Olympic Games Paris 2024 Rugby Sevens Schedule & Team News

The rugby sevens match schedule for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 was confirmed by World Rugby with the Men’s competition taking place on 24, 25 and 27 July, and the women’s tournament following on 28-30 July.

Updated 23 July 2024 – Captain’s photo call prior to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Olympic Village Plaza on 22 July, 2024 in Paris. Photo credit – Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

Editors note- We know that the Chinese and Japanese women captains are absent from the photo which is unfortunate (and the only absentees)

A packed 69,000 fans are expected for every session in Stade de France, and the competition format sees all teams play three pool matches with eight teams qualifying for the quarter-finals in the evening session of the second day of competition before the third day sees the semi-finals and the medal matches.

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: “ The players, teams and fans can now mark their calendars and fine-tune their preparations for what promises to be an incredible six days of fast-paced, all-action drama as some of the best athletes in the world showcase the speed, strength and skill of rugby sevens to a huge worldwide audience.”

In total,l 10,500 athletes from 205 countries will be competing across 329 medal events in Paris for the 2024 Olympics.

Olympic Games Paris 2024 – Men’s Rugby Sevens Schedule

The Men’s tournament will be kicked off by Australia and Samoa while hosts France begin against the USA, while the men’s final will be played on 27 July 2024 and be the first team sport gold medal of the Paris Olympic Games 2024.

Japan Men will open their Olympics in Pool A against New Zealand, then Ireland and South Africa.

France men’s captain Paulin Riva commented: “We feel good and we are very excited that rugby is the first discipline. We want to catch this medal. We have had an amazing season and we have a lot of confidence and experience against the big teams like Argentina, Fiji and New Zealand so we feel good and we just want to get on to the field on Wednesday. It will be a big atmosphere in Stade de France and we are very happy to see this for rugby sevens.”

Double Olympic champion and Fiji men’s captain Jerry Tuwai said: “The main goal for us is to come and defend our Olympic gold. I’m very happy to be back. It was emotional for me when I was left out for some Series events but I’m really happy to be here and going for another gold medal.”

Ireland men’s captain (the Irish were runners-up in the SVNS 2024 Series) Harry McNulty said: “It’s been really nice to settle into the Olympic Village. Everyone is feeling relaxed and calm, enjoying these special moments and we can’t wait to kick off. Everyone can beat everyone and my ambition is to lead the squad to a confident performance and be competitive. It’s amazing that we are kicking off the Games and I think it’s what the sport needs. We have such an amazing sport that reaches all the way around the world and sevens is so exciting with many thrills and we can’t wait to get started.

For all of the match official appointments – please see more details here.

Olympic Games Paris 2024 – Women’s Rugby Sevens Schedule

Ireland and Great Britain begin the women’s tournament on 28 July, while reigning champions New Zealand play Challenger champions China, while second seed and SVNS Grand Final champions Australia play South Africa.

China women then face Fiji and Canada in Pool A.

The Sakura Japan 7s Women play the USA, France and Brazil in that order.

New Zealand women’s co-captain Sarah Hirini who has recovered after a long-term injury to be selected, said: “I’m really happy to be back and at another pinnacle event. It is so special and it feels just like the first time with the energy and excitement around the Olympic Village and within our team.

We’re going to try and do something that’s never been done before, trying to create history while enjoying the moment. I’m really proud that we will be playing in front of huge crowds, that’s the most important thing that we can achieve as a sport for the sevens. I was here for the men’s World Cup last year and being in that packed stadium is going to be electric.”

Australia women’s captain Charlotte Caslick added: “We are very excited. After a great camp in Montpellier and a great end of the sevens season, we are finally here and can’t wait to begin. We have been playing very well but also felt we had a lot to work to do so we went home and did just that, working really hard to get ready.

All the teams will be going for gold, but we have got the legend Sharni Smale and we would love to send her off with a fairytale finish as well as winning the gold. We obviously all want to win but have this extra motivation!”

USA women’s captain, Naya Taper, who has also announced she will be retiring after these Games said: “Having so many fans in the stadium is both exciting and somehow scary, at least for me. Tokyo 2020 was great but we didn’t have the fans in the stands cheering or booing for us so I’m getting ready for that stimulation. We have been preparing and are definitely looking forward to begin.

It is really inspiring to be playing on such a big platform. It relates to our philosophy that women can be a source of inspiration for anyone watching, young boys and young girls, fans and new publics, being somebody they want to follow behind and strive to be like and trying to be a role model on and off the field.”

For all of the match official appointments – please see more details here.

Olympic Games Paris 2024 Rugby Sevens Pools

Paris 2024 Executive Director of Sport Competitions Aurélie Merle added: “Rugby sevens has the honour of kicking off the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and we know the atmosphere will be electric inside the Stade de France, with full and passionate crowds for every session in a country that truly loves rugby.”

You can find out more about the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Rugby Sevens Pools here. The 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams were allocated to three pools of four teams based on their Olympic seedings, with teams ranked according to their performances over the last two years of the HSBC SVNS Series.

Japan Rugby Sevens Squads & Kit – Paris 2024 Olympics

The majority of Sevens Rugby Olympic squads have already been announced and many have made their way to Europe for preparation camps.

Japan has also confirmed its women’s and men’s squads as well as their Paris 2024 Rugby Sevens kit.

Japan Men’s 7s Rugby Paris 2024 Olympics Squad

The Japanese men have appeared at all three Olympics to feature Rugby Sevens (including Paris) and have won 4 out of 11 matches and finished 4th in Rio 2016.

Kippei Ishida was named as captain and said: “As captain of Japan, I will continue to work hard, stick to the Japanese style of FAST & BRAVE, and hope to win a medal.” Captain Kippei Ishida is the only survivor in this squad from Tokyo 2020, with 11 players making their Olympic Games debut.

Taiga Ishida announced it will likely be his last tournament for the Japan 7s, “At the Paris Olympics, I will prepare 100%, just like in the past, and perform at my best. I also believe this will be the last time I can play with this team, so I want to cherish every second and enjoy every match to the fullest. I would appreciate your support at the Paris Olympics!”

Moeki Fukushi
Kippei Ishida *
Taiga Ishida
Josua Kerevi
Yoshiyuki Koga
Takamasa Maruo
Junya Matsumoto
Yoshihiro Noguchi
Yu Okudaira
Kippei Taninaka
Shotaro Tsuoka
Kazuma Ueda

Travelling reserves:
Naoki Motomura*
Taichi Yoshizawa

*Indicates previous Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020.

Image Credit: JRFU

Japan Sakura 7s Rugby Paris 2024 Olympics Squad

Japan Sakura 7s captain will once again be Yume Hirano, who added “Over the past three years since the end of the Tokyo Olympics, we have all worked hard to build a strong Sakura Sevens team. I will do my best to make the cherry blossoms bloom in Paris together with the members who have fought alongside me until now.”

The Japanese women have qualified for all three Olympics with Rugby Sevens but have lost 9 of their ten matches to date. This squad included six players with previous experience at the Olympic Games.

Haruna Utsumi said of being selected, “I’m very happy to have been selected for the Paris Olympic team. I will treasure the goals we have achieved so far as a group of 22 people and the future we will achieve as a group of 14 people, and work hard day by day to achieve results. I am determined to play, and I will do my best in my own way.”

Nakamura Chiharu, who was also one of 25 selected for the Capgemini Women in Rugby Leadership Programme 2024-2025 and a veteran in the side explained, “Although the three years we spent preparing for the Olympics was a little short, it was an extremely intense three years, as we got revenge on China in the Asia Series after the Tokyo Olympics, worked hard to secure promotion to the core team, and broke through the top eight barrier in the World Series, seeing new horizons.

I would like to approach the tournament with a sense of respect and gratitude for all the members of the Sakura Sevens squad who have competed alongside me in these tournaments, which were just as important, if not more so, than the Olympics. Personally, I will fight with all my heart and soul to make this the final chapter of the Sakura Sevens story, and as a team, to write a new page on our journey to becoming one of the world’s best.”

Wakaba Hara *
Yume Hirano *
Marin Kajiki *
Rinka Matsuda
Sakura Mizutani
Chiharu Nakamura ^
Arisa Nishi
Mei Ohtani *
Chiaki Saegusa
Emii Tanaka
Honoka Tsutsumi *
Hanaka Utsumi

Travelling reserves:
Fumiko Otake,
Yukino Tsujisaki

*Indicates previous Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020.

^ Indicates previous Olympic appearance at Rio 2016.

Photo Credit: JRFU

Japan Rugby Sevens Kit – Paris 2024 Olympics

Photo Credit: JRFU

China Women’s 7s Rugby Paris 2024 Olympics Squad

China Women made their Olympic Games debut at Tokyo 2020 after winning the Asia Rugby Women’s Sevens Olympic qualifier in 2019 so this will be the first time they have reached an Olympic Games via the repechage route.

They come into the Paris 2024 Olympics with 2 wins and 4 losses from the previous Olympic appearance and the squad includes seven survivors from Tokyo 2020 – Chen Keyi, Yang Feifei, Gu Yaoyao, Ruan Hongting, Liu Xiaoqian, Wang Wanyu and Yan Meiling.

The Chinese are in red-hot form after winning the Challenger Series and the Monaco Repechage – and the player to watch is Liu Xiaoqian who was the top try-scorer on the 2024 Challenger series with 28 tries!

Chen Keyi *
Dou Xinrong
Gu Yaoyao *
Hu Yu
Liu Xiaoqian *
Ruan Hongting *
Su Qi
Sun Yue
Wang Wanyu *
Yan Meiling *
Yang Feifei *
Zhou Ya

Travelling reserves:
Ma Xiaodan
Wang Xiao

*Indicates previous Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020.

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