Press "Enter" to skip to content

What is Rugby Sevens All About

Sebastian Langer 0

Rugby sevens also known as sevens, or seven a side rugby, is a type of rugby union where the teams have seven players instead of 15 which is in a normal rugby game and each half lasts seven minutes instead of the usual 40 minutes.  Sevens is popular at both amateur and club levels and is mostly held during the summer time.  It is most popular in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America and especially so in the South Pacific.  It is overseen by World Rugby who is responsible for rugby all over the world.

The series originally started in Scotland during the 1880s and the Melrose Sevens is still played each year today.  With the development of the Hong Kong Sevens and World Rugby Sevens Series the popularity of this variant of rugby increased.  In 2016 Rugby Sevens was also included in the Summer Olympics and regional events such as Commonwealth Games and the Pan American Games have also included this popular sport.

The Rules

The rules of Rugby sevens are the same, with a few exceptions, and watching is as exciting as live AFL betting as the game moves fast.  The games are played on a full size field.  The final of a rugby sevens is often played 10 minutes each side such as the World Rugby Sevens Series Cup Final.  Other finals are played with the usual seven-minute halves.  The scores are mostly the same as a normal rugby game, but there is usually a higher point score in rugby sevens because the defenders are more spaced out.  A try is worth five points, a drop goal is worth three and a conversion is worth two. Each goal line on the field has H shaped posts and these posts are on the goal line.

Each team has three forwards and four backs.  Three players from each team form the scrum.  Because there are fewer players in Rugby sevens the centres and fly halves will also play the lock position and props will be the lifters. A player who gets a yellow card will be suspended for two minutes.  When it comes to major competitions or tournaments additional officials will be present in order to judge the success of the goals so that the game is not delayed.

Each team has five substitutes and five interchanges.  Matches that are drawn will be played until sudden death extra time in 5 minute periods.  All attempts at a conversion must de drop-kicked and they must all take place within 30 seconds of a try, instead of the usual 90 seconds.  The scoring team gets to kick off instead of the conceding team.

Because the games are shorter the tournaments can often be played within a day.  These games are often more relaxed and are sometimes called festivals.  As mentioned Hong Kong Sevens has been instrumental in making this variant of rugby popular in Asia and is widely played with tournaments in Bogota and Bangkok.  Other countries include Kuala Lumpur, Kenya, Singapore and Scandinavia.

World Rugby Sevens Events

Major rugby sevens events around the world are the World Rugby Sevens Series; that has been held each season since 1999, The World Games, Summer Olympics, and the Rugby World Cup Sevens (held every four years).  Regional tournaments include Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games and the European Sevens Championship.

Rugby sevens is a popular variant of rugby and offers great betting opportunities during the season.  Rugby sevens is a fast paced exciting type of rugby that appeals to all rugby lovers.

Comments are closed.