World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series

The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series is an annual series of international rugby sevens tournaments run by World Rugby that includes men's and women's events. Sponsored by banking group HSBC, it is the second tier of competition below the World Rugby Sevens Series. Teams on the respective men's and women's tours of the Challenger Series compete for promotion to the first tier as a core team.[1][2]

HSBC Sevens Challenger Series
Current season, competition or edition:
 2020 Men's Series
2020 Women's Series
SportRugby sevens
Inaugural season2020
No. of teams16 men's teams
12 women's teams
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toWorld Series (men's)
World Series (women's)

The inaugural men's tour for the Challenger Series in 2020 featured events in Chile and Uruguay.[1][3] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, World Rugby postponed the final event in Hong Kong until October 2020.[4][5]

The women's tournament for the Challenger Series in the 2020 season was announced as a stand alone event hosted in South Africa.[6] On 13 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, World Rugby postponed the Challenger Series women's event without rescheduling a future date.[7]

Teams

There are 16 teams on the men's tour for the 2020 Challenge Series,[8] and 12 teams competing in the women's tournament at Stellenbosch.[6]

Men's teams

Women's teams

Notes
  1. Invited team.[8]

Seasons

2020

Men's tour
Further information: 2020 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series – Men's tour

The first season of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series will be over three events. Two events in South America (Chile, Uruguay) and a final play-off style event alongside the Hong Kong Sevens, which will consist of only the eight highest placed-teams from the previous two events.[3][9]

Women's tour
Further information: 2020 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series – Women's tour

References
  1. "World Rugby launches Sevens Challenger Series". SportBusiness. 17 December 2019. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020.
  2. Nelson, Adam (12 February 2020). "World Rugby unveils inaugural women's HSBC Sevens Challenger Series event". Sport Business. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020.
  3. "New Challenger Series to boost rugby sevens' expansion". World Rugby. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  4. "World Rugby update on COVID-19 response measures and statement from Sir Bill Beaumont". World Rugby. 20 March 2020.
  5. "World Rugby Statement: Singapore and Hong Kong Sevens rescheduled". World.Rugby. 13 February 2020.
  6. "Sport: PNG to feature in women's Sevens Challenger Series". Radio New Zealand. 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  7. "World Rugby Statement: HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series postponed". World Rugby. 13 March 2020.
  8. "Sport: Tonga, PNG included in new Sevens Challenger Series". Radio New Zealand. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  9. Mbiwa, David Ochieng (18 December 2019). "World Rugby to launch new Challenger Series to boost Sevens' growth". CGTN Africa. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
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