China to host richest ever rugby sevens tournament as US$100 million injection bears first fruit
The top eight teams from the 2016-17 World Rugby Sevens Series will converge on Shanghai in October this year
China is to host the richest ever rugby sevens tournament, with the top eight finishers from the 2016-17 World Rugby Sevens Series to fight it out in the “Champion of Champions” in Shanghai in October.
The tournament, which is a similar concept to the eight-player ATP Finals in tennis, is part of a push to grow rugby in the country and it is hoped having the likes of Fiji, South Africa and New Zealand strut their stuff will help put the relatively unknown sport on the map.
“On October 20 or late October, we will invite eight teams with the best records to Shanghai,” said Alisports vice president Wei Quanming. “[The venue] will be in Yangpu district.”
“This will be our first time hosting such a game. I think the eight countries will bring a sizable amount of fans from their home countries.”
Earlier in the year, when discussing the possibility of the tournament, World Rugby chief Brett Gosper said it would feature the “highest ever prize money we have seen in sevens”.
Alisports – the sports division of e-commerce giant Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post – will host the tournament and is leading the charge as far as popularising rugby in China.