Welcome to our guide on Rugby Sevens at the Paris Olympics 2024! Whether you’re a seasoned fan or new to the sport, this page covers all the essential information you need to enjoy the fast-paced action of Rugby Sevens at the upcoming Olympic Games. The world’s best 288 men’s and women’s rugby sevens players will compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, from 24-30 July.
TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW
- Dates: July 24-30, 2024
- Venue: Stade de France in Saint-Denis
- Events: 2 (men’s and women’s tournaments)
- Total athletes: 288 (24 teams, 12 each for men and women)
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HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
THIS IS RUGBY SEVENS
Rugby Sevens is a fast-paced, abbreviated version of rugby union, featuring teams of seven players instead of the usual fifteen. The game is played on a standard rugby union field but consists of two halves of seven minutes each, compared to the traditional forty-minute halves. Here’s an overview of how it works:
THE BASICS
Teams: Each team has seven players on the field.
Match Duration: Two halves of seven minutes each, with a one-minute halftime break. In finals, halves are extended to ten minutes each.
Scoring: Points are scored through tries (5 points), conversions (2 points), and sometimes penalty goals and drop goals (3 points each).
GAMEPLAY
Kick-Off: The game starts with a drop-kick from the halfway line.
Tries: Players score a try by grounding the ball in the opposition’s in-goal area.
Conversions: After a try, the scoring team attempts a conversion kick from a spot in line with where the try was scored.
Scrums and Line-Outs: These occur with three players per team in a scrum and follow similar rules to rugby union, albeit with fewer players.
Rucks and Mauls: As in traditional rugby, these are contests for possession after a tackle.
KEY DIFFERENCES
Faster Pace: The fewer players and shorter match duration result in a quicker, more open game with frequent scoring.
Tournaments: Rugby sevens are often played in a tournament format, with teams competing in multiple matches over a single day or weekend.
Overall, rugby sevens emphasises speed, agility, and endurance, making it an exciting variation of traditional rugby union.
FIXTURES & SCHEDULES
A total of 24 teams (12 men’s and 12 women’s) in the Rugby Sevens tournament. The teams include:
- Host nation: France (automatic qualification)
- Top 4 teams from the World Rugby Sevens Series
- Regional qualification tournament winners
- Olympic qualification tournament winners
Rugby made its Olympic debut in the early 20th century but was later excluded until its triumphant return at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Rugby Sevens has since become a staple of the Summer Games, captivating audiences with its fast-paced and thrilling matches.
The history of rugby at the Olympic Games stretches over several periods. A men’s rugby union competition was first included at the 1900 Paris Games, and was contested again at the 1908, 1920, and 1924 Olympics. However, the sport was dropped from the Olympic programme following the 1924 Games in Paris.
In October 2009, the IOC voted to introduce the sevens version of the sport at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and it has been part of the men’s and women’s programme ever since.
The previous results are:
RIO 2016
- Men’s Gold: Fiji
- Women’s Gold: Australia
TOKYO 2020
- Men’s Gold: Fiji
- Women’s Gold: New Zealand
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Antoine Dupont
No name in rugby sevens shines brighter right now than Antoine Dupont. The French 15’s star made a seismic impact after switching to sevens this year, helping the team to its first World Series title in 19 years before clinching the Grand Final trophy in Madrid. After a disappointing early exit at the 2023 Rugby World Cup on home soil, an Olympic gold medal could provide the perfect redemption.
Terry Kennedy
Elsewhere in the men’s game, the electric Irishman Terry Kennedy has once again proven to be the most destructive winger in the world this year. Meanwhile, Argentina boasts a flyer capable of single-handedly turning matches, former World Sevens Player of the Year Marcos Moneta. Also, keep an eye on Moneta’s robust Pumas teammate, Rodrigo Isgro, the 2023 World Sevens Player of the Year, who is a behemoth in both offense and defense.
Charlotte Caslick
The women’s competition will feature many legends of the game, beginning with Australia’s skipper Charlotte Caslick. The evergreen playmaker, who helped her team to gold in 2016, combines superb vision in attack with relentless aggression in defence. Opponents will also need to watch out for Caslick’s teammate, Maddison Levi, who has established herself as one of the most destructive finishers in the game with a record-breaking 69 tries this season.
Michaela Blyde
Central to New Zealand’s resurgence this season was the form of flying winger Michaela Blyde. The 2017 and 2018 World Player of the Year possesses the ability to unlock the toughest of defences with her speed and has scored in excess of 200 tries on the World Sevens Series.
VENUE INFORMATION
The Rugby Sevens matches will be held at Stade de France, the country’s largest stadium, which will transform into the Olympic Stadium for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Built in Saint-Denis, the Stade de France was designed by architects Macary, Zublena, Regembal, and Costantini. It was created for the 1998 Football World Cup held in France.
Since the World Cup, this multi-sports arena has continued to host the biggest sporting events organized in France, from the World Athletics Championships in 2003 to the 2007 and 2023 Rugby World Cups and the Euro 2016 Football Championship. Each year, it stages the matches of the French national football and rugby teams, as well as some of the biggest concerts by French and international artists.
HOW TO WATCH
Catch all the Rugby Sevens action live from the Paris Olympics 2024 through the following channels:
- Television: Available on major sports networks like NBC, BBC, and Eurosport.
- Streaming: Watch live online via official Olympic broadcasters’ streaming services.
- Tickets: Purchase tickets from the official Olympics website to experience the excitement in person.
QUICK LINKS
OLYMPIC RUGBY SEVENS | OFFICIAL WEBSITE
OLYMPIC RUGBY SEVENS | SCHEDULE
WORLD RUGBY | OFFICIAL WEBSITE
