World Rugby Sevens Series: Australia and USA women eye Olympic berths in Hong Kong, China
The top four in the series qualify directly for the Olympic Rugby 7s tournament at Paris 2024, with leaders New Zealand and Olympic hosts France already qualified.
Rugby Sevens
The women’s World Rugby Sevens Series is coming down to the wire with just two rounds left to play, beginning with a visit to Hong Kong, China from 31 March to 2 April.
This weekend’s tournament has an added layer of importance as the USA, Australia and Ireland have a chance of qualifying for the Olympics that take place next year in Paris.
The top four in the six-round tournament qualify automatically for the Games, with New Zealand having already booked their spot after a stunning string of results has seen them win the last four tournaments in a row.
France, as hosts, qualify automatically for Paris 2024, so the automatic spot will move to the next best-placed team in the league table should the French team finish in the top four.
Australia and USA are odds-on favourites to qualify this weekend with 84 and 82 points respectively. Fifth-placed Ireland (58 points) also have a slim mathematical chance of qualifying in Hong Kong, China, however they would need an exceptional tournament and results from both Fiji and Great Britain to go their way.
How can Australia 7s qualify for Paris 2024 at the World Rugby Sevens Series in Hong Kong, China?
Second-placed in the table after five rounds, Australia sit 36 points above Fiji (sixth) in the race for Olympic qualification. With France currently in fourth position having already secured their spot in Paris as host nation, Fiji and Great Britain are mathematically the only nations that can deny Australia qualification, with 20 points awarded to the winners of each round.
However, having built a commanding lead over their rivals in the standings, just eighth place in Hong Kong, China will earn the Aussies a place at Paris 2024, no matter what the teams below them achieve.
After winning the first round of the World Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai, the Aussies have come away with two silvers (Cape Town and Vancouver) and a bronze in Hamilton. The only blip on their record was a quarter-final loss to France in January when playing at home in Sydney.
In Hong Kong, China the Aussies begin their campaign in Pool B on Friday 31 March against Brazil who are ranked 11th in the standings, before facing Ireland (5th) later the same day and Fiji (6th) on Saturday 1 April.
How can USA 7s qualify for Paris 2024 at the World Rugby Sevens Series in Hong Kong, China?
Seventh place in Hong Kong, China will see the USA advance to the Olympics regardless of the results of other teams around them - though they may well need even less than that to achieve their Olympic dream.
Currently third in the table on 82 points, just two points behind Australia, the Americans have been a model of consistency this season, winning silver in Hamilton and bronze in Dubai, Cape Town, Sydney and Vancouver.
The USA start their campaign this weekend against Spain 7s in Pool C on Friday 31 March, with the Spanish all the way back in 10th on 20 points. They then play 9th-placed Japan later the same day before taking on fourth-placed France in the final group game on Saturday 1 April.
As with Australia, the US squad are in pole position to advance to the next Olympics and may well be able to begin planning their trip to the French capital as early as this weekend.
How else can Rugby 7s nations qualify for Paris 2024?
By the end of the World Rugby Sevens Series, up to five nations will have qualified for Paris 2024, including the top four teams in the tournament and host country France (if France finish in the top four the team placed fifth will qualify).
The next opportunity to qualify for Paris will be at the 2023 World Rugby Regional Association Olympic Qualification Tournaments, which will take place on dates to be decided between 31 May and 31 December 2023.
Teams already qualified for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will not participate in these tournaments, and the winners of each tournament will earn a spot at next year’s Games.
The quota distribution will be as follows:
- Africa: One quota per gender
- Asia: One quota per gender
- Europe: One quota per gender
- North America: One quota per gender
- Oceania: One quota per gender
- South America: One quota per gender
Should nations fail to advance from either the World Rugby Sevens Series or the 2023 World Rugby Regional Association Olympic Qualification Tournaments, they have one more chance at the Final Olympic Repechage Tournament which will take place at a date to be decided between the end of the Regional Qualification process and 23 June 2024.
Twelve women’s teams - two from each continent - will qualify for the event, with the winner rewarded with a quota for Paris 2024.