The captains of eight women’s and eight men’s rugby teams convened at the Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium on Thursday, alongside one of Krakow’s iconic trams promoting the upcoming World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger. This tournament follows an exhilarating two days in Cape Town, where teams competed fiercely for qualification, leading to Portugal’s men’s team and Kenya’s women’s team securing top honors.
This weekend’s HSBC Sevens Challenger will determine which four men’s and women’s teams will earn a spot in the HSBC SVNS Play-off competition in Los Angeles on May 3-4, based on cumulative points earned across three rounds.
Poland’s women’s captain, Natalia Pamieta, expressed enthusiasm during the captains’ press event, stating the challenge is especially meaningful as they play before their home crowd, which she noted adds motivation to showcase their best performance. Jaroslaw Parasal, President of the Polish Rugby Union, highlighted the significance of this tournament as it serves as the only World Rugby Sevens tournament in Europe this year. He expressed a strong commitment to grow rugby in the region and provide an exceptional experience for the teams and fans alike.
The tournament kicks off with pool matches on Friday, April 11, at 09:00 local time (GMT+2) and the knockout stages on Saturday, April 12, featuring finals for both men’s and women’s competitions in the evening.
The pools for the tournament have been drawn as follows:
– Men’s Pool A: Chile, Germany, Samoa, Tonga
– Men’s Pool B: Canada, Japan, Madagascar, Portugal
– Women’s Pool A: Belgium, Colombia, Kenya, Thailand
– Women’s Pool B: Argentina, Czechia, Poland, South Africa
The HSBC Sevens Challenger, introduced in February 2020, aims to enhance the development of rugby sevens globally. Since becoming an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games, this short-format game has rapidly gained popularity, with increased global participation expected at the upcoming events.
As the event approaches, excitement builds for what promises to be a thrilling showcase of talent, determination, and sportsmanship in Krakow. With rugby sevens on the rise, this competition not only promotes athletic excellence but also a positive future for diversity and inclusion in sports.
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