Team GB to replace England, Scotland, Wales on HSBC World Sevens Series from 2023, first tournament will be in Hong Kong

Decision taken jointly by three governing bodies ‘to align with their Olympic participation status and qualification pathway’

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 kicks off with a men’s event in Hong Kong on November 4-6 this year

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Mike Ellery of England fends off an opponent during a game against Wales on the first day of the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens at Hong Kong Stadium. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 6:21pm, 20 Jul 2022

England, Wales and Scotland will be joining forces to create combined men’s and women’s Great Britain sevens teams from the start of the 2023 season, which will begin in Hong Kong in November.

The decision was taken jointly by governing bodies the RFU, Scottish Rugby and the WRU to compete on the HSBC World Sevens Series as GB Sevens.

Team Great Britain before the rugby sevens men’s gold medal match against Fiji at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Photo: Getty Images

World Rugby welcomed the decision on Wednesday, and said the move aligned “with their Olympic participation status and qualification pathway”.

“We pay tribute to the three unions for their positive and constructive collaboration,” World Rugby chief competitions and performance officer Nigel Cass said.

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 kicks off with a men’s event in Hong Kong on November 4-6 this year, before combined men’s and women’s rounds in Dubai and Cape Town in December.

“This is a seminal day for sevens, it is the right way forward, giving team GB a real opportunity to go to the Olympic Games with the right preparation,” Conor O’Shea, the RFU director of performance, said.