24 teams begin quest for promotion in 2023 Sevens Challenger Series

The captains of the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams competing at the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 in Stellenbosch over a pair of combined events taking place at Markotter Stadium on 20-22 and 28-30 April gathered on Tuesday at Gardens Rugby Club on the slopes of the iconic Table Mountain.

This is ahead of the three days of intense competition of the first event at Markotter Stadium which will kick-off on Thursday when Belgium faces Papua New Guinea and Madagascar takes on Mexico in women’s pool F and E action respectively.

The ultimate prize at stake for the tournament winners in the women’s competition, which will be decided on aggregate points over the two events, is promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2024 as the 12th and final team.

The 12-team women’s pool draw sees Poland go up against Columbia, Hong Kong China and Paraguay in Pool D.

Hosts South Africa have been drawn against Madagascar, Mexico, and Czechia in Pool E while Pool F features China, Belgium, Papua New Guinea and Thailand.

In the men’s Challenger Series, Germany headline the men’s Pool A and are joined by Tonga, Zimbabwe and Belgium.

2022 hosts and third place finishers, Chile, will be looking to improve from last year and go for the top spot. They will take on Hong Kong China, Papua New Guinea and Italy in Pool B wile Uganda face Korea, Jamaica and Brazil in Pool C.

The winner of the men’s competition, which will also be decided on aggregate points over the two events, will enter a four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May 2023 together with the teams placed 12th – 14th after ten rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The winner of the play-off will achieve the coveted Sevens World Series 2024 status.

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