World Rugby has announced a partnership with USA Rugby and MLR to launch a new MLR expansion club in Charlotte, North Carolina, named Anthem Rugby Carolina. The initial roster will “feature players from various MLR teams who are eligible to compete on behalf of the USA in international competition”.
The repechage tournament for the Paris Olympic 7s was announced by World Rugby today. It will be held in Monaco on June 21-23. The women’s team earned their way into the Olympics by winning the RAN tournament, fortunately the USA didn’t attend the women’s RAN tournament as they had already qualified as a top 4 finisher in the World Rugby 7s series. The men weren’t as fortunate and lost to USA in the RAN tournament forcing them to qualify through the repechage tournament.
The Tier 2 competition to gain promotion to the World Rugby 7s series has been announced along with the qualifying teams. Canada are in the Tier 1 competition but if either the men or women finish in places 9 to 12 at the end of the season, they’ll have to compete against the top 4 from this group in an 8 team tournament, the top 4 earning their place in the 2025 Tier 1 series.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup isn’t even cold and World Rugby are on to the next with a new rebranding and logo for 2025 England, the women’s Rugby World Cup. See their media release below.
World Rugby has been busy today releasing various media releases. This one specifically deals with the 2027 Rugby World Cup. This has significance for Canada obviously as they’re adding 4 more teams and that gives Canada more opportunity to qualify. The details of the qualification process are yet to be revealed.
Knowledge of the tournament was already out in the public domain last week but World Rugby just announced it officially today.
Spain seem to be embracing rugby more lately, and World Rugby seems to be pushing the sun, fun, rugby theme more. Recall that Spain was the first venue announced for the “new and improved” 7s series that World Rugby rolled out, the 7s series finale will be held in Madrid in June.
[editor’s comments below]
I’d like to hear readers thoughts on the World Cup to date also your predictions.
Below are my thoughts, plus the latest World Rugby media release is posted below.
Kickoff noon PT on Friday September 8th, televised on TSN 5.
New Zealand
Fly-half Richie Mo’unga will win his 50th cap after being named in the New Zealand team to face France in the opening game of Rugby World Cup 2023 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Friday.
World Rugby finally released its new format for the 2023-24 7s Series with 8 tournaments world wide with 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams competing at each tournament… and, yes, Vancouver made the list. Who didn’t make the list, England, France, NZ.
from World Rugby
After six days of exciting competition in Stellenbosch, South Africa, the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 came to a climax at Markötter Stadium on Sunday afternoon with South Africa women and Tonga men being crowned overall tournament champions.