The following article in elobservador.com.uy was written by Ignacio Chans and claims the World Rugby Sevens Series will limit the number of teams to 8 next season on the circuit. It implies teams like Uruguay and Canada won’t be going up to the main series next year regardless of the outcome of the promotion tournament.
Canada finished 4th in Krakow with Day 2 losses to Samoa and Germany. That result gives them a 3rd place finish in the Challenger Series and qualification for the promotion tournament in LA in May. Canada earned a 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finish over the series, Portugal won two tournaments and Chile, which didn’t advance, won one tournament. The four teams advancing are Portugal, Germany, Canada, Samoa.
Canada came 3rd in the second Cape Town tournament but on aggregate are top of the standings, tied with Germany at 34 points. The next tournament is in Krakow April 11-12, the top four from there go to the LA promotion/relegation tournament.
The Canadian men reached the top 2 in the tournament which would have met pre-tournament goals. Canada just have to finish top 4 in the three tournaments to make it to the LA tournament and vie for promotion. They found out Chile are a step above any other team at the Challenger tournament, and they now have an idea on how far they have to improve to get back to series level.
Canada have named 16 players for their exhibition series against Japan and Trinidad & Tobago. The Vancouver tournament will be part of the preparation for the three tournaments coming up in March/April that are part of the Challenger Series to get back on the main World Rugby 7s series.
Vancouver 7s announced the schedule for the 3 day tournament. The men are playing an exhibition series against Trinidad & Tobago and Japan as part of the tournament. Canada will face each team twice over the tournament, playing them Friday and Saturday. The women start their tournament on Friday at 3:28pm against Brazil, then face Spain at 8:58pm. Their final pool game is at 3:08pm on Saturday, the women’s quarter-finals start at 7:32pm on Saturday.
It’s not what was wanted from last year’s perspective. Ideally the men’s team would still be on the World Rugby 7s series and, with the women, drawing in the crowd. Will the crowds still come without the men in the main tournament or do people just want to party and rugby is the extra bonus. We’ll find out in February.
The Canadian men have a date in March in South Africa. There they will play two back to back tournaments and hope to finish in the top 8 or their journey is over. Only the top 8 teams will move on to Poland in April, and then only the top 4 will move on to LA for the promotion/relegation tournament in May.
Canada won the RAN 7s without giving up a point but what’s next on the Challenger Series? Canada have to finish top four in that series to get a place at the promotion/relegation tournament, when again the top four move up to the Tier 1 World Rugby Series.
Canada are expected to win the Rugby Americas North 7s tournament, without USA present. The win is essential to begin the journey back to the World Rugby 7s Series. The winner of the RAN 7s will get on the Challenger 7s series and a top 4 finish there will get them in the promotion/relegation tournament at the end of the year.