New Delhi, December 24, 2024: GMR Sports, a pioneer in India’s sports ecosystem, is proud to announce a landmark 10-year strategic partnership with Rugby India, the national governing body for rugby, to launch the Rugby Premier League (RPL). Set to debut in 2025, the RPL will be one of the world’s first franchise-based rugby leagues, featuring six city-based teams and showcasing elite talent from top rugby nations globally.

This partnership signifies a bold step forward for GMR Sports as it extends its legacy of innovation and excellence into the realm of Rugby 7s, one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sports in the world.

Speaking on this transformative collaboration, Mr. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman- GMR Sports, said: “At GMR Sports, we believe in driving the future of sports in India by creating platforms that inspire athletes and fans alike. The Rugby Premier League is not just a league—it is a movement to bring world-class rugby to India while fostering grassroots development. Partnering with Rugby India reflects our commitment to creating opportunities and setting benchmarks for excellence in every sport we touch. We are excited to be at the forefront of this exciting new chapter in Indian sports.”

The Rugby Premier League promises to captivate audiences while building a strong foundation for rugby’s growth in India. By exposing young Indian talent to international players and top-tier coaching, the league aims to create a sustainable ecosystem for the sport.

Mr. Rahul Bose, President of Rugby India, emphasized the league’s transformative potential, saying: “The Rugby Premier League is a game-changer for rugby in India. With World Rugby’s support and GMR Sports’ expertise, we are set to deliver a league that showcases the finest talent and professionalism. Fans can expect nothing less than world-class rugby action that will inspire the next generation of athletes in our country.”

PKSV Sagar, President, GMR Sports, said: “GMR Sports has always championed innovation in sports, from cricket to kabaddi and kho kho. With the Rugby Premier League, we are now moving up in the value chain in the business of sports, from managing sports franchises to managing leagues and sports IPs; we are excited about this partnership with Rugby India to establish a world-class venture as the commercial partner for the league’s operations.

“Our collaboration with Rugby India, a dynamic and excellence-driven organization, marks an exciting new chapter for both Rugby India and GMR Sports. Stay tuned as we unveil the league’s details in the coming weeks—it’s going to be an extraordinary event to look forward to another world-famous sport coming to India.”

The unveiling of city-based franchises, ownership details, and international coaches is scheduled for five weeks from now, promising to set the stage for an unforgettable debut season of the Rugby Premier League.

 

The Rugby World Cup 2023, hosted by France, has officially become the most viewed rugby event in history, setting a new standard for the sport’s global reach and appeal. With a staggering 1.33 billion viewing hours (VH) clocked across linear and non-linear broadcasting platforms, the tournament not only captivated long-time fans but also attracted a new audience, contributing to the sport’s growing popularity worldwide.

Historic Viewership Achievements

The viewership for the France 2023 event saw a significant 30% increase from the England 2015 tournament and a 19% rise compared to Japan 2019. These figures are particularly impressive given the general decline in linear TV viewing across the globe, highlighting the Rugby World Cup’s ability to engage audiences in an ever-evolving media landscape.

Broad Global Reach

The tournament’s viewership was not confined to traditional rugby strongholds. Emerging rugby territories, including Germany and the USA, witnessed a surge in viewership, indicating the sport’s expanding footprint and its growing appeal in new markets. This broadened audience base underscores rugby’s universal appeal and its potential for further growth in non-traditional rugby nations.

Accessibility and Free-to-Air Coverage

A notable aspect of the Rugby World Cup 2023’s broadcasting success was that 85% of global viewership came from free-to-air TV. This approach aligns with World Rugby’s mission to make the tournament as accessible as possible, ensuring fans worldwide could enjoy the spectacle without the need for paid subscriptions. The emphasis on free-to-air coverage played a crucial role in reaching a wider audience and making rugby more accessible to fans around the globe.

The Rise of Streaming Services

In addition to traditional broadcasting, streaming services accounted for 5% of the global viewership, with RugbyPass TV’s coverage in markets without a local broadcaster being a key component of World Rugby’s strategy. This shift towards digital platforms reflects changing consumer preferences and the importance of adapting to new media consumption habits to continue growing the sport’s audience.

Conclusion

The Rugby World Cup 2023 has set a new benchmark for rugby viewership, showcasing the sport’s growing popularity and the successful efforts of World Rugby to make the game more accessible. The record-breaking viewership figures from France 2023 reflect the sport’s global appeal, the success of its broadcasting strategy, and the potential for rugby to captivate audiences worldwide. As the sport looks to the future, the Rugby World Cup 2023 will undoubtedly be remembered as a pivotal moment in its history, marking a significant step forward in rugby’s quest to become a truly global sport.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont has led the tributes to South Africa’s Jaco Peyper, who today announced he is to step down from match officiating to concentrate on new ventures. 

The sixth most-capped Emirates World Rugby referee of all time with 67 tests, the 43-year-old is one of the sport’s great referees, having blown the whistle in three men’s Rugby World Cups, 10 Guinness Six Nations Championships and nine Rugby Championships since making his international debut with Kenya versus Zimbabwe in 2011.  

Peyper also bows out having achieved the highest accolades in the professional club game, refereeing nine finals – five Currie Cup, three Super Rugby and one Champions Cup final.  

A stellar career by the numbers 

• 67 tests matches as Emirates World Rugby referee  
• Test debut with Kenya v Zimbabwe in July 2011  
• Sixth most-capped test referee in history, and third highest South Africa behind Jonathan Kaplan and Craig Joubert  
• Refereed 14 matches across three Rugby World Cups (2015-23) with Japan 2019 quarter-final between Wales and France his 50th test in the middle 
• Last test was the RWC 2023 quarter-final between Wales and Argentina in Marseille on 14 October 
• Refereed in 10 Six Nations Championships and nine Rugby Championships 
• Took charge of three Super Rugby finals in 2015, 2017 and 2019 
• Became the first South African to referee the European Champions Cup final with Leinster against La Rochelle in 2023  

Away from the field of play, Peyper has played a pivotal role in mentoring and championing the next generation of match officials. Reflecting this passion, Peyper was elected to inaugural management committee of the International Rugby Match Officials body in 2023, serving the interests of the top male and female officials on the international stage. 

His work with broadcasters, helping to deepen understanding of refereeing and laws, has also been a prominent feature of his time as an international referee.  

Beaumont said: “Jaco has been a fantastic ambassador for rugby, a role model for aspiring referees and will be remembered as one of the greats of international and club refereeing.  

“But above all the accolades, he is a great person. He cares deeply about the game and championing his fellow match officials. He has played a huge role in the development of burgeoning international referees and is a calm, assured presence within a great team.  

“It takes a special type of person to be at the top of their game in the most challenging of arenas, and Jaco has done that superbly. In short, he is a credit to rugby, his nation and his family, and I wish him all the best as he begins a new and exciting chapter.” 

Peyper said: “I literally grew up next to the rugby field as my dad was a coach, and later on I played and coached the game before I took up the opportunity to go into refereeing. There are always tough times at high-end refereeing, but since making my first-class debut 17 years ago rugby has only been good to me. 

“It’s been a great journey, I have made many wonderful friends and I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many fantastic places around the world. All things considered, now is perhaps the best time to step away from active refereeing to spend more time with my lovely wife and two beautiful daughters, as well as my growing business interests. 

“There are many people I would like to thank and will do so personally, but I want to give a special word of thanks to the CEOs of SA Rugby for backing me, the support I’ve received from the High-Performance division, my fellow match officials and World Rugby management, and specifically the Springboks, whom I’ve worked with closely and who have helped me become a better referee. 

“I’d love to say what a super opportunity refereeing is to be involved with the game you love, even though its perceived as such unforgiving job – I have made friends in all rugby playing countries and cultures and see some of the most awesome places whilst we called it work. 

“Rugby is part of my life, and I have made wonderful friends around the world through my travels in the game, and although I’m closing the door on active refereeing, I would love nothing more than to stay involved in this wonderful game and plough back after what it’s given me.” 

World Rugby High Performance 15s Match Officials Manager Joël Jutge added: “Jaco’s impressive career speaks for itself. Beyond the statistics, it was the consistently high level that he operated at over the last four-year cycle that is particularly impressive.

“Beyond the field, his character was evident, and I will never forget how, despite being desperately disappointed that his Rugby World Cup 2023 ended in injury, he unselfishly remained in camp, supporting the wider team, sharing his experience and lifting spirits. It was superb.  

“On behalf of the World Rugby match officials management, I would like to say a massive thank you to Jaco and wish him and the family the very best for the future.” 

USA Rugby, Major League Rugby (MLR) and World Rugby are pleased to officially announce a strategic partnership to launch a new MLR expansion club in Charlotte, North Carolina, named Anthem Rugby Carolina (RC). The new club will immediately join the 2024 season, with American Legion Memorial Stadium serving as its match day home.  

This ground-breaking partnership between the governing bodies for global and American rugby, as well as North America’s premier professional rugby league, represents a significant investment and collaboration in the growth and development of the game in the United States as future hosts of the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033 respectively. 

MLR and USA Rugby have previously collaborated to support the USA Hawks, an initiative focused on helping young American players and USA-qualified prospects grow as elite rugby players via a dedicated performance pathway. Anthem RC, through the relationship with World Rugby and USA Rugby, will greatly accelerate that high-performance objective by supporting the long-term progress of the USA men’s national team in advance of qualification for Rugby World Cup 2027 and hosting the 2031 edition on home soil. 

“The launch of Anthem RC is a game-changer in this shared journey to grow and enhance the game of rugby in the US, offering a clear pathway for player development and greater opportunity for USA Rugby as North America gears up for the Rugby World Cup,” said Nic Benson, CEO of MLR. “We’re grateful to the leadership of both World Rugby and USA Rugby for their investment in this endeavour, knowing that it helps to lay a sure-footed foundation that will anchor the continued expansion of the game in the US” 

USA Rugby CEO, Ross Young added: “This remarkable collaboration between MLR, USA Rugby and World Rugby is an inspiring example of progress we can look forward to as rugby in America begins a new trajectory. Anthem RC provides a truly unique opportunity for accelerated development with USA Rugby High Performance while continuing to bolster MLR as a key pathway for the USA Men’s Eagles. The level of teamwork that has occurred across all parties to bring this project to life is unprecedented and we’re thrilled to see it on a rugby pitch this year.” 

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin hailed the development as a major milestone in an overall strategy to grow rugby competitiveness and interest in the USA ahead of home Rugby World Cups. “Working with strategic partners in the USA, and backed by our Executive Board, we are activating a transformative and long-term growth plan for rugby in the US that will enable a great sporting nation, and the sport as a whole, to unlock the true potential of hosting men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033 respectively. 

“This ambitious plan is centred around making the sport more relevant and accessible to more people in the US, a nation that loves sport and events, anchored in entertainment. In addition to accelerating the clear potential of women’s rugby and cementing sevens in USA sports culture, we must sustainably grow the elite men’s game and for the USA Eagles national team to be successful on the world stage.

“Today’s announcement is a major milestone to achieving that. Coupled with long-term global calendar certainty, our investment, along with our partners, will provide an opportunity for a well-supported high performance pathway geared towards achieving results on the world stage. This type of partnership has proven successful for RWC 2023 quarter-finalists Fiji with the establishment of the Drua, and we are excited about the huge potential of Anthem RC, not just as a pathway, but as a major franchise within a long-term vision for MLR success, shared by all stakeholders.”  

The club’s inaugural roster features players from various MLR teams who are eligible to compete on behalf of the USA in international competition. The addition of Anthem RC also brings back the two-conference approach the league has relied on for the past few seasons. 

Anthem RC embraces the concept of rising stars throughout its brand, symbolic of the efforts of the new club to invest and grow American rugby. Inspired by the US national anthem, it also features distinct connections to the Charlotte community by drawing from its rich military heritage and incorporating a recognisable colour palette that draws from the smoky tones of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

With the reimagined HSBC SVNS excitingly just around the corner for Los Angeles, HSBC SVNS LAX is going next level with competition and festivities now extended into Friday, March 1 for a ‘Friday Night Lights’ experience.

Men’s and Women’s pool play will now kick off on Friday evening with 12 pool stage matches beginning at 4:00 PM PT, all under the Dignity Health Sports Park stadium lights with added atmosphere to increase the nightlife experience. The remainder of pool play, along with the quarterfinals and super session will continue on Saturday and Sunday, March 2-3 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Current ticket holders to HSBC SVNS LAX will have early access to the exclusive Friday Night Lights presale. Fans and groups already reserved for both Saturday and Sunday will be provided a free ticket to Friday, while single day ticket holders are offered a $5 + fees upgrade to attend Friday night. Reservation information will be delivered to current ticket holders and groups on January 17.

Friday Night Lights tickets will be general admission only and opened to the public starting January 19 at www.svns.com, with individual tickets as low as $25 + fees and all new 3-day passes also available. With the added date, all matches and competition will be hosted inside the main stadium at Dignity Health Sports Park.

World Rugby General Manager, Sevens World Series, Sam Pinder said on the exciting addition, “Following the outstanding excitement produced by the opening two rounds of HSBC SVNS 2024 in Dubai and Cape Town we are pleased to extend the HSBC SVNS LAX event to include a special ‘Friday Nights Lights’ session on 1 March at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Friday night session will see all 12 men’s and women’s teams in action, including both USA teams, meaning fans will get the first taste of world class rugby sevens action from some of the best athletes in the world, with added entertainment and food and beverage, fans are in for a treat at a very affordable ticket price.”

Turn up the heat in LAX!

HSBC SVNS LAX is set to host an electrifying spectacle with the world’s top 12 men’s and 12 women’s rugby sevens teams, including the hometown USA Eagles facing off against the renowned New Zealand All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens, double men’s Olympic champions Fiji, perennial favorites South Africa, Samoa, Australia, Canada and Argentina. Both USA men’s and women’s national teams will look to inspire the crowd with their performances and podium chase on home soil.

Across three thrilling days of competition, some of the world’s best athletes will display unmatched speed, skill, and athleticism, taking to the stage at the venue that is anticipated to host the LA 2028 Olympic rugby sevens competition.

With less than one year until the Olympic Games Paris 2024 gets underway, the action will be intense from start to finish with World Rugby’s revamped competition formula set to provide rugby sevens fans with even more excitement, jeopardy, and entertainment.

It’s the rugby you love, with so much more, including:

Beach Club

We’ll bring the beach, you bring the energy. Party all afternoon, through sundowners, into the night at our iconic beach club. With DJ’s playing dance floor fillers and classic anthems, bars, food and you can spend as long or as little at the Beach Club as you want. Don’t forget your sunscreen! 

Sun Stage

Where performers and fans interact on an intimate level. Think dancers, rap battles…with the occasional live music act/DJ.

Food Markets

This isn’t your regular food market. Fusing together the best of local cuisines, art and music, our market is a theatre for the hungry. Whether you’ve been soaking up the rays or getting stuck into the rugby, our street food heaven is high on the HSBC SVNS agenda.

Live Music

Prepare for the sounds of HSBC SVNS. No good party is complete without a resident DJ, live acts and good vibes, and we promise you this is one party you want to be on the guestlist for. Stay tuned for exciting updates on the artists who will be taking the stage.

Welcome to the Party Stand

If it’s a party you want, then it’s a party you’ve got! So, put on your wildest fancy dress, warm up those vocal cords, and get ready to experience rugby like never before.

Visit www.svns.com/en/events/los-angeles for tickets and more information.

At the end of three days of intense, high quality competition it was Kenya men and China women who took top honours at the opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 in Dubai.

Kenya have been a mainstay on the HSBC SVNS and are aiming to return at the first opportunity following their relegation to the Challenger last year, and they got off to the perfect start with victory in Dubai.

They were made to work for the gold medal in a hard fought final win over Chile which finished 12-5. Earlier in the day Kenya had beaten Uruguay 21-5 in the semi-final while Chile reached the final thanks to a 15-7 win over previously unbeaten Germany.

Uruguay, who alongside Kenya will showcase their skills at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, recovered from semi-final defeat to claim the bronze medal with a 12-7 defeat of Germany.

China were the dominant force in the women’s competition and secured gold with a 19-5 win over Kenya in the final, gaining revenge for their 17-12 loss to the same opposition in Friday’s pool match.

China has earlier cruised into the final thanks to a 45-5 thrashing of Uganda in the semi-final, while Kenya saw off Argentina by 17-0 in the second semi-final. Argentina were impressive throughout the weekend and claimed the bronze thanks to a 36-10 win over Uganda.

Amid ecstatic celebrations in front of the large contingent of supporters, Kenya co-captain Tony Omondi said: “We are super happy. We knew this Challenger event in Dubai was very crucial for us to start on a high and now we must carry on with the momentum until the last tournament.”

“It was a tough final today. Chile was a tough, physical opponent so we had to match them in all aspects and it came out good for us. We must also congratulate our ladies team as well, every game they played before us gave us the inspiration, so we had to deliver and thanks to them we are going back home with two medals.”

China women’s player Chen Keyi said: “We are happy and so proud of our girls and the way we played to our standards. Kenya is a very physical team so I’m proud of our tackling and how hard we worked for each other. We hope we can keep learning, keep playing to our way and keep winning in the next tournaments.”

There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid.

The Challenger tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and

The 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 for the short format of the game which has experienced huge growth over the past two decades since the introduction of the global sevens series and becoming an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games.

The bigger and better than ever 2024 edition of the Challenger consists of three rounds. Following the opener in Dubai the men’s and women’s teams now move on to 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.

Fans at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai witnessed a great advert for the continuing global growth of rugby sevens as teams from four different continents qualified for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger semi-finals following a sequence of hotly contested quarter-finals.

Argentina are the only unbeaten team in the women’s competition as they backed up pool victories over Poland, Hong Kong China and Paraguay with a hard fought 22-12 win over a very competitive Thailand team. China proved too strong for Poland in the second women’s semi-final, running out convincing winners by a 31-10 scoreline.

Belgium had recorded a perfect record of three wins to top their pool but were beaten 17-12 by Uganda in an enthralling quarter-final. There was further African joy as the large Kenyan contingent in the crowd celebrated a 22-12 victory over Czechia to secure their place in the semi-finals. China will face Uganda and Argentina play Kenya in the women’s semi-finals.

The men’s competition was equally intense and the quarter-finals began with a blockbuster between Kenya and Japan, two teams who will showcase their skills at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 having qualified via their regional competitions. Kenya reached the Olympics by beating the mighty South African Blitzboks and showed their quality once again to overcome a valiant Japan 21-19 to reach the semi-finals.

Uruguay – another team set to star at the Olympic Games in Paris – will face Kenya in the semi-finals after they overcame last year’s Challenger champions Tonga by a 21-14 scoreline.

The third quarter-final saw Germany in impressive form to beat Hong Kong China 19-7. Germany are the only unbeaten team in the men’s tournament following pool phase wins over Kenya, Uganda and Mexico, and they will face Chile in the semi-finals after the South American’s saw off six-man Georgia 26-7 in the last quarter-final to bring down the curtain on a thrilling day of rugby sevens in the Dubai desert.

The action gets under way at 11:15 local time (GMT+4) on Sunday with the semi-finals kicking off at 12:53. The women’s and men’s finals will take palce at 16:59 and 17:33 respectively.

There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid.

The Challenger tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and

The 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 for the short format of the game which has experienced huge growth over the past two decades since the introduction of the global sevens series and becoming an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games.

The bigger and better than ever 2024 edition of the Challenger 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.

The opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 kicked off in Dubai on Friday with all teams playing their first two pool matches of the competition.

In the women’s tournament there were flying starts for Argentina, Belgium, Czechia and Thailand who all finished day one with a pair of victories to secure their spots in Saturday’s quarter-finals.

The men’s event saw some intensely competitive matches and close scorelines as Germany, Hong Kong China, Kenya, and Challenger 2023 Champions Tonga claimed two wins each to ensure their safe passage to the quarter-finals.

The action continues from 11:15 local time (GMT+4) on Saturday with the final round of pool matches followed by the quarter-finals ahead of finals day on Sunday.

There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid.

The Challenger tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and

The 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 for the short format of the game which has experienced huge growth over the past two decades since the introduction of the global sevens series and becoming an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games.

The bigger and better than ever 2024 edition of the Challenger 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.

The pool draws for the third round of HSBC SVNS 2024 to be played in Perth, Western Australia on 26-28 January took place at the HBF Park venue on Thursday 11 January and produced some exciting match-ups to whet fans appetites ahead of the hotly anticipated festival event.

Hosts Australia lead the women’s standings and are aiming for a hat-trick of tournament victories following their impressive back-to-back successes at the opening two rounds in Dubai and Cape Town. They will face Canada, Great Britain and South Africa in pool A in Perth.

Rivals and reigning Olympic champions New Zealand will meet USA, Ireland and Japan in pool C, while France, Fiji, Brazil and Spain will compete in pool B of the women’s competition.

The men’s SVNS title race is wide open with Argentina the current standings leaders after claiming gold in Cape Town and silver in Dubai, however South Africa, Fiji, New Zealand, Ireland and hosts Australia all sit within six points of each other.

Argentina will meet Dubai champions South Africa in pool A alongside Canada and Spain. Australia are drawn in a competitive looking pool B with Ireland, Great Britain and USA. Meanwhile Olympic champions Fiji will play reigning Series title holders New Zealand alongside France and Samoa in a very strong looking pool C.

The new-look SVNS competition format means there will be more excitement and jeopardy on the field than ever before and fans can look forward to a feast of entertainment on and off the pitch.

Australian Women’s Head Coach, Tim Walsh commented on the draw: “We haven’t played those teams in a while so we’re excited. We know how strong they are, particularly Canada, who are quickly improving and definitely a team to watch out for.

“After a nice break, we’re fresh physically and mentally and ready to go after a good week and a half of training. Other than Demi being injured we’re at a good fitness level, and we’ve got a really strong squad to pick a team from.”

Australian Men’s Head Coach, John Manenti said: “The men’s competition is tough, there are no soft games. Ireland have been consistently finishing in the top four, Great Britian gets better the more they play together, and the USA have a host of superstars, including Perry Baker returning for Perth. We can’t wait to get to the West and continue to build towards the Olympics”.

Tourism Western Australia Managing Director Carolyn Turnbull said: “The results of today’s draw will drive further excitement for the incredible HSBC SVNS event, which we cannot wait to welcome to Perth this month and again in 2025.

 “Western Australia is proud to be the only Australian host city for this spectacular global rugby tournament in 2024 and 2025, and we look forward to welcoming interstate and international visitors to Perth to attend the event and explore the incredible hospitality and tourism experiences all regions of our dreamlike state have to offer.

 “The HSBC SVNS will be broadcast around the world in many of Western Australia’s key visitor markets, like New Zealand, China, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States, and hosting the tournament will elevate our state on a truly global stage, as the fastest-growing events destination in South East Asia.”

Along with epic rugby sevens action featuring the best 12 men’s and women’s teams in the world, fantastic food offerings and interactive activities, HSBC SVNS have thrown in a blockbuster line up of entertainment with over 20 artists bringing the vibes for a weekend to remember in Perth.

Peking Duk, Hot Dub Time Machine, and Coterie are some of the big names set to get the party pumping on 26, 27 and 28 January 2024.

Perth is hosting the HSBC SVNS for the very first time and players and fans can look forward to three sun-soaked days of rugby sevens and buzz-filled nights on 26-28 January, 2024 at HBF Park.

To party with some of Australia’s best entertainers, indulge in some epic food offerings and watch the worlds greatest rugby sevens players, including the world leading Aussie 7s, fans can get their tickets from only $35 at SVNS.com

The captains of the 12 women’s and 12 men’s teams gathered at Dubai Creek Harbour on Wednesday ahead of the opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024, which takes place at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 12-14 January.

There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid.

The pool draw, which took place in December during the HSBC SVNS 2024 opening round at the same venue in Dubai, produced some exciting match-ups. Three teams in the men’s competition – Uruguay, Japan and Kenya – have already booked their places at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and they headline Pools A, B and C respectively. All teams qualified for the Challenger 2024 through regional competitions.

Men’s pools:

Pool A: Uruguay, Hong Kong China, Papua New Guinea, Georgia
Pool B: Japan, Tonga, Chile, Portugal
Pool C: Kenya, Germany, Uganda, Mexico

Women’s pools:

Pool A: Belgium, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Uganda
Pool B: China, Czechia, Mexico, Kenya
Pool C: Poland, Hong Kong China, Paraguay, Argentina

The Challenger tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool 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.

Kenya men’s captain Tony Omondi reflected on overcoming South Africa to qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024: “It feels amazing to have led the team in qualifying for the Olympics. It is the pinnacle of sports in the world so playing in the Olympics is a dream come true for every athlete.

“The Olympics is a big plus for us but we all know we fell short of playing in the SVNS series this year and the goal is to get back into the series and with the current crop of players that we have I believe that is possible. Preparations have gone well. We know that to have a shot at getting back on the Series we have to finish in the top four and that is the motive.”

Belgium women’s captain Cécile Blondiau said: “We are really excited about the new format of the Challenger competition as it gives more chances to more teams to reach the next level of rugby. We are also excited to see our new, young players show what they can do. Our hopes are to finish in the top four and we are really excited to begin the competition here in Dubai.”

Portugal men’s captain Duarte Moreira said : “It was a big accomplishment for us to qualify for the Challenger and it’s a new opportunity for us to go back into the Series so it’s going to be a great challenge for us.

“The new generation of fifteens players that went to the Rugby World Cup was very inspiration for us and a time for all of us to try and push and exceed ourselves to try to be like them.”

Poland captain Natalia Pamieta said: “We are really excited because we have been waiting for a few years to qualify for the World Series so I hope that now it is the time for us. Our hopes are to qualify for the World Series and also the Olympic Games from the final qualifier event in Monaco.”

The 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 for the short format of the game which has experienced huge growth over the past two decades since the introduction of the global sevens series and becoming an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games.

The 2024 edition of the Challenger 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.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger 2024 dates:

Dubai, UAE – 12-14 January (men and women)
Montevideo, Uruguay – 8-10 March (men and women)
Krakow, Poland – 18-19 May  (women) 
Munich, Germany –18-19 May (men)

With women’s rugby breaking new ground on and off the pitch, up to 49,000 fans from the North East of England and beyond will have a golden opportunity to watch world’s number one ranked team, the Red Roses, in action on the evening of Friday, 22 August as they kick off the 10th edition of the pinnacle event, which has been expanded to 16 teams.

Twickenham’s hosting of the final on Saturday, 27 September 2025 will be a symbolic and fitting finale to a tournament that aims to capture hearts and headlines around the world, galvanising the next generation of fans, players and partners around one of sport’s most exciting spectacles. In doing so, organisers hope to smash the 58,498 attendance record by selling out one of the world’s most iconic sporting venues.

A joint venture between World Rugby, the RFU, with support from the UK Government, England 2025 aims to be a spectacular celebration of women’s rugby, women’s sport and England, an era-defining tournament that will set new standards, attract new audiences and provide an exciting catalyst to nationwide and global rugby growth.

Five weeks of action-packed matches will culminate with the Women’s Rugby World Cup final, which will be held at the historic home of England rugby, Twickenham Stadium, with sights set on achieving world record audiences both in stadia and across all fan platforms.

An era-defining tournament

For the first time ever, the expanded showcase event will be hosted across eight venues and cities around the country with 16 teams competing to be crowned world champions. The countrywide format makes it the most accessible Women’s Rugby World Cup ever, offering an unparalleled opportunity across the five-week schedule for fans to see, engage with and support the stars of the women’s game in towns and cities around England.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 will be a generational moment for rugby. The biggest, most accessible and most widely-viewed, its unstoppable momentum will reach, engage and inspire new audiences in ways that rugby events have not done before.

“The selection of Sunderland for the opening match underscores that mission. We want this to be a sports event that everyone is talking about, that everyone wants to be a part of and one that inspires young people to be a part of.”

Sunderland lights up

Today, 60 young women’s and girls’ players from Sunderland got the unique opportunity to be coached by Red Roses’ transition coach and the world’s most-capped women’s player, Sarah Hunter at the Stadium of Light to mark the occasion.

Speaking at the event, Hunter said: “It’s been a real privilege to be part of today’s announcement of the opening and closing venues of Rugby World Cup 2025 and to meet so many talented rugby players from the North East.  

“The Red Roses opening game of the tournament at the Stadium of Light will be an amazing experience for the players and fans and having witnessed the electric atmosphere of almost sixty thousand watching the Red Roses at Twickenham earlier this year, I’ve every confidence it will sell out for the final.”

Hosting preparations advancing

Managing Director, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, Sarah Massey who was also present added: “We’ve been working in collaboration with our cities and venues teams to engage with the local communities and maximise opportunities to give them an unforgettable and inclusive fan experience.

“This is the era of women’s sport and women’s rugby will make its biggest, boldest statement in 2025. With tickets going on sale next year, our message to rugby, sport and major event fans is mark your diaries now for the event of 2025. It will be massive.”

RFU Executive Director of Rugby Development and Rugby World Cup 2025 Board Member, Steve Grainger said: “Both the Stadium of Light and Twickenham Stadium, as hosts of the opening and closing matches, along with the other six tournament venues evidences the RFU’s tournament goal of boosting development of the sport right around the country and achieving our ambition to have 100,000 female players by 2027.  

“To drive forward this work we are delighted to be working closely with Sport England, the UK Government and other organisations to create a transformational legacy programme. We are very grateful to Government for committing funding to this transformational tournament.”

The perfect opener

Also in attendance in Sunderland was Sports Minister, Stuart Andrew who added: “Sunderland’s Stadium of Light will provide the perfect opening act for what is set to be a record-breaking tournament of women’s rugby.

“The Government is a proud supporter of Rugby World Cup 2025, which will inspire women and girls all over the country to pick up a ball and follow in the footsteps of their heroes.”

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Graeme Miller said: “It’s incredibly exciting for Sunderland to be playing host to the opening game of the Women’s Rugby World Cup at the Stadium of Light.

“The last few years have seen a massive surge of interest in women’s rugby and women’s sport in general, so having the opportunity to cheer on the Red Roses in a World Cup match so close to home is brilliant news for sports fans across the North East.

“It’s also a wonderful opportunity for our city and our region to shine on the international stage and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming fans from across the world when the biggest ever celebration of women’s rugby kicks off in Sunderland in August 2025.”

Canada, England, France and New Zealand have already qualified for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 after finishing in the top four at RWC 2021, with the remaining positions to be filled via WXV and regional competitions in 2024. Commercial demand also continues to grow with four official partners – Mastercard, Capgemini, Gallagher and Mitsubishi Electric – already on board for England 2025.

World Rugby has today confirmed the rugby sevens repechage tournament for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will take place in Monaco on 21-23 June, 2024. The prestigious event returns to Stade Louis II, which also hosted final qualification events prior to the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The World Rugby Sevens Repechage represents the last chance for teams to earn a highly coveted place at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with 22 of the 24 teams confirmed. Just one men’s team and one women’s team will earn the right to line up at the Stade de France in Paris.

The tournament will feature 12 women’s and 12 men’s teams all vying to achieve the ultimate prize in rugby sevens of representing their country on the biggest global sporting stage of them all.

The men’s competition will be decided between Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Great Britain, Hong Kong China, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Spain, Tonga and Uganda.

South Africa’s Blitzboks will be strong contenders after winning the first round of HSBC SVNS 2024 in Dubai in December, while Canada, Great Britain and Spain are also core teams on the top level rugby sevens circuit.

The women’s tournament looks wide open and will feature Argentina, China, Czechia, Hong Kong China, Kenya, Jamaica, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland, Samoa and Uganda with Czechia making their Repechage debut.

Rugby sevens is set to provide an unforgettable curtain raiser at Stade de France as the first sport to kick-off the Olympic Games in Paris on 24 July 2024.

All six World Rugby regions are represented among the 11 men’s and 11 women’s teams that have already secured their spots in Paris via the HSBC SVNS and regional qualification competitions.

In the men’s event, hosts France are joined by New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji and Australia who booked their places in Paris by ranking in the top four positions of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023, along with six regional qualification tournament winners in Uruguay (South America), Ireland (Europe), USA (North America), Kenya (Africa), Samoa (Oceania) and Japan (Asia).

The women’s Olympic line-up includes New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and USA as the top four qualifiers through the 2023 World Series, along with hosts France. They have been joined by Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, Fiji and Japan as regional qualification tournament winners in the women’s tournament.

The World Rugby event, which will be hosted by the Monaco Rugby Union in partnership with the Monegasque government will take place over three days from 21-23 June.

Rugby sevens is expected to be one of the most highly anticipated events of the Paris Games, following the outstanding success of Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.

Fiji’s men have dominated the Olympic competition to date with double gold medal success on debut at Rio 2016 and again in Tokyo five years later. New Zealand are the reigning women’s Olympic champions and Australia won the inaugural women’s Olympic gold medal in Rio

Mumbai, July 10: The Societe Generale Indian Under-18 Girls Rugby team finished a creditable fifth in the Rugby sevens discipline for U18 Girls category in Paris World Games 2017 held at the Stade Georges Carpentier, Paris last weekend. The Indian team participated under the aegis of the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

In the Paris World Games Rugby sevens event, a total of 7 teams from across the world including, UAE Federation, Swiss Federation, Atlantis Girls (USA) , AAS Sarcelles, Comité Paris Ile de France, Baby Paris Ladies and India participated and fought for top honors.

The Rugby India girls’ team could not register a win on the opening day of the competition. The results and scores unfortunately did not reflect the competitive and spirited performance of Team India, which was truly applaudable.

The girls enjoyed twin success of the second day by winning both their matches. They recorded an emphatic 50-0 victory over UAE in the first match and they then carried the momentum into their last match of the tournament which saw them come from behind to defeat AAS Sarcelles 17-5.

The Rugby India U18 Girls team also had the opportunity to visit the FFR (French Rugby Federation) Training Facility, in Paris. The girls interacted and trained with the French National Women’s Development team. This was a great experience for the girls.

The 12 Indian players: Sumitra Nayak (Captain), Basanti Pangi, Rajani Sabar, Lija Sardar, Soni Mandangi (all Odisha), Rima Oraon, Lachmi Oraon, Punam Oraon, Sandhya Rai, Suman Oraon (all West Bengal), Gargee Walekar (Maharashtra), Sultana (Delhi).

Rehmuddin Shaikh (Assistant Coach, Mumbai).

Performance of Indian U18 Girls Rugby Team

Day One: Rugby India lost to Baby Paris Ladies 7-29.

Rugby India lost to AAS Sarcelles 10-12.

Rugby India lost to Atlantis Rugby (USA) 0-45.

Day Two: Rugby India beat UAE 50-0.

Rugby India beat AAS Sarcelles 17-5.

July 8, Bangalore: Bangalore is all set to play host to its first  South Zone Senior Men’s and Women’s Rugby 7’s Tournament. The tournament scheduled on July 8,2017  will feature six  state  teams representing five southern states  in India.

 

The eight participating state  teams include Andhra Pradesh , Kerala , Tamil Nadu , Telengana , Puducherry and the hosts Karnataka . This will be the first of the five city circuit that will take place in the four other states in the coming months to come . The next leg of the circuit will be held in September at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. The tournament is organised by Karnataka Rugby Football Union (KRFU ) under the aegis of South India Rugby Football Association and Rugby India .

 

The Five teams in the men section will play a round robin and the top two teams will play for the Winner and runners up and the next two teams will play for the third place

 

The tournament will begin at 9am at  Sree Kanteerva Stadium , the finals for the Women’s will take place at 4.30 pm and the Men’s final will take place at 5pm on July 8, 2017.

Talking about the tournament, Mohan Krishna, President of South India Rugby Football Association  said, “With Rugby being included as an Olympic sport we see such tournaments to be an important part of the chain of rugby development , it helps us gives exposure to players in the grass roots to compete and excel and be noticed so that they have the opportunity to play for the country . The South Zone is the first to start this type of tournament .”

Talking about playing on the home ground , Karnataka captain and India player Roshan Lobo said ,“Though being the one of the oldest rugby playing state in the south , we have fielded a young and fit team to give them match exposure and develop the next line of players , we believe we are still the favourites in the tournament in the men’s section “

Nagesh Rao , Secretary  Karnataka Rugby Football Union  said, “We are very pleased to host the first edition first All India South Zone Senior Men’s and Women’s Rugby 7’s Tournament in Bengaluru . Events like these go a long way to promote the sport in a region and we hope that this tournament will do the same. We would like to express our gratitude towards Transworld Rugby  who have been a great supporter for the game , Adroit  Facility Management Services , Scrummer , and the Government of Karnataka  for helping us in organizing the tournament .

Mumbai, July 4: The Societe Generale-Indian Girls’ Under-18 rugby team, will compete in the Rugby Sevens U-18 girls event at the Paris World Games 2017, to be held in the French capital, commencing on July 7 to 9, 2017, this was announced at a media conference on Tuesday.

The 12-member Indian team, which comprises of six players from Odisha, four from West Bengal and one each from Delhi and Maharashtra, will be captained by Sumitra Nayak from odisha.

Sumitra Nayak said the team will try their best to return with a medal, maybe even the gold from the tournament. “We have trained hard for the past one month here, in Mumbai under Hussain Sir. We have practised a lot and worked on improving our skills for the tournament and we will give our best to bring laurels for the country,” said Nayak, who initially trained at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences in Bhubaneshwar.

The Indian team accompanied by coach Nasser Hussain will depart for Paris onJuly 6.

This is the second time that an India Girls’ Under-18 team will be participating in an international rugby tournament. Last year the Indian U-18 girls team had bagged a bronze at the inaugural Asian U-18 Rugby Sevens held in UAE.

Hussain pointed out that the team was picked after a selection process. “We had a selection camp where 25 girls took part out of which 12 girls were selected,” said Hussain.

Hussain said five girls – Sumitra, Rajni Sabar, Basanti Pangi, Lija Sardar (all Odisha) and Gargee Walekar (Maharashtra) – were part of the squad in the Asian tournament held in UAE. This time the team will be strengthened by inclusion of four girls from West Bengal, who will be making their international debut.

“So far, seven teams have confirmed their participation for the rugby event,” said the coach, adding it was a fairly young side.

Hussain said that team members will be meeting members of both the French women’s national rugby team and under-18 team during their visit.

Apart from rugby, the World Games – conducted with an eye on France winning the bid to host the 2024 Olympics – will see competitions in volleyball, football, badminton, basketball and handball.

The Games will see participation of around 15,000 athletes from over 60 countries.