Ultimate Sevens, the new global rugby sevens championship set to launch this year, has been sanctioned by World Rugby.
The new competition – designed with the specific intention of attracting a younger audience to the sport as a whole – was officially launched in London, UK, yesterday.
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Aside from World Rugby, Ultimate Sevens has also received approval from all the major national unions worldwide, paving the way for their players to be involved.
It is being backed by Bia Sports Group, the investment firm that also owns English Premier League soccer club, Sunderland.
The championship will involve events in Wales, France, and Spain, before a grand final at the Gtech Community Stadium in London (the home of English soccer side Brentford) in late September.
There will be both men's and women's editions, of six teams each (with eventual private investment into each team being the aim), and indeed around 75 of the top sevens players have already been signed up to contracts.
In terms of commercial activity, meanwhile, earlier this week US sportswear brand Reebok was announced as the series' official kit partner.
Organizers hope that this formal confirmation of acceptance by World Rugby will now lead to more brands getting involved and making deals.
Barney Pascall, the Ultimate Sevens managing director, said at the launch yesterday: "World Rugby approval confirms that we are not just a challenger offering that the sport desperately needs, but a serious global championship here to capture the attention of new audiences and build with the sport’s long-term future in mind.
“We’ve secured incredible host city locations, committed the sport’s top athletes, and signed partners who genuinely understand what we’re building. Ultimate Sevens is about elevating rugby sevens as a sport to give its world-class players a global stage to perform, as well as providing fans an experience that is fast, bold, and culturally relevant.”
The championship will stage four fast-paced tournaments across four European cities in a “modernised”, weeknight format, with straight knockout matches – all 10 minutes long – taking place every Thursday night.
The six clubs – Albion Athletic Sevens Club (England), Atlantic Novas Sevens Club (the Celtic countries), Foudre Bleue Sevens Club (France), Pacific Current Sevens Club (Oceania), Clan Taran Sevens Club (North America), and Sol Feroz Sevens Club (South America and Spain) – will compete across four cities over four weeks.
Pascall added: "Ultimate Sevens is about elevating rugby sevens as a sport to give its world-class players a global stage to perform on, as well as providing fans with an experience that is fast, bold and culturally relevant.”
