Promotion/relegation 2014/2015

[flying tiger]

In the build-up to the opening round of the HSBC Sevens World Series in Australia this weekend, the International Rugby Board has announced details of the new promotion / relegation structure for the Series, as the sport continues to build towards its Olympic Games debut in 2016.

From the 2013/14 season, which kicks off on the Gold Coast on October 12-13, a two-stage promotion and relegation process comes into effect.

Promotion to core team status for the 2014/15 campaign will be decided at round seven of the upcoming 2013/14 Series, the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, where 12 regional qualifiers will battle for the one promotion place on offer.

Relegation from core team status will be decided at the end of the season, with the bottom-ranked of the 15 current core teams* after round nine, the Marriott London Sevens, losing their ever-present status for the 2014/15 campaign.

The new format is in line with the IRB Sevens Plan developed in partnership with the IRB's Member Unions and approved by the IRB Council and reflects the IRB's mission to deliver a pathway that ensures that all Member Unions have a transparent and merit-based opportunity to participate in the HSBC Sevens World Series.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "We are now well into our first four-year Olympic cycle for Rugby Sevens and it is important that the opportunity exists for all nations to progress to Series core team status if they are good enough.

"This new system guarantees that a new nation will be rewarded with that opportunity in the 2014/15 Series.

“It also provides even more excitement for the fans attending these thrilling events, or following on television and online around the world."

Giles Morgan, Global Head of Sponsorship & Events, HSBC Holdings plc, commented: “Each year the HSBC Sevens World Series gets even more competitive with more countries emerging as potential Cup winners at each tournament. It is exciting for fans and players alike and all contributes to the growth of the sport around the world."

 

[flying tiger]

The draw has been made for the HSBC Sevens World Series core team qualifier to be played at the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2014, with the hosts facing sides from Europe, Africa and Oceania.

From the 2013/14 season a two-stage promotion and relegation process comes into effect for the World Series, with promotion to core team status for the 2014/15 campaign on offer to one of the 12 teams in the competitive qualifier draw in Hong Kong.

The first of the pools features two of the strongest sides in last year's qualifying tournaments, leading European qualifiers Russia and the highest-ranked African side in the draw, Zimbabwe. They are joined in Pool E by the first of the two South American qualifiers, Chile, and Barbados, the second-ranked side from the North American and Caribbean region.

Tournament hosts Hong Kong were drawn in Pool F and face matches against the second European side, Italy, African qualifier Tunisia and the second of the Oceania qualifiers, American Samoa.

The other Asian heavyweight in the draw, Tokyo host nation Japan, starts top seed in Pool G and faces matches against Cook Islands, Uruguay and the top Caribbean nation, Trinidad & Tobago.

Draw at a glance

Pool E: Russia, Zimbabwe, Chile, Barbados
Pool F: Hong Kong, Italy, Tunisia, American Samoa
Pool G: Japan, Cook Islands, Uruguay, Trinidad & Tobago

These 12 regional qualifiers will battle for the one promotion place on offer in a competition played alongside the main 16-team World Series tournament at the Hong Kong Stadium.

The winner will take the place of the bottom-ranked of the 15 current core teams * after round nine of the World Series, the Marriott London Sevens on 10-11 May.

The new format is in line with the IRB Sevens Plan developed in partnership with the IRB's Member Unions and approved by the IRB Council and reflects the IRB's mission to deliver a pathway that ensures that all Member Unions have a transparent and merit-based opportunity to participate in the HSBC Sevens World Series.

 

[LittleGuy]

Thanks for getting this up flying tiger. It really looks like Spain are in deep trouble and will probably be relegated barring something shocking happening, but I don't know who will go up, Zimbabwe, Japan, Hong Kong and Uruguay are probably the strongest of the sides I see in that draw at a glance.

 

[William18]

I thought the system they had last year was very fair. I guess they felt it was difficult for a team to get promoted and beat a team that had been on the circuit for the full year. I would counter that by saying that anything can happen in one tournament of sevens.

 

[norcalbuff]

I thought the system they had last year was very fair. I guess they felt it was difficult for a team to get promoted and beat a team that had been on the circuit for the full year. I would counter that by saying that anything can happen in one tournament of sevens.

Absolutely anything can happen in one tournament of sevens. I don't have a huge preference for last year's way vs this year's way, but I do think they should try to run a 3 or 4 tournament mini-series to decide who goes up rather than just one single tournament. Many of these non-circuit teams already travel to other 7s tournaments around the world so why not formalize it and make sure the best team goes up rather than just the team who had one good tournament?