If there’s one thing South African rugby fanatics are crazy about, it’s the Sevens Rugby World Cup. The only tournament of its kind in Africa will take place in Cape Town from September 9-11 next year, SA Rugby confirmed on Tuesday, May 18.
? This is going to be epic, playing on the biggest stage in front of our family, friends and fans! #BestofUs pic.twitter.com/hGmc0sTZrU
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) May 18, 2021
As reported by SA Rugby Mag, the eighth edition will be contested by 24 men’s and 16 women’s teams and organisers are anticipating a very special and record-breaking event at the iconic 57,654-capacity Cape Town Stadium. However, only the top-eight men’s teams and top-four women’s teams from the RWC Sevens event, which took place in San Francisco (USA), in 2018, have already secured automatic qualification for the 2022 showpiece. The 2018 event pocketed domestic and global broadcast audiences of more than 24-million and 31m viewers, respectively, which included a record-breaking live broadcast audience of 1.7m on the final day.
The qualified teams for the men’s section are defending champions New Zealand, England, the Blitzboks, Fiji, Argentina, USA, France, and Scotland. The Springbok Women’s Sevens side will join defending champions New Zealand, France, Australia and the USA in the Mother City. Meanwhile, the Rugby Sevens Series will no longer form part of the qualification pathway for Rugby World Cup Sevens and the regional qualifications are expected to start in August 2021.
Details of when tickets go on sale will be announced later this year.
Picture: Cape Town Etc gallery