World Rugby has confirmed the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 schedule which also has at stake qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Both the women’s (Dubai) and the men’s (Hong Kong) 2023 Series will see starts in Asia.
In total, the Women’s 2023 Series includes a record seven rounds, an increase of one from 2022, while the men’s series involves a record-equalling 11 rounds.
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said: “Following a uniquely challenging period for global sport, we are delighted to announce that rugby sevens is back to full force with a full line-up of hosts and teams for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in 2023, which is the biggest to date. The sense of anticipation from players and fans to return to much-loved venues such as Hong Kong, Hamilton and Sydney is especially high after missing out in recent years due to the effects of the global pandemic, and we are pleased to see Vancouver welcome the women’s tournament as part of a combined event in 2023.”
Paris 2023 Olympic Games – Rugby 7s Qualification
Olympic qualification is at stake in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 – the top four women’s and men’s teams in the 2023 Series will book their places in Paris 2024.
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 women’s schedule is set to kick-off at the Emirates Dubai Sevens from December 2-3 and will see a record seven rounds in total for the series.
Cape Town, South Africa follows on from Dubai and will take place from December 9-11 before the 2023 series heads to rounds in Hamilton, New Zealand (January 21-23 ) and Sydney, Australia (January 27-29) for the first time since 2020.
The women’s Series will then see a new combined round with the men in Vancouver, Canada from 3-5 March 2023, a change from the previous Series as the women’s tournament joins together with the men at BC Place.
Both women’s and men’s teams then return to Hong Kong for the traditional marquee event from 31 March – 2 April 2023.
Women’s series
The women’s Series will reach its conclusion in Toulouse, France as part of a combined event with the men on 12-14 May 2023.
Schedules:
Emirates Dubai Sevens December 2-3, Cape Town, South Africa December 9-11, Hamilton, New Zealand January 21-23, 2023, Sydney, Australia January 27-29, 2023, Vancouver, Canada – March 3-5, Hong Kong March 31 – April 2, Toulouse, France – May 12 – 14.
The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 men’s schedule will include a record-equalling 11 rounds, with the opening round taking place in Hong Kong from 4-6 November 2022 before the rounds with the women in Dubai, Cape Town, Hamilton, and Sydney.
Men’s series
The men’s Series then lands in Los Angeles, USA from February 25-26 before the event in Vancouver March 3-5, 2023 followed by the second event in Hong Kong March 31 – April 2, and the second Asian venue with the men’s round in Singapore from April 8-9, 2023.
The men’s penultimate round is in Toulouse May 12-14, 2023 before the men’s finale in London, England from May 2-21, 2023.
Schedules:
Hong Kong (November 4-6, 2022), Emirates Dubai Sevens (December 2-3, 2022), Cape Town, South Africa (December 9-11, 2022), Hamilton, New Zealand (January 21-22, 2023), Sydney, Australia (January 27-29, 2023), Los Angeles, USA (February 25-26, 2023)
Vancouver, Canada (March 3-5, 2023), Hong Kong (March 31 – April 2, 2023), Singapore on (April 8-9, 2023), Toulouse, France (May 12-14, 2023), London, England (May 20-21, 2023)
Hong Kong Sevens
Firmly established as the world’s premier rugby event of its kind and one of the most popular annual sporting events in Asia, the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens attracts some of the world’s greatest rugby players and thousands of fans from every corner of the globe to the magnificent Hong Kong Stadium.
Combining fast and furious rugby action with a carnival atmosphere, it is a truly unforgettable 3 days.
The most anticipated stop on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series circuit, the HK7s is often described as a ‘bucket list’, must attend event for sport lovers and revellers from around the world.
From kicking off with 12 teams in front of 3000 people at the Hong Kong Football Club in 1976, to today’s three-day extravaganza of international rugby revelry, the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens truly is ‘Where the World Comes to Play.’
Due to the global pandemic, the event has been on hiatus for the last three years.
But with the best 16 men’s teams in the world confirmed to play in front of 34,000 local fans in November 2022, we are poised and ready to get back to doing what we love: delivering rugby’s greatest.
Which teams are coming to the November event?
November 2022 will be the first event on the 2023 HSBC World Sevens Series calendar.
We will be hosting teams from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, South Africa, Spain, USA, Uruguay and of course, Hong Kong.
HSBC New Zealand Sevens returns to Hamilton in 2023 International 7s action will return to Hamilton coming January with the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens out to defend their respective titles when the HSBC New Zealand Sevens lights up FMG Stadium Waikato on January 21-23, 2023.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and event partner 37 South Events announced the resurrected Hamilton event, which returns to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series schedule after missing the 2021 and 2022 series.
It will feature full men’s and women’s competitions.
The HSBC New Zealand Sevens was last played in 2020 but has been missing from the World Rugby Sevens Series for the past two seasons as COVID played havoc with the international sevens schedule.
