World School Sevens Rugby 2019

The World School Sevens is an annual Rugby 7’s tournament “that showcases the best under 18 7’s talent from around the world” and it is taking place in New Zealand in December 2019.

What is the World School Sevens?

The first World School 7s tournament was played in New Zealand in 2016 and featured ten school rugby teams from 5 countries. The youth rugby tournament is seen as a pathway opportunity into national teams for Asia-Pacific teams.

The idea of the tournament came from Condor Sevens organiser Phil Gaze. The Condor 7s itself was established in 1986 and has the approval of the NZRU & NZSSRC- in 2019 over 100 sevens rugby teams took part in the Condor Sevens.

The website for the tournament says: “The World School Sevens is an international u18 sevens rugby tournament with over 30 teams from around the world. The event offers opportunities to both national U18 representative sides and academies (composite sides). Participants not only experience an amazing competition but also get to experience New Zealand’s amazing culture and hospitality.”

World School Sevens 2019 teams

In recent years it appears as if only a Japanese girls team has been consistently entering from Asia. In addition, sides from New Zealand, Australia,  Canada, Samoa, Tonga, and the NZ Fijians are regulars at the World School Sevens rugby tournament.

In 2019, 32 international rugby 7s teams are due to take part.

Boys Sevens Teams

• New Zealand
• Rugby Academy Fiji
• Indigenous Australia
• USA
• Australia
• NZ Maori
• Canada
• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Samoa Barbarians
• Two Blues Sydney
• Vanuatu
• NZ Fijians
• Tongan Barbarians
• Sydney Pasifika
• NZ Niue

Girls Sevens Teams

• New Zealand
• Indigenous Australia
• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Australia
• NZ Maori
• Rugby Academy Fiji
• NZ Niue
• Dutch
• Tongan Barbarians
• Canada
• Aussie Sea Hawkes
• Japan
• Samoa Barbarians
• Marko 7s
• NZ Fijians

2018 Champions

• Boys Cup Final: NZ Maori 19-26 Australia
• Boys Championship Final: NZ Condors 22-12 NZ Fijians
• Girls Cup Final: NZ Condor Girls 5-29 Australia Girls

How can I watch the World School 7s?

The tournament is broadcast live on NZ’s Sky Sport and streamed internationally.

World School Sevens Rugby pathways: Japan

Twenty players have gone to represent their countries at a national level after playing at the World Schools tournament since 2016.

Two national Japanese 7s women’s players played in the tournament recently – Mele Yua Havili Kagawa and Rinka Matsuda – who both now represent Japan on the world stage. In addition, Lesley McKenzie, who is the current Japanese women’s national team rugby coach, was part of the coaching team for the Japanese girls team who competed in the 2018 World Schools 7s.

In 2018 the Japan Girls won the Plate Final, beating the NZ Dutch Girls 15-12.

• Date: 13-14 December 2019
• Venue: Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand

In Asia, the SANIX World Rugby Youth Tournament is one of the most highly respected youth rugby tournaments. The Asia Rugby Sevens Under 18s and Under 20s as well as the Asian Schools Under 18 Rugby Championships are all key stepping stones to senior national representation.