Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Rugby Americas North has confirmed that the Cayman Islands will host the regional Olympic Qualifiers in July 6-7 of this year. Both the men’s and women’s tournaments will be held at Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, a frequent venue for international rugby that also hosted the regional qualifiers for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
As this year’s HSBC Sevens Series itself doubles as an Olympic Qualifier, the participation of top teams Canada and the USA is yet to be determined. The top four finishers in each of the men’s and women’s circuits will book their tickets for Japan. Currently the USA is tied with New Zealand at the top of the men’s table while Canada is in 11th place. On the women’s circuit the USa is in 2nd place while Canada is just behind in 3rd.
The winner of the men’s bracket will qualify directly for the Tokyo 2020, with the 2nd and 3rd place teams earning spots in the Olympic Repechage tournament. In a recent change to procedure, the women’s bracket is dependent on the final standings of the HSBC circuit. Should Canada and the USA each finish in the top four at season’s end, the tournament winners will instead advance to the Repechage.
Final participants won’t be known until mid-June but the tournament is open to all RAN unions who are full or associate members of World Rugby. The 2015 event, known then as the NACRA Sevens, was won by the USA in both the men’s and women’s brackets.
