Madrid to host grand final of revamped World Sevens Series

The Blitzboks are chasing Olympic qualification. Picture: Jikelo African News Agency (ANA)

The Blitzboks are chasing Olympic qualification. Picture: Jikelo African News Agency (ANA)

Published Mar 21, 2023

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Cape Town - Madrid has been announced as the final stop where a grand final of the re-imagined World Sevens Series will take place.

World Rugby made the announcement on Monday confirming that the Spanish capital city will be a new host.

Rugby's international governing body announced last year that the Sevens Series will undergo a revamp with only seven tournaments hosted by seven major cities.

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That means other current host cities will lose out on their tournaments as the series will also be aligned with the Olympics hosting only 12 teams (men and women) instead of the current 16.

Madrid will host the three-day tournament in June 2024 when the series comes to an end with the new series set to kick off in December this year.

According to the World Rugby website, other host cities will be confirmed in June.

A new concept for the Sevens Series that puts excitement at the heart of the fan experience, the grand final in Madrid will feature jeopardy, meaning every match counts in the race to be crowned series champions.

The top eight ranked teams after six rounds of tournaments will compete to be crowned series champions in Madrid, while the three teams ranked ninth to 12th will join the top four ranked teams from the Challenger Series in a relegation playoff competition to secure their places in the next edition of the Sevens Series.

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The Blitzboks are currently in a battle to secure automatic qualification for the Olympics, where they are placed seventh on the standings. Only the top four teams will qualify for the Games in Paris next year.

After some dismal performances in the two North American tournaments, the Springbok Sevens side will look to bounce back at the Hong Kong Sevens next weekend.

@LeightonK

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