Rugby sevens at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Rugby sevens
at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad
VenueDeodoro Stadium
Dates6–11 August 2016
No. of events2
Competitors288 from 14 nations
Rugby sevens at the
2016 Summer Olympics
Qualification
menwomen
Tournament
menwomen
Squads
menwomen

Rugby sevens at the 2016 Summer Olympics was held over six days in August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.[1] The 2016 Olympics was the debut for rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics, though rugby union was last played at the 1924 games.

The usual laws of rugby sevens applied.[2]

Changes
See also: History of the efforts to re-include rugby into the Summer Olympics

Though rugby has not been featured in the Olympics since the 1924 Summer Olympics in any form, the IOC chose to re-introduce the seven-a-side version of the sport for the games.[2] The sport featured for the 2016 and the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Venue
Aerial view of the Deodoro Stadium, a temporary 15,000-seat stadium where all matches of Rugby sevens were held during the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The rugby competition took place in a temporary arena at Deodoro Stadium. The original plan was to stage the rugby matches at the São Januário Stadium. However this was scrapped because the club in charge of the venue missed the deadline to present its project. The Organising Committee considered Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, which would have had to have been shared with the athletics competitions.[3] It was later announced that the rugby competition will take place in a temporary arena at Deodoro Stadium, shared with the modern pentathlon. In April 2016 concerns were raised by the World Rugby head of competitions and performance, Mark Egan, about progress of construction at the temporary 15,000-seater stadium.[4]

Qualification

Brazil men’s and women’s teams automatically qualified for the events. Qualification began with the 2014–15 Sevens World Series (men's) and 2014–15 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, where the 4 teams at the top of the standings qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games. In June–September 2015, each of the six regional rugby unions held an Olympic qualification event, where one team from each region qualified. The final spot will be determined by a repechage tournament. It will comprise 16 teams from the regional qualifiers: 4 from Europe, 3 from Africa, 3 from Asia, 2 from Oceania, 2 from North America and 2 from South America.

As a result of Great Britain competing as one union in the Olympics and as several in international rugby (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Irish players that choose to play for the Irish Rugby Union), should one of either the England, Wales or Scotland teams qualify then Great Britain will be awarded a spot in the Olympic Games. These three British unions agreed in advance of the 2013–14 men's and women's Sevens World Series that their highest-finishing teams in that season would represent all three unions in the first stage of qualification in both 2014–15 series. The England men's and women's teams earned the right to represent the British unions in that stage of their respective competitions.[5] The unions will then decide the composition of the Great Britain team. Players based in Northern Ireland are part of the Irish Rugby Football Union and the IRFU demanded that Northern Irish players, that have committed to play for the Irish rugby union, only play for Ireland despite being eligible under IOC rules to compete for Great Britain.[6][7][8]

The world governing body for the sport renamed itself from the International Rugby Board to World Rugby (WR) effective 19 November 2014.[9]

Men's tournament
Means of qualificationDate of completionVenueBerthsQualified
Host nation2 October 2009Denmark Copenhagen1 Brazil
2014–15 Sevens World Series17 May 2015Various4 Fiji
 Great Britain
 New Zealand
 South Africa
2015 CONSUR Sevens7 June 2015Argentina Santa Fe1 Argentina
2015 NACRA Sevens14 June 2015United States Cary1 United States
2015 Rugby Europe Grand Prix Series12 July 2015Various1 France
2015 ARFU Sevens Championships8 November 2015Hong Kong Hong Kong1 Japan
2015 Oceania Sevens Championship15 November 2015New Zealand Auckland1 Australia
2015 Africa Cup Sevens15 November 2015South Africa Johannesburg1 Kenya
2016 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament19 June 2016Monaco Fontvieille1 Spain
Total12

Women's tournament
Means of qualificationDate of completionVenueBerthsQualified
Host nation2 October 2009Denmark Copenhagen1 Brazil
2014–15 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series23 May 2015Various4 Australia
 Canada
 Great Britain
 New Zealand
2015 CONSUR Women's Sevens7 June 2015Argentina Santa Fe1 Colombia
2015 NACRA Women's Sevens14 June 2015United States Cary1 United States
2015 Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix21 June 2015Various1 France
2015 Women's Africa Cup Sevens27 September 2015South Africa Johannesburg1 Kenya[1]
2015 Oceania Women's Sevens Championship15 November 2015New Zealand Auckland1 Fiji
2015 ARFU Women's Sevens Championships29 November 2015Various1 Japan
2016 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament26 June 2016Republic of Ireland Dublin1 Spain
Total12

^ 1. South Africa won the continental qualifier, but did not participate in the 2016 Olympics. The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee's qualification criteria do not permit qualification via the continental route.[10][11][12] Kenya, as the second-placed team in the African qualifiers, advanced to the Olympics.[13]

Men's competition
Main article: Rugby sevens at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  Fiji 3 3 0 0 85 45 +40 9 Quarter-finals
2  Argentina 3 2 0 1 62 35 +27 7
3  United States 3 1 0 2 59 41 +18 5
4  Brazil 3 0 0 3 12 97 −85 3
Source: World Rugby
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  South Africa 3 2 0 1 55 12 +43 7 Quarter-finals
2  France 3 2 0 1 57 45 +12 7
3  Australia 3 2 0 1 52 48 +4 7
4  Spain 3 0 0 3 17 76 −59 3
Source: World Rugby
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.

Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  Great Britain 3 3 0 0 73 45 +28 9 Quarter-finals
2  Japan 3 2 0 1 64 40 +24 7
3  New Zealand 3 1 0 2 59 40 +19 5
4  Kenya 3 0 0 3 19 90 −71 3
Source: World Rugby
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.

Knockout stage
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsGold Medal Match
 
          
 
10 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 
 Fiji12
 
11 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 New Zealand7
 
 Fiji20
 
10 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 Japan5
 
 Japan12
 
11 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 France7
 
 Fiji43
 
10 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 Great Britain7
 
 Great Britain (a.e.t.)5
 
11 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 Argentina0
 
 Great Britain7
 
10 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 South Africa5 Bronze Medal Match
 
 South Africa22
 
11 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 Australia5
 
 Japan14
 
 
 South Africa54
 

Women's competition
Main article: Rugby sevens at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  Australia 3 2 1 0 101 12 +89 8 Quarter-finals
2  Fiji 3 2 0 1 48 43 +5 7
3  United States 3 1 1 1 67 24 +43 6
4  Colombia 3 0 0 3 0 137 −137 3
Source: World Rugby
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  New Zealand 3 3 0 0 109 12 +97 9 Quarter-finals
2  France 3 2 0 1 71 40 +31 7
3  Spain 3 1 0 2 31 65 −34 5
4  Kenya 3 0 0 3 17 111 −94 3
Source: World Rugby
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.

Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  Great Britain 3 3 0 0 91 3 +88 9 Quarter-finals
2  Canada 3 2 0 1 83 22 +61 7
3  Brazil (H) 3 1 0 2 29 77 −48 5
4  Japan 3 0 0 3 10 111 −101 3
Source: World Rugby
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.
(H) Hosts

Knockout stage
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsGold Medal Match
 
          
 
7 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 
 Australia24
 
8 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 Spain0
 
 Australia17
 
7 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 Canada5
 
 Canada15
 
8 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 France5
 
 Australia24
 
7 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 New Zealand17
 
 Great Britain26
 
8 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 Fiji7
 
 Great Britain7
 
7 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 New Zealand25 Bronze Medal Match
 
 New Zealand5
 
8 August 2016 – Deodoro Stadium
 
 United States0
 
 Canada33
 
 
 Great Britain10
 

Competition schedule

The competition will run August 6–11.[14]

In the Men's tournament, pool A consists of Fiji, Argentina, USA and Brazil. Pool B includes South Africa, Australia, France and Spain while pool C consists of New Zealand, Great Britain, Kenya and Japan.[15]

In the Women's tournament pool A consists of Australia, USA, Fiji and Colombia. Pool B includes New Zealand, France, Spain and Kenya while pool C consists of Canada, Great Britain, Brazil and Japan.[15]

Medal summary

Medal table
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Australia1001
 Fiji1001
3 Great Britain0101
 New Zealand0101
5 Canada0011
 South Africa0011
Totals (6 entries)2226

Winners
Event Gold Silver Bronze
Men's tournament
 Fiji (FIJ)
 Great Britain (GBR)
 South Africa (RSA)
Women's tournament
 Australia (AUS)
 New Zealand (NZL)
 Canada (CAN)
  • Injury replacement. IOC later provided a 13th medal to Fiji & SA for injured players.

Team issues

Great Britain and Northern Ireland
See also: Great Britain national rugby sevens team

The international structure of rugby union with respect to Great Britain and Northern Ireland is similar to that of association football, but with its own unique features. In football, the four Home Nations within the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) all field separate national teams, which led to a controversy over how to field a combined Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympics. The Republic of Ireland fields its own national team in football. In rugby union, the three Home Nations that share the island of Great Britain also have their own national teams. Ireland, by contrast, is not divided for rugby purposes—the sport is organised on an All-Ireland basis, with a single governing body for the entire island.[16] Great Britain will get a chance to field a combined team.[17]

This structure led to some minor issues regarding participation of a Great Britain team in the qualifying stages of the 2016 Games. Due to a tradition of cooperation between the governing bodies of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland—especially during the quadrennial tours of the Southern Hemisphere by the unified British and Irish Lions 15-a-side team—these were far less contentious than in football; as early as 2011, World Rugby (then known as the International Rugby Board) endorsed the concept of a united Great Britain team for the 2016 Games.[18]

In August 2012, a provisional plan was announced by which England, Scotland and Wales would all be able to qualify as a Great Britain sevens team for the 2016 Games. The first qualifying stage is planned to be the 2014–2015 men's Sevens World Series and World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, with the top four teams of each sex at the end of that season advancing to the Games. All three nations are "core teams" that participate in every event of the men's Sevens Series; the Women's Sevens Series began in 2012–2013 with England as one of the six core teams.[19] Qualifying will continue with regional tournaments and a final worldwide Olympic qualifier. Should any of the three teams finish in a qualifying spot at any stage, Great Britain will send a team to the Games. The final composition of a Great Britain team would then be determined by the three nations and the British Olympic Association.[17]

As is the case with olympic boxing, rugby in Ireland is organised on an all-island basis. This means that Northern Irish players who have chosen to represent Ireland in rugby, despite the fact that they are residents of the UK, must play for the IRFU and thus must compete for Ireland. Northern Irish players who have qualified to play international rugby for the other home nations could still play for Great Britain.

Brazil

Another issue was to make Brazil's automatically qualifying team competitive.[20] In an attempt to address this for the women's tournament, the IRB announced in August 2013 that Brazil would be an invited core team in the Women's Sevens World Series for at least the 2013–14 season.[21]

See also

References
  1. "Rugby sevens venue for Rio 2016 Olympics in doubt". insidethegames.biz. 1 November 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  2. "Rugby". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  3. "Rio organizers forced to change 2016 rugby venue". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 1 November 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  4. Morgan, Liam (19 April 2016). "Rio 2016 sevens preparations "not exactly where we want to be", claims World Rugby official". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  5. "England nominated to qualify GB for Olympics" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 11 July 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. "International Rugby Board - Olympic Rugby Sevens qualification confirmed". www.irb.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). www.irb.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Mackay, Duncan (23 March 2013). "Rio 2016 qualifying system for rugby sevens revealed". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  9. "IRB to change name to World Rugby" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  10. "SASCOC Board meeting update". South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. 10 July 2015. Archived from the original on 21 February 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  11. "Kenya women replace South Africa for Rio". Americas Rugby News. 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  12. de Villiers, Ockert (9 July 2015). "SA athletes face tough Olympic qualifying criteria". News 24 South Africa. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  13. "Qualification Process" (PDF). Corporate.olympics.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  14. "Daily Competition Schedule" (PDF). Rio 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  15. "Olympic sevens rugby: Great Britain face World Cup winners New Zealand". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  16. "History of IRFU". Irish Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012. From 1874 to 1879 there were two Unions. The Irish Football Union had jurisdiction over Clubs in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster; the Northern Football Union of Ireland controlled the Belfast area. . . . In 1879 the two Unions agreed to amalgamate on the following terms: :(i) A Union to be known as the Irish Rugby Football Union was to be formed for the whole country. :(ii) Branches were to be formed in Leinster, Munster and Ulster. :(iii) The Union was to be run by a Council of eighteen, made up of six from each province.
  17. Degun, Tom (25 May 2012). "Exclusive: UK Home Nations can qualify a British rugby sevens team for Rio 2016". insidethegames.biz. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  18. "International Board backs British Olympic sevens team". BBC Sport. 6 April 2011. Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  19. "IRB announces Women's Sevens World Series" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 4 October 2012. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  20. "Lapasset Presents Plans for Rugby Sevens at Rio 2016". Aroundtherings.com. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  21. "Schedule announced for 2013/14 Women's Series" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 22 August 2013. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
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