2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens
July 20-23, 2018
AT&T Park, San Francisco, USA
The 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens gets underway on Friday, July 20, as 24 nations battle for the trophy at the AT&T Park in San Francisco, USA.
This year’s edition – the seventh in the history of the tournament – will be a straight knockout thriller on the men’s side of the competition.
An initial qualifying round, which excludes the top eight seeds (South Africa, Fiji, New Zealand, England, United States, Australia, Argentina and Scotland), will be played on Friday night/Saturday morning.
The eight winners will advance through to face the eight seeded teams in the round of 16, and the tournament will continue in its cup format all the way to the grand final, which kicks off at 02h49 CAT on Monday, July 23.
South Africa’s ‘Blitzboks’ enter as one of the favourites for the title given their triumph in the 2017/18 World Sevens Series, and coach Neil Powell has selected an experienced squad for the tournament in California.
The main threats to their hopes will come from New Zealand, who are the defending champions after winning the last Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow, Russia in 2013, while two-time champions Fiji are also one of the front runners for glory.
South Africa’s will enter the tournament in the round of 16 and play either Chile or Ireland at 06h15 CAT on Saturday, July 21.
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Rugby World Cup Sevens initial fixtures
Qualifying round – July 20/21 (all times CAT)
Kenya v Tonga – 22h01
Canada v Papua New Guinea – 22h23
France v Jamaica – 22h45
Wales v Zimbabwe – 23h07
Samoa v Uganda – 23h29
Russia v Hong Kong – 23h51
Japan v Uruguay – 00h13
Ireland v Chile – 00h35
Round of 16 – July 21 (all times CAT)
Scotland v Kenya/Tonga – 04h03
Argentina v Canada/Papua New Guinea – 04h25
Australia v France/Jamaica – 04h47
England v Samoa/Uganda – 05h09
New Zealand v Russia/Hong Kong – 05h31
Fiji v Japan/Uruguay – 05h53
South Africa v Ireland/Chile – 06h15
United States v Wales/Zimbabwe – 06h37
Rugby World Cup Sevens past winners
1993 – England
1997 – Fiji
2001 – New Zealand
2005 – Fiji
2009 – Wales
2013 – New Zealand
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