(22/12/22) World Rugby’s Sevens Challenger Series for 2023
features a pair of three-day combined men’s and women’s events
scheduled to take place at Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch,
South Africa on 20-22 and 28-30 April 2023.
The winner of the 12-team women’s Challenger
Series will get automatic promotion to the Sevens World Series
2024, while the winner of the men’s, which
also features 12 teams, will enter a four team play-off at the
HSBC London Sevens in May 2023 together with the teams placed
12th-14th after ten rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series,
with the winner of the play-off achieving Sevens World Series 2024
status.
Germany 7s and Uganda 7s in action at HK7s 2019. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com
The 12 women’s teams competing are Belgium, China,
Colombia, Czechia, Hong Kong, Madagascar, Mexico, Papua New
Guinea, Poland, South Africa, Thailand and a team from South
America yet to be confirmed.
The 12 men’s teams are Belgium, Brazil, Chile,
Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Papua New Guinea,
Tonga, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The teams qualified via their ranking positions
within their relevant regional competitions and the pool draw will
take place once the full team line- ups are confirmed in early
2023.
The tournament replicates 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 bronze and gold medal matches.
“Rugby sevens is a key driver of global growth for
our sport, particularly in emerging nations and continues to
expand and captivate audiences with its dynamic, skillful and
exciting nature, boosted by its highly impactful and successful
appearances at the Olympic Games in Rio and Tokyo,” said Nigel
Cass, World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer. “The Challenger Series provides a clear pathway to
reach the Sevens World Series, and teams from all six World Rugby
regions have the opportunity to achieve their dreams and reach the
pinnacle level of international rugby sevens through their efforts
in the Challenger Series.”
In 2024 the Challenger Series is expected to
increase to three rounds with the top four ranked teams entering
a play-off with the bottom four placed Sevens World Series at a
Grand Finale event, meaning four men’s and four women’s teams will
have the opportunity to achieve promotion to the pinnacle level of
international rugby sevens every year from 2024 onwards.
Rugby pictures:
Pictures from 2019 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong
Kong Sevens,
Pictures from 2018 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens,
Pictures from 2017 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens,
Pictures from 2016 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong
Kong Sevens,
Pictures of Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2015,
Pictures of the Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic Games Qualifier in Hong
Kong,
Pictures of Singha Thailand Sevens 2015,
Pictures from the 2013 British & Irish Lions Tour in Hong Kong,
Pictures of Hong Kong Sevens 2014,
Pictures of Hong Kong Sevens 2013,
Pictures
of Chartis Cup 2012 and
Pictures of
Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012.
Latest HD video interviews: Amari
Watergate Bangkok – 4K Video Interview with Sukamal
Mondal, Area GM, Bangkok Riverside Fest 2023 – 4K Video
Interview with Frederic Kolde, Business Travel Trends in Asia Pacific – Video Interview with Brett Thorstad, Sabre.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.