Rugby Sevens Returns to Olympic Stage with New Teams and Format
The long-awaited return of Rugby Sevens to the Olympic stage is finally here, and it promises to be an exhilarating showcase of speed, skill, and athleticism. After a 92-year hiatus, the sport made a triumphant comeback to the Olympics in 2016 and has since gained even more momentum, with several new teams joining the competition for Tokyo 2020.
Rugby Sevens is a variant of the traditional 15-a-side rugby game, played on a smaller field with only seven players on each team. This condensed format leads to a faster-paced and more high-scoring game, making it incredibly exciting to watch. The objective remains the same – to score more points than the opposition by scoring tries, conversions, and penalty kicks.
For the Tokyo Olympics, the men’s and women’s tournaments will consist of 12 teams each, up from the 10 in previous editions. The additional teams give nations that may not have had the resources or opportunities to participate in the past an opportunity to showcase their rugby talents on a global stage. The inclusion of countries like Kenya, Jamaica, and Colombia adds a whole new level of diversity and excitement to the event.
To accommodate the additional teams, the tournament format has been modified for Tokyo 2020. Instead of the traditional four pools of four teams, there will now be three pools of four teams each. The top two teams from each pool, along with the next two best third-placed teams, will progress to the quarterfinals. This change should make the competition even more fierce, as teams will need to perform consistently well throughout the round-robin stages to secure a spot in the knockout phase.
One of the major attractions of Rugby Sevens is its inclusivity and gender equality. The sport is known for its diversity, with teams from different regions and cultures coming together to compete. Furthermore, Rugby Sevens was one of the few events at the 2016 Olympics that had equal representation of male and female athletes. This commitment to gender parity continues in Tokyo, where both the men’s and women’s tournaments will once again take place side by side.
New fans of the sport will be treated to an incredible display of athleticism and skill. The fast-paced nature of Rugby Sevens means that matches are action-packed from start to finish, with breakneck sprints, gravity-defying tackles, and pinpoint passes. It is a relentless and breathless spectacle that leaves fans on the edge of their seats.
As we eagerly await the start of the Rugby Sevens tournament at the Tokyo Olympics, there is a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement. The return of the sport to the global stage, with new teams and a modified format, promises to captivate audiences around the world. Rugby Sevens has truly come into its own as an Olympic event, and we can’t wait to witness the incredible feats that the athletes will undoubtedly achieve on the field.
