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World Rugby announce exciting HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 schedule
By Grant Constable
Details of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 have been announced with three rounds taking place over three continents between January and May with the top four teams set to qualify for the high-stakes promotion and relegation competition at the Grand Final in Madrid with a chance to qualify for HSBC SVNS 2025.
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The World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 will provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the pinnacle HSBC SVNS in 2025.
The top four placed men’s and women’s World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 teams, based on cumulative series points at the conclusion of the third round, will secure their opportunity to compete in the new high stakes relegation play-off competition at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid on 31 May – 2 June, 2024 against the teams ranked ninth to 12th from HSBC SVNS 2024.
Four successful nations from this Grand Final play-off will secure their place in HSBC SVNS 2025, while the other four teams will compete in their regional qualification tournaments to earn the right to compete in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025.
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger 2024 dates:
Dubai, UAE – 12-14 January (men and women)
Montevideo, Uruguay – 8-10 March, 2024 (men and women)
Krakow, Poland – 18-19 May, 2024 (women)
Munich, Germany –18-19 May, 2024 (men)
For further information on HSBC SVNS 2024 and to purchase tickets click here.
HSBC has been confirmed as title partner of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger, continuing 12 years of incredible support for rugby sevens, during which time the sport has experienced huge global growth and become a core sport on the Olympic Games programme.
The Sevens Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the top level of global rugby sevens.
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The tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four. The top two from each as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and semi-finals leading to the third place and gold medal matches.
Japan were the inaugural men’s champions after topping the cumulative rankings from the two rounds hosted in Chile and Uruguay in 2020. The first women’s competition was scheduled to take place in Stellenbosch in March 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the onset of the global pandemic.
Following a one-year absence the Sevens Challenger returned in August 2022 with a standalone combined event hosted in Santiago, Chile, which saw Uruguay men and Japan women take the titles and secure promotion to the Series.
Stellenbosch, South Africa hosted two combined events in 2023 with South Africa women earning their spot at HSBC SVNS 2024 while Tonga men’s victory secured their spot at the World Rugby Sevens Play-off in London last year.
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The 2024 edition of the competition kicks off with combined events at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 12-14 January, followed by Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo, Uruguay on 8-10 March before standalone women’s and men’s events at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland and Dantestadion in Munich, Germany respectively on 18-19 May.
All World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 events will include 12 nations from around the world who have qualified through regional competitions and the pool draw is expected to take place in Dubai during the opening round of HSBC SVNS 2024 in December 2023.
The teams that have qualified for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 through their regional competitions are: Portugal, Georgia and Germany men and Poland, Belgium and Czechia women from Rugby Europe, Uruguay and Chile men and Argentina and Paraguay women from Sudamerica Rugby, Kenya and Uganda men and women from Rugby Africa and Mexico men and women from Rugby Americas North.
From Asia the qualified teams are Japan and Hong Kong China men, and China, Hong Kong China and Thailand women. The final teams to qualify were from Oceania which was Papua New Guinea men and women and Tonga men book their places in the competition.
The team of Match Officials has also been confirmed with 20 individuals from 14 countries selected to oversee the action across the three rounds. The match official team includes 11 women and 9 men with a blend of experience and debutants who have progressed through regional High Performance Academies and Olympic qualification tournaments to be selected for the global stage.
Women’s match officials Holly Wood, Sunny Lee, Precious Pazani, Ella Goldsmith and Zoe Naude were involved in WXV 2023, while Peter Martin and Morgan White took charge of the gold medal final matches for the first and second round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 men’s events respectively.
Nigel Cass, World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer said: “The World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger is a vitally important tournament that provides meaningful competition and a clear promotion pathway to reach the pinnacle HSBC SVNS.
“In 2024 we see the expansion to three rounds plus the Grand Final which will further enhance the standard of competition and provides teams with more playing opportunity. World Rugby is looking forward to working with the tournament hosts in delivering a ground-breaking Sevens Challenger in an action-packed year of rugby sevens leading into the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
“We are delighted that HSBC is continuing their excellent partnership and support for rugby sevens as the sport continues to grow and attract new fans and participants around the globe. There has never been a more exciting time for the sport as we look ahead of the kick off of the revamped and rebranded HSBC SVNS and the road to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”
Jonathan Castleman, HSBC Global Head of Brand and Brand Partnerships said: “For over a decade of partnership with the sport, we have been proud of our role in rugby sevens being a driving force in the global expansion of rugby, whether that be taking the game to new markets or supporting the growth of the women’s game.
“Today’s announcement is another crucial step on that journey. 2024 will truly be a landscape altering year for rugby sevens, and we’re delighted to once again be partnering with World Rugby – on both the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger and HSBC SVNS – to leverage our own global network to help the sport flourish in more communities all over the world, creating more opportunities for players, fans and teams.”
For further information on HSBC SVNS 2024 and to purchase tickets click here.
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The writer here ignores the fact that, following on from not taking the penalty kick, the All Blacks did manage to score a try a few minutes later. Not directly from the penalty awarded, but it is speculation to say that had they opted to take the koi they would have won. Even if they kicked it, which was no guarantee, they would still be trailing and would have had to start again at half-way.
Go to commentsI would be surprised if Sales Opoku Fordjour and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman are not in the team, Anthony Watson is also one that could go on the wing. One thing I must say is that the front 3 will get destroyed against a team like South Africa.
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