Rugby Europe Sevens

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.

For the women's competitions, see Rugby Europe Women's Sevens.
Rugby Europe Sevens
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023 Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series
SportRugby sevens
Founded2002 (2002)
No. of teams12 (Championship)
CountryEuropean
Most recent
champion(s)		 Ireland (2nd title)
Most titles Portugal (8 titles)

Format

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

2002–2010

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

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

Championship Series
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


Team Records
Team Champions Runners-up Third Fourth
 Portugal 8 (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011) 1 (2012) — 1 (2013)
 Russia 4 (2007, 2009, 2016, 2017) 2 (2005, 2006) 4 (2010, 2013, 2018, 2021) 3 (2011, 2014, 2015)
 France 2 (2014, 2015) 8 (2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2023) 3 (2012, 2022) 3 (2002, 2005, 2006)
 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)
 Ireland 2 (2018, 2023) 1 (2017) 2 (2004, 2019) 1 (2008)
 Germany 1 (2019) 2 (2018, 2021) 2 (2002, 2022) 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 2023

Trophy
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[7] 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[8] Ireland England Wales Romania
2023[9]  Ukraine  Croatia  Sweden  Latvia

Conference 1
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[10] 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[11] Bulgaria Monaco Moldova
2022[12]  Switzerland Moldova Turkey
2023[13]  Turkey  Monaco  Austria

Conference 2
Year Champions Runners-up Third
2015[14] Ireland Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbia
2016 Malta Montenegro Austria
2017 Austria Finland Estonia
2018  Switzerland Andorra Liechtenstein
2019–2021Competition not held
2022[15] Malta San Marino Slovakia
2023  San Marino  Slovakia  Montenegro

Partners

References
  1. "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. 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. "Trophy Win Sees Ireland Qualify For European Grand Prix Series". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  8. "Men's 7s Trophy 2022". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  9. "Ukraine men and women both win 2023 Trophy series". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  10. "Ireland Men Claim European Sevens Division B Crown". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  11. "Belgrade 2021". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  12. "Men's Sevens Conference 1 - 2022". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  13. "Men's 7s Conference 1 2023". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  14. "Ireland Men's Sevens Team Secure European Division C Title And Promotion". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  15. "Men's 7s Conference 2". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
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