Rugby Sevens
Seven-a-side rugby has gone from being an end-of-season wind down to a specialist game in its own right.
Played on a full-sized pitch over two seven-minute halves, it is a much more free-flowing game than the traditional 15-a-side form and favours players who can combine evasive running with an abundance of pace.
Although the game is full contact, rucks and mauls are generally done very quickly, as are the scrums and lineouts, where only three players from each side are involved.
With only three forwards and four backs on each team, there is plenty of space for individuals to show off their skills in a game that really exploits the rugby basics – running, passing, tackling and decision-making.
More information on the basics of sevens is available in The Game section of this web site. Alternatively, the following links will provide you with:
Sevens in the Olympics
In August 2009, rugby sevens was named as an Olympic sport to appear the 2016 games, a move that was welcomed by the RFU and IRB.
To take advantage of this increased global exposure, the RFU is attempting to increase the profile of sevens in England by working closely with all sevens event organisers. We also wish to raise the awareness of England’s own leg of the IRB Sevens World Series - the Emirates Airline London Sevens - to be held at Twickenham on the 22nd/23rd May 2010.
To that end we would appreciate your input on how we can do this. The feedback from event organisers is very valuable, and you can have your say by filling out the following sevens event questionnaire (MS Word DOC 768kB). Details of how to return your questionnaire are included in the form.
