Revamp to International 7's format
The World Rugby International Sevens Series format has been given a complete overhaul, with gold, silver and bronze medals to be awarded instead of the traditional consolation playoffs.
In a move that will align the annual HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series with the Olympic Games, World Rugby has also announced an exciting restructuring of the final competition day, driving greater meaning for teams and fans. It will now feature gold, silver and bronze medals for the first time.
The traditional Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield format will be replaced by two competitions. The top two teams in each pool will progress to the Cup competition and the chance to win a gold medal, while lower ranked teams will contest a new Challenge Trophy competition.
The restructure means that each series event will climax with the 13th-place positional play-off, followed by the Challenge Trophy (ninth place), the fifth place play-off, bronze medal match and the gold medal match (Cup winners). The number of matches the teams play across each event remains the same, as does the points distribution.