Spain and France are the new hosts for the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series 2022 series which will include 10 men’s and seven women’s rounds over six months, starting in Dubai late next month.
First-time hosts Spain temporarily replace Sydney and Hamilton who are unable to host due to the COVID-19 pandemic, World Rugby said in a statement. In Spain, games will be held in Malaga and Seville on 21-23 and 28-30 January 2022.
From Spain, “the men’s Series continues with North American rounds in Vancouver on 26-27 February and Los Angeles on 5-6 March before moving to Asia where Hong Kong returns to host a combined men’s and women’s event on 1-3 April, followed by a men’s event in Singapore on 9-10 April. A women’s standalone event will take place in Langford, Canada, on 30 April-1 May before both men’s and women’s teams travel to a new Series venue in Toulouse, France, on 20-22 May where the women’s Series champions will be crowned. The men’s Series concludes with the final event in London on 28-29 May.”
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In further changes to the series, Japan joins the men’s competition as a core team and “Great Britain will compete in the opening two rounds of the series in Dubai before reverting to compete as national unions for the remainder of the 2022 Series, with England, Scotland and Wales participating in the men’s Series and England in the women’s series.”
The 16 men’s core teams after the Dubai events are Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, USA and Wales. The 11 core women’s teams after the Dubai events are Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Russia, Spain and USA.
South Africa will enter the 2022 Series as men’s defending champions after claiming the 2021 title in Edmonton, Canada, in September. New Zealand’s Black Ferns Sevens are the women’s defending champions as the 2020 series title winners.
In fairness to all competing teams, World Rugby stated it will develop a points system that will cater for Great Britain’s inclusion and the teams that make up the side as well teams that may not be able to participate in any rounds due to the pandemic.
The 2022 series will be followed by the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on 29-31 July and concluding with Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town on 9-11 September.
Photo: World Rugby
