Rugby sevens competitions update following suspension of Russia

• Russia has been suspended from all international and cross-border rugby since 28 February
• World Rugby EXCO met on Wednesday to confirm impacts on rugby sevens competitions
• Russia’s suspension means they cannot compete in the remainder of the women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022, the men’s World Rugby Challenger Series 2022 or participate in the qualification process for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022
• The remaining two women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022 events will include Japan and Mexico as invitational teams in Langford, Canada in April, and Scotland and South Africa as invitational teams at the final event in Toulouse, France in May

Following World Rugby’s suspension of Russia and Belarus from all international and cross-border rugby competitions, the World Rugby EXCO has confirmed the resulting implications for rugby sevens competitions in 2022.

World Rugby EXCO has confirmed that Russia’s suspension means they cannot compete in the remainder of the women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022, the men’s World Rugby Challenger Series 2022 or participate in the qualification process for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022.

Russia is a core team on the women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and their suspension means they cannot compete in the remaining two rounds of the 2022 Series, in Langford, Canada in April and Toulouse, France in May. 

Invitational teams from Japan and Mexico will compete in Langford, while Scotland and South Africa will participate as invitational teams at the final event in Toulouse. This means the updated pools for Langford see Australia, Canada, Spain and Mexico together in Pool A, with Ireland, France, Brazil and Japan contesting Pool B, and England, USA, Fiji and New Zealand in a very strong looking Pool C.

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A COVID-specific Series points system applies to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in 2022, whereby women's teams can “bank” their best four tournament points for their final Series raking. To ensure a fair application of Russia’s sanction, and because Russia has already competed in four tournaments, Russia’s Series points will be reduced on a pro-rated basis. As the Russian women’s team are suspended for 33 per cent of the season, World Rugby EXCO confirmed that Russia’s Series points will be reduced on a pro-rated basis from 56 points to 37 at season end. 

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 will be held in Cape Town, South Africa from 9-11 September and in order to support team preparation and give certainty to national sevens programmes in Europe leading into the tournament, the Rugby World Cup Board, supported by World Rugby EXCO, agreed that the Russian men’s and women’s sevens teams be withdrawn from participating in the qualification process.