Rugby Europe Sevens Explained

Rugby Europe Sevens
Current Season:2024 Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series
Sport:Rugby sevens
Teams:12 (Championship)
Country:European
Champion: (3rd title)
Most Champs: (8 titles)

The Rugby Europe Sevens are a series of rugby sevens tournaments held by Rugby Europe. It was formerly known as the FIRA-AER Sevens until 2013, and the Sevens Grand Prix Series until 2021. Only one annual tournament existed prior to 2011, when Rugby Europe created a series of tournaments, following the model of the World Rugby Sevens Series. The main division is known as the Rugby Europe Championship Series, formerly known the Grand Prix, followed by the Trophy Series, Conference 1, and Conference 2.[1] The competitions use a promotion/relegation system.

Format

In the Championship Series, twelve teams play in at least two tournaments each summer throughout Europe. Each tournament spans two to three days — the first day is a pool phase, the second day is a pool and knockout phase, and the third day a knockout phase. During the pool phase, the teams are divided into three pools of four teams each. After the pool phase, the top eight teams (two first of each pool, plus two best-performing third place teams) advance to the Cup tournament; the other four teams play for the Challenge Trophy.

At the end of each tournament, teams are awarded points based on their performance. At the end of the series, the team with the most points is declared the champion. The team with the fewest points is relegated from the Championship Series to the Trophy competition, whereas the champion of the Trophy competition is promoted to next season's Championship Series.

History

2002–2010

A number of qualifying tournaments lead up to a finals tournament, which functions as the European championship and, in 2008, also as the qualifying stage for the Sevens World Cup.

Portugal won the first European Championship held in Heidelberg in 2002. Portugal would go onto win eight out of the first ten tournaments. In 2003, Heidelberg again held the tournament. In 2004 Palma de Mallorca was the host. From 2005 to 2007, Moscow hosted the tournament. Hanover held the tournament for the first time in 2008 and did so again in 2009. In 2010, the tournament returned to Moscow.

2011–present

In 2011, the format of the competition changed. The twelve best teams now meet over the course of several tournaments, following the model of the IRB Sevens World Series. The name also changed from the European Championship to the Sevens Grand Prix Series. The first edition of this competition was held in 2011 and won by Portugal. In 2021 the competition changed its name from the Sevens Grand Prix to the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series.[1]

Tournaments

Championship Series

Rugby Europe Sevens
Championship
EditionYearEventsChampionsRunners-upThirdFourth
20021
20031
20041
20051
20061
20071
20081
20091
20101
Grand Prix Series
20114
20123
20132
20144
20153
20163
20174
2018[2] 4
2019[3] 2
2020align=center colspan=12 rowspan=1 bgcolor="#D3D3D3" Series not played because of COVID-19 pandemic.
Championship Series
2021[4] 2
2022[5] 2
2023[6] 2
2024[7] 2

Team records

width=10%Teamwidth=13% style="background:#FFD700;" Championswidth=15% style="background:#C0C0C0;" Runners-upwidth=13% style="background:#CC9966;" Thirdwidth=13%Fourth
8 (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011)1 (2012)2 (2013, 2024)
4 (2007, 2009, 2016, 2017)2 (2005, 2006)4 (2010, 2013, 2018, 2021)3 (2011, 2014, 2015)
3 (2014, 2015, 2024)8 (2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2023)3 (2012, 2022)3 (2002, 2005, 2006)
2 (2018, 2023)2 (2017, 2024)2 (2004, 2019)1 (2008)
2 (2021, 2022)1 (2015)4 (2011, 2016, 2017, 2023)5 (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2019)
2 (2012, 2013)1 (2011)2 (2014, 2015)1 (2018)
1 (2019)2 (2018, 2021)3 (2002, 2022, 2024)2 (2003, 2016)
1 (2004)3 (2005, 2006, 2009)
1 (2002)2 (2003, 2008)
1 (2014)1 (2004)
1 (2008)1 (2017)
1 (2007)
1 (2021)
1 (2022)
1 (2023)
Updated to 2024

Trophy

YearChampionsRunners-upThirdFourth
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016[8]
2017
2018
2019
2020align=center colspan=12 rowspan=1 bgcolor="#D3D3D3" Series not played because of COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
2022[9]
2023[10]
2024[11]

Conference

Conference 1

YearChampionsRunners-upThird
2011
2012
2013North
South
2014North
South
2015[12]
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020align=center colspan=11 rowspan=1 bgcolor="#D3D3D3" Series not played because of COVID-19 pandemic.
2021[13]
2022[14]
2023[15]
2024[16] [17]

Conference 2

YearChampionsRunners-upThird
2015[18]
2016
2017
2018
2019–2021Competition not held
2022[19]
2023
2024[20]

Partners

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rugby Europe 7s Season Announced . Rugby Europe . 12 May 2021.
  2. Web site: Ireland’s rise in 7s continues as Eddy's men make history with Grand Prix title in Poland . the42 . 11 July 2022.
  3. Web site: Grand Prix Series . Rugby 7 . 5 September 2022.
  4. Web site: Russia and Spain clinch Series titles in Moscow . Rugby Europe . 29 July 2021.
  5. Web site: Men's 7s Championship 2022 . Rugby Europe . 11 July 2022.
  6. Web site: Ireland Men Finish Season As Rugby Europe Sevens Champions . Irish Rugby . 12 July 2023.
  7. Web site: Men's 7s Rugby Europe Championship 2024 . Rugby Europe . 30 June 2024.
  8. Web site: Trophy Win Sees Ireland Qualify For European Grand Prix Series . Irish Rugby . 11 July 2022.
  9. Web site: Men's 7s Trophy 2022 . Rugby Europe . 19 June 2022.
  10. Web site: Ukraine men and women both win 2023 Trophy series . Rugby Europe . 12 July 2023.
  11. https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/men-s-7s-rugby-europe-trophy-2024
  12. Web site: Ireland Men Claim European Sevens Division B Crown . Irish Rugby . 11 July 2022.
  13. Web site: Belgrade 2021 . Rugby Europe . 6 June 2021.
  14. Web site: Men's Sevens Conference 1 - 2022 . Rugby Europe . 5 June 2022.
  15. Web site: Men's 7s Conference 1 2023 . 2023-06-11 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  16. Web site: Poland, France, Moldova and Norway all taste sevens success. . Rugby Europe . 1 July 2024.
  17. Web site: Men's Conference - Belgrade . Rugby Europe . 1 July 2024.
  18. Web site: Ireland Men’s Sevens Team Secure European Division C Title And Promotion . Irish Rugby . 11 July 2022.
  19. Web site: Men's 7s Conference 2 . Rugby Europe . 19 June 2022.
  20. Web site: Great weekend results for Latvia, Sweden and Cyprus . Rugby Europe . 1 July 2024.