Nature Of Game Makes It Difficult To Predict Winner
Players from 40 teams around the world– 24 men’s and 16 women’s – will gather in the Mother City to participate in Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022.
Tuesday 06 September 2022 | 14:00
Fiji Airways Fijian men’s 7s captain Waisea Nacuqu on attack against Wales during the Los Angeles Sevens at Dignity Sports Park in Carson, California, Wales plays Korea in the pre-Round of 16 clash, winner of the match faces on Fiji. Photo: World Rugby
Players from 40 teams around the world– 24 men’s and 16 women’s – will gather in the Mother City to participate in Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022.
The Blitzboks have never captured the crown but have an ideal opportunity to correct that on home ground this weekend.
The Blitzboks’ best finish was as runners-up in the 1997 edition of the event, and they finished third in 2018.
It will be the first time a sevens event will be held at Cape Town Stadium since the World Series tournament in 2019. The 2020 and 2021 World Series legs were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tournament favourites
It’s always difficult to pick out cut-and-dried favourites because of the nature of sevens. There is more space on the field, and one missed tackle can change the course of the match, or a campaign, especially in a game that is only 14 minutes long.
Historically, the Pacific Island nations have fared best at World Cups, with New Zealand’s men snatching the trophy in three of the seven editions of the global showpiece, including on successive occasions in 2013 and 2018.
The All Blacks Sevens come into the Rugby World Cup having built up solid form after a slow start to the season. In the second-last World Series event in London, the team captured a silver medal and then took bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
New Zealand followed up with an impressive unbeaten run in Los Angeles, where they conquered South Africa, Samoa and Fiji to take home the gold medal in the final World Series event of the 2021/22 season.
Samoa men’s 7s coach Brian Lima during training with his players. They play Uganda in the pre-Round of 16, winner of the match faces USA. Photo: World Rugby
Teams
Men’s: South Africa, Argentina, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Scotland, USA, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia, ¬Samoa, Tonga, Chile, Uruguay, Canada, Jamaica, Germany, Ireland, Portugal and Wales.
Women’s: South Africa, Australia, France, New Zealand, USA, Madagascar, Japan, China, Fiji, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, England, Ireland, Poland and Spain.
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