World Rugby insists controversial changes to the Sevens Series format will not be revoked despite anger from coaches and players who now face truncated legs in Hamilton and Sydney, with the quarter-finals stage erased from the schedule.
The four pool winners in New Zealand and Australia will qualify automatically for the semi-finals.
Critics of the changes claim the insistence on running the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series men’s and women’s events together has meant that unless tournaments can run for three days – as happened in Cape Town – there isn’t the time to fit in the last eight round. That is why for the next legs in Hamilton and Sydney being staged over two days – the pool winners in the men’s events head straight to the final four. World Rugby believes the new format will deliver a less confusing final day for fans.
A World Rugby spokesman told RugbyPass that the situation remains that quarter-finals will not take place in Hamilton and Sydney.
The spokesman says this was discussed last year and they are trying to deliver more men’s and women’s events to create greater synergy adding they want to create more opportunities for the women’s game as well and it is a fine balance.
[Source: RugbyPass]
