World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 – Leg 1 Dubai Pools

World Rugby announced the pools for the first leg of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 with teams being drawn at the recent Emirates Dubai SVNS. The first of three legs will take place in Dubai from 12-14 January and feature the China women, Thai women, Japanese men, and HKCR women and men.

Updated 11th January 2024 – Rugby Asia 247 will be on the ground in Dubai and we are excited to track the progress of all of the teams but especially those from Asia.

The Challenger Sevens Series provides the only pathway for promotion as a core team in the HSBC SVNS 2025. After the three legs each for the women and men in 2024 (which take place in Dubai and Uruguay for both, with the final leg in Poland for the women, and Germany for the men), the top four placed men’s and women’s teams will head to a promotion play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid.

In January 2024, the captains of the 12 women’s and 12 men’s teams gathered at Dubai Creek Harbour ahead of the opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 (Feature Photo Credit – Mike Lee KLC Fotos/ World Rugby).

All six World Rugby regions are represented in the Olympic format 7s competition and the qualifiers from Asia were based on the recent ARSS 2023 results. Japan women are already a core team and were not considered for the Challenger Series.

Among the Challenger 7s teams, three in the men’s competition – Uruguay, Japan and Kenya – have already booked their places at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

HKCR men and women and the China men and women will all still head to the Olympic Repechage to try and qualify for Paris 2024 after the Japanese women and men secured qualification in November 2023.

Women’s Pools – Sevens Challenger 2024 – Leg 1 Dubai

World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer Nigel Cass said of the Dubai draw: “As we saw with the HSBC SVNS event last weekend, The Sevens Stadium in Dubai provides an excellent venue with a huge history of world-class rugby sevens and we look forward to working together with the hosts to deliver another memorable sevens event.

The Challenger is a vitally important tournament that provides meaningful competition and a clear promotion pathway to reach the pinnacle of HSBC SVNS and there has never been a more exciting time for sevens with the revamped HSBC SVNS and the road to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”

Pool A

• Belgium, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Uganda

Photo Credit: TRU – Thailand Women’s Sevens squad for Dubai Challenger Sevens 2024

Belgium women’s captain Cécile Blondiau said of the Challenger Series: “We are really excited about the new format of the Challenger competition as it gives more chances to more teams to reach the next level of rugby. We are also excited to see our new, young players show what they can do. Our hopes are to finish in the top four and we are really excited to begin the competition here in Dubai.”

Pool B

• China, Czechia, Mexico, Kenya

Pool C

• Poland, Hong Kong China, Paraguay, Argentina

HKCR Women’s Squad: OLSON-THORNE Natasha ©, LI Nim Yan Melody Blessing ©, CHAN Chloe, AU YEUNG Sin Yi, NAM Ka Man, HO Jessica Wai On, POON Hoi Yan, CHONG Ka Yan, RIVERS Gabriella, MBA OYANA Julia Mibuy, LYNAM Sabay, CHAN Tsz Ching

Poland captain Natalia Pamieta added of the opening leg in Dubai: “We are really excited because we have been waiting for a few years to qualify for the World Series so I hope that now it is the time for us. Our hopes are to qualify for the World Series and also the Olympic Games from the final qualifier event in Monaco.”

Men’s Pools – Sevens Challenger 2024 – Leg 1 Dubai

Pool A

• Uruguay, Hong Kong China, Papua New Guinea, Georgia

HKCR Men’s Squad: Pierce MACKINLAY-WEST, Callum McCULLOUGH, Liam DOHERTY Harry SAYERS, Max DENMARK, Bryn PHILLIPS , Russell WEBB, Sebastian BRIEN ©, FONG Kit Fung, James CHRISTIE, LEE Ka To Cado, Liam HERBERT

Pool B

• Japan, Tonga, Chile, Portugal

Portugal will be hoping to emulate the success of their national XVS team who were a highlight at the RWC 2023. Men’s 7s captain Duarte Moreira said: “It was a big accomplishment for us to qualify for the Challenger and it’s a new opportunity for us to go back into the Series so it’s going to be a great challenge for us. The new generation of fifteens players that went to the Rugby World Cup was very inspiration for us and a time for all of us to try and push and exceed ourselves to try to be like them.”

Pool C

• Kenya, Germany, Uganda, Mexico

Kenya has qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics by shocking South Africa to win the African regional qualifiers and now has their sights on returning to the SVNS Series. Men’s captain Tony Omondi said, “It feels amazing to have led the team in qualifying for the Olympics. It is the pinnacle of sports in the world so playing in the Olympics is a dream come true for every athlete.

The Olympics is a big plus for us but we all know we fell short of playing in the SVNS series this year and the goal is to get back into the series and with the current crop of players that we have I believe that is possible. Preparations have gone well. We know that to have a shot at getting back on the Series we have to finish in the top four and that is the motive.”

World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 – Match Officials

Among the 20 confirmed match officials from 14 countries selected for the HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024, Asia is represented by:

• Sunny Lee (HKCR)
• Morgan White (HKCR)

How To Watch The Challenger Series 2024

Rugby sevens fans can watch all the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 action from Dubai live on RugbyPass.TV

The full schedule of matches for Dubai from 12-14 January can be found here.

Rugby Sevens News

• World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 – Dates And Venues Announced.
• Asian Rugby Sevens Teams – 2024 Challenger Series.
• HSBC SVNS Cape Town 2023.
• Emirates Match Official Panels For HSBC SVNS.