The Rugby Europe Sevens are a series of rugby sevens tournaments held by Rugby Europe. It was formerly known as the FIRA-AER Sevens until 2013, and the Sevens Grand Prix Series until 2021.[1] Only one annual tournament existed prior to 2011, when Rugby Europe created a series of tournaments, following the model of the World Rugby Sevens Series. The main division is known as the Rugby Europe Championship Series, formerly known the Grand Prix, followed by the Trophy Series, Conference 1, and Conference 2.[1] The competitions use a promotion/relegation system.

Rugby Europe Sevens
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series
SportRugby sevens
Founded2002; 22 years ago (2002)
No. of teams12 (Championship)
CountryEuropean
Most recent
champion(s)
 France (3rd title)
Most titles Portugal (8 titles)

Format

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In the Championship Series, twelve teams play in at least two tournaments each summer throughout Europe. Each tournament spans two to three days — the first day is a pool phase, the second day is a pool and knockout phase, and the third day a knockout phase. During the pool phase, the teams are divided into three pools of four teams each. After the pool phase, the top eight teams (two first of each pool, plus two best-performing third place teams) advance to the Cup tournament; the other four teams play for the Challenge Trophy.

At the end of each tournament, teams are awarded points based on their performance. At the end of the series, the team with the most points is declared the champion. The team with the fewest points is relegated from the Championship Series to the Trophy competition, whereas the champion of the Trophy competition is promoted to next season's Championship Series.

History

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2002–2010

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A number of qualifying tournaments lead up to a finals tournament, which functions as the European championship and, in 2008, also as the qualifying stage for the Sevens World Cup.

Portugal won the first European Championship held in Heidelberg in 2002. Portugal would go onto win eight out of the first ten tournaments. In 2003, Heidelberg again held the tournament. In 2004 Palma de Mallorca was the host. From 2005 to 2007, Moscow hosted the tournament. Hanover held the tournament for the first time in 2008 and did so again in 2009. In 2010, the tournament returned to Moscow.

2011–present

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In 2011, the format of the competition changed. The twelve best teams now meet over the course of several tournaments, following the model of the IRB Sevens World Series. The name also changed from the European Championship to the Sevens Grand Prix Series. The first edition of this competition was held in 2011 and won by Portugal. In 2021 the competition changed its name from the Sevens Grand Prix to the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series.[1]

Tournaments

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Championship Series

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Rugby Europe Sevens
Championship
Edition Year Events Champions Runners-up Third Fourth
I 2002 1   Portugal   Georgia   Germany   France
II 2003 1   Portugal   France   Georgia   Germany
III 2004 1   Portugal   Italy   Ireland   Scotland
IV 2005 1   Portugal   Russia   Italy   France
V 2006 1   Portugal   Russia   Italy   France
VI 2007 1   Russia   France   Moldova   Spain
VII 2008 1   Portugal   Wales   Georgia   Ireland
VIII 2009 1   Russia   France   Italy   Spain
IX 2010 1   Portugal   France   Russia   Spain
Grand Prix Series
X 2011 4   Portugal   England   Spain   Russia
XI 2012 3   England   Portugal   France   Spain
XII 2013 2   England   France   Russia   Portugal
XIII 2014 4   France   Scotland   England   Russia
XIV 2015 3   France   Spain   England   Russia
XV 2016 3   Russia   France   Spain   Germany
XVI 2017 4   Russia   Ireland   Spain   Wales
XVII 2018[2] 4   Ireland   Germany   Russia   England
XVIII 2019[3] 2   Germany   France   Ireland   Spain
2020 Series not played because of COVID-19 pandemic.
Championship Series
XIX 2021[4] 2   Spain   Germany   Russia   Lithuania
XX 2022[5] 2   Spain   Germany   France   Belgium
XXI 2023[6] 2   Ireland   France   Spain   Great Britain
XXII 2024[7] 2   France   Ireland   Germany   Portugal


Team records

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Team Champions Runners-up Third Fourth
  Portugal 8 (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011) 1 (2012) 2 (2013, 2024)
  Russia 4 (2007, 2009, 2016, 2017) 2 (2005, 2006) 4 (2010, 2013, 2018, 2021) 3 (2011, 2014, 2015)
  France 3 (2014, 2015, 2024) 8 (2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2023) 3 (2012, 2022) 3 (2002, 2005, 2006)
  Ireland 2 (2018, 2023) 2 (2017, 2024) 2 (2004, 2019) 1 (2008)
  Spain 2 (2021, 2022) 1 (2015) 4 (2011, 2016, 2017, 2023) 5 (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2019)
  England 2 (2012, 2013) 1 (2011) 2 (2014, 2015) 1 (2018)
  Germany 1 (2019) 2 (2018, 2021) 3 (2002, 2022, 2024) 2 (2003, 2016)
  Italy 1 (2004) 3 (2005, 2006, 2009)
  Georgia 1 (2002) 2 (2003, 2008)
  Scotland 1 (2014) 1 (2004)
  Wales 1 (2008) 1 (2017)
  Moldova 1 (2007)
  Lithuania 1 (2021)
  Belgium 1 (2022)
  Great Britain 1 (2023)

Updated to 2024

Trophy

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Year Champions Runners-up Third Fourth
2011   Germany   Belgium   Sweden   Lithuania
2012   Romania   Belgium   Lithuania   Cyprus
2013   Belgium   Poland   Netherlands   Sweden
2014   Lithuania   Poland   Cyprus   Sweden
2015   Poland   Ukraine   Latvia   Moldova
2016[8]   Ireland   Ukraine   Sweden   Romania
2017   Sweden   Romania   Luxembourg   Ukraine
2018   Romania   Belgium   Lithuania   Denmark
2019   Lithuania   Ukraine   Belgium   Croatia
2020 Series not played because of COVID-19 pandemic.
2021   Czech Republic   Belgium   Ukraine   Sweden
2022[9]   Ireland   England   Wales   Romania
2023[10]   Ukraine   Croatia   Sweden   Latvia
2024[11]   Czech Republic   Sweden   Latvia   Hungary

Conference

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Conference 1

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Year Champions Runners-up Third
2011   Serbia   Latvia   Hungary
2012   Croatia   Latvia   Norway
2013 North   Latvia   Norway   Luxembourg
South   Monaco   Hungary    Switzerland
2014 North   Czech Republic   Norway   Luxembourg
South   Hungary   Bulgaria    Switzerland
2015[12]   Ireland   Serbia   Slovenia
2016   Croatia   Luxembourg   Hungary
2017   Hungary   Bulgaria   Slovakia
2018   Czech Republic   Bosnia and Herzegovina   Moldova
2019   Hungary   Turkey   Moldova
2020 Series not played because of COVID-19 pandemic.
2021[13]   Bulgaria   Monaco   Moldova
2022[14]    Switzerland   Moldova   Turkey
2023[15]   Turkey   Monaco   Austria
2024[16][17]   Norway   Denmark   Serbia

Conference 2

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Year Champions Runners-up Third
2015[18]   Ireland   Bosnia and Herzegovina   Serbia
2016   Malta   Montenegro   Austria
2017   Austria   Finland   Estonia
2018    Switzerland   Andorra   Liechtenstein
2019–2021 Competition not held
2022[19]   Malta   San Marino   Slovakia
2023   San Marino   Slovakia   Montenegro
2024[20]   Cyprus   Slovakia   Slovenia

Partners

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Rugby Europe 7s Season Announced". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Ireland's rise in 7s continues as Eddy's men make history with Grand Prix title in Poland". the42. 9 September 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Grand Prix Series". Rugby 7. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Russia and Spain clinch Series titles in Moscow". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Men's 7s Championship 2022". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Ireland Men Finish Season As Rugby Europe Sevens Champions". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Men's 7s Rugby Europe Championship 2024". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Trophy Win Sees Ireland Qualify For European Grand Prix Series". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Men's 7s Trophy 2022". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Ukraine men and women both win 2023 Trophy series". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  11. ^ https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/men-s-7s-rugby-europe-trophy-2024 [bare URL]
  12. ^ "Ireland Men Claim European Sevens Division B Crown". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Belgrade 2021". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Men's Sevens Conference 1 - 2022". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Men's 7s Conference 1 2023". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  16. ^ "Poland, France, Moldova and Norway all taste sevens success". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Men's Conference - Belgrade". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Ireland Men's Sevens Team Secure European Division C Title And Promotion". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Men's 7s Conference 2". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  20. ^ "Great weekend results for Latvia, Sweden and Cyprus". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
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