2022 HSBC 7s Series returns this November

Good news for rugby 7s fans as the 2022 HSBC 7s Series kicks off this November with a pair of combined men’s and women’s events in Dubai.

The 2022 Series will feature 10 men’s and seven women’s rounds over six months.

The Dubai 7s will be held behind closed doors on the 26th and 27th of November, followed by a second event on the 3rd and 4th of December with fans in attendance at The Sevens Stadium.

The Series will then return to Europe as Spain plays host for the first time with combined men’s and women’s events in Malaga and Seville from 21st to the 23rd and 28th to the 30th of January, 2022 respectively.

The new venues in Spain temporarily replace Sydney and Hamilton 7s hosts who were unable to host in 2022 due to the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The men’s Series continues with North American rounds in Vancouver on the 26th and 27th of February and Los Angeles on March 5th and 6th.

The Hong Kong 7s will host a combined women's and men's event from the 1st to the 3rd of April followed by a men’s event in Singapore on the 9th and 10th of April.

A women’s standalone event will take place in Langford, Canada, from 30th April to 1st May before both men’s and women’s teams travel to a new Series venue in Toulouse, France, from the 20th to the 22nd of May where the women’s Series champions will be crowned.

The men’s Series concludes with the final event in London on the 28th and 29th of May.

The 16 men’s core teams after the Dubai events are Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, USA and Wales.

South Africa will enter the 2022 Series as defending champions after claiming the 2021 title in Edmonton, Canada, in September, while New Zealand, who were unable to compete in Canada, were the 2020 Series winners.

The 11 core women’s teams after the Dubai events are Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Russia, Spain and the USA. New Zealand’s Black Ferns Sevens will be aiming to defend their title after being crowned champions in 2020.

[Source:  World rugby]