy 17-0 in the Cup semi-finals, whilst Portugal beat France 22-7.
2011 Sevens Grand Prix Series
This new format of European Championship was created this year. Based on the IRB Sevens World Series, it is composed of 4 tournaments. After its final win in Bucharest, PortugalPortugal national rugby union team (sevens)
The Portugal national rugby union team represent Portugal in international rugby sevens. The team has played for the first time in 1992, at the Catania Sevens, World Cup 1993 European Qualifier....
is the winner of the competition. England
England national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
, for its entry in the European Championship, had a great start (victories on the two first stages in Lyon and Moscow) but finally finished second of the competition. Spain
Spain national rugby union team (sevens)
The Spain national rugby union sevens is a minor national sevens side.-2008 Hannover Sevens:Group A matches --Current Squad:Squad to 2011 Hong Kong Sevens*Victor Gomez*Carlos Blanco*Federico Negrillo*Pablo Feijoo*Facundo Lavino*Martin Heredia...
is third while Russia
Russia national rugby union team (sevens)
The Russia national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, and Rugby World Cup Sevens.-Current Squad:12-man squad for 2010–11 IRB Sevens World Series :#Vladimir Ostroushko#Nikolay Goroshilov#Yury Gostyuzhev...
take the fourth place after winning in Bucharest.
Next year, Germany and Scotland will enter the competition. Romania and Moldova will be playing in Division A
Women's Rugby sevens
Women's rugby sevens has been dominated by New Zealand, with either the New Zealand team (1999–2001) or Aotearoa Maori Women’s Rugby sevens team (playing as New Zealand) http://www.amwr.co.nz/ winning the annual Hong Kong Sevens tournament from 1997 until 2007. The United States won the Hong Kong Sevens in 2008 by defeating Canada in the final (New Zealand failed to send a team).The inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament took place in Dubai together with the men’s tournament during the first weekend of March 2009. England defeated Canada 12-0 in the Bowl final while Australia edged New Zealand 15-10 in extra-time to become the first to win the Women's Rugby World Cup.
The IRB will organise its first official women's sevens tournament outside of the World Cup as part of the 2011 Dubai Sevens. This is part of a plan to launch a full IRB International Women's Sevens Series for 2012–13.
Women's rugby sevens was included in the IRB's successful bid to reintroduce rugby to the Olympics in 2016. It is also bidding for inclusion in the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
See also
- American Flag RugbyAmerican Flag RugbyAmerican flag rugby is a mixed-gender, non-contact imitation of rugby union designed for American children entering grades K–9. The organization itself exists to provide free start up kits and support to any community looking to add a youth rugby program to their community...
- Rugby sevens at the 2010 Commonwealth GamesRugby sevens at the 2010 Commonwealth GamesThe 2010 Commonwealth Games were the fourth Commonwealth Games at which rugby sevens was played.Rugby sevens at the Commonwealth Games was one of only 2 sports contested only by males, with no women's competition in existence . The competition was held between October 11 and 12, 2010...
- Rugby tensRugby tensRugby tens, also known as ten-a-side and Xs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of ten players, typically five forwards and five backs. Matches are much shorter, often of two ten-minute halves...
- Seven-a-side football
Printed sources
- Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1 86200 013 1)
- Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 ISBN 1905326246)
- Jones, J.R. Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football (Robert Hale, London, 1976 ISBN 0709153945)
- McLaren, BillBill McLarenWilliam Pollock "Bill" McLaren CBE was a Scottish rugby union commentator, teacher, journalist and one time rugby player. Until his retirement in 2002, he was known as 'the voice of rugby'...
Talking of Rugby (1991, Stanley Paul, London ISBN 0 09 173875 X) - Massie, AllanAllan MassieAllan Massie is a well-known Scottish journalist, sports writer and novelist.-Early life:Born in 1938 in Singapore, where his father was a rubber planter for Sime Darby, Massie spent his childhood in Aberdeenshire...
A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN 0 904919 84 6) - Starmer-Smith, NigelNigel Starmer-SmithNigel Starmer-Smith is a former international rugby union player, who is now a respected British rugby journalist and commentator.-Playing career:...
(ed) Rugby - A Way of Life, An Illustrated History of Rugby (Lennard Books, 1986 ISBN 0 7126 2662 X)
External links
- IRB (union) Sevens official website
- Argentinian support for Rugby's campaign in Olympics Games (Spanish)
- The RugbyRugby Guide- Coaching 7s
- Ultimate Rugby Sevens
- Rugby Sevens - History & Tournaments
- Guide to playing training and coaching sevens rugby
- 2009 Refereeing Sevens Handbook
- A Brief History of Seven a Side Rugby
Tournament sites
- Dubai Sevens
- Edinburgh Sevens
- Hong Kong Sevens
- Istanbul Rugby Sevens
- Melrose Sevens
- Rhino Mendip Sevens
- NZ Sevens Punta del Este Sevens
- USA Sevens
- Braidholm 7s (GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) - http://www.noosainternationalsevens.com.au (Noosa, Queensland, Australia)