Rugby Sevens Come to Japan This March
It has been over a decade since the elite athletes of the rugby sevens competed in Japan, but come March 31, 2012, the battle resumes again. The HSBC Sevens World Series tournament has grown in strength and size over the past decade with exciting new teams challenging for a place in the record books. New venues have been added to the world series including Las Vegas and Dubai. Each tournament offers its unique atmosphere with Hong Kong being the granddaddy of them all. The Japanese leg of the series follows after the Hong Kong series, the former beginning March 31st (Saturday) and concluding April 1st (Sunday).
The format of a rugby sevens match is vastly different to the regular XVs match, with each team fielding 7 players with reserves on the bench. A team is allowed to register up to 12 players per team. Each match is made up of 7 minute halves with a 2 minute half-time break. Each team can play up to 3 matches a day during a tournament, so stamina and strength is a key factor in preparing for these games. The only match which is longer is usually the final match on the final day of play which has 10 minute halves. The field of play is the same as the usual game of rugby, so spectators and players expect a lot of running and open space. These tournaments are great introductory games to get involved in rugby.
“This tournament is designed to serve as a core driver to promote and develop Rugby in Japan,” Said JRFU, President Yoshiro Mori.
Dates: March 31 – April 1
More info: www.jrfu.org
Location: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo / TV Asahi.
Visit the International Rugby Board website for a tournament overview: www.irb.com
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