Hong Kong Sevens to return as part of revamped circuit, as rugby bosses target younger audience with partying in mind
- World Rugby launches new HSBC SVNS circuit with stops in eight destination cities, including Dubai, Cape Town, Los Angeles and Hong Kong
- A new format with fewer teams and a ‘winner takes all’ grand final part of push to ‘supercharge’ sport’s global appeal
The Hong Kong Sevens will return in April as part of World Rugby’s re-branded vision of the sport, which it hopes will “supercharge the game’s global reach”.
Remaining in its traditional spot on the first weekend of April, next year’s tournament will be the sixth stop on the new HSBC SVNS circuit, which starts in Dubai in December.
A revamped competition will see 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams compete in seven cities, with stops in Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver and Los Angeles between the UAE and Hong Kong events.
The top eight-placed teams at the conclusion of Singapore SVNS in May, the seventh leg of the series, will secure their opportunity to compete in the new ‘winner takes all’ grand final in Madrid.
There will be plenty on the line in the Spanish city for the bottom teams, with those ranked ninth to 12th joining the top four teams from the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in a battle to secure promotion to the circuit for the following season.
All eight cities have been chosen because of their popularity as destinations, with rugby bosses hoping to create “a unique festival of sport, entertainment and culture set against stunning backdrops” on each occasion.
