RWC Sevens 2013 to take place in Moscow 28-30 June

Wednesday, 23 May 2012 00:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The dates for the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 have been confirmed.

The event, which will take place in Moscow from 28-30 June, will see 24 men’s teams vying for the coveted Melrose Cup, while the top 16 women’s teams in the world will also compete at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Three years out from Rugby Sevens’ Olympic Games debut at the Rio Games, the showcase event will provide a compelling indication of form for the world’s top Rugby Sevens nations and underscore the ever-increasing global competitiveness in both men’s and women’s Sevens.

Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international competition contested by the men’s and women’s national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the birthplace of Rugby Sevens, and the 2013 edition will be the sixth in the tournament’s history.

Wales are the current men’s world champions having won the tournament in Dubai in 2009 with Australia having taken the inaugural women’s title. Fiji has won the men’s tournament twice with New Zealand and England also having won the title.

The men’s winner is awarded the Melrose Cup, named after the Scottish town where Rugby Sevens was first played.

The ambassadors for the event have also been unveiled as Russian players Vladimir Ostroushko, Vasily Artemyev, Anastasia Mukharyamova and Elena Shevtsova.

“The IRB has shown great vision by entrusting the running of this great tournament to us,” said Vyacheslav Kopiev, Rugby Union of Russia President. “We have made real progress in recent years and Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be the next step along the way to Russia becoming a Rugby superpower. Indeed, our national team’s performances at the recent Rugby World Cup in New Zealand showed the world how far we have already come along the way.”

The Rugby Union of Russia, the city of Moscow and the Russian Government will work together to host an event that will showcase the best of Russia and the very best of Rugby Sevens.

“We are committed to delivering an exceptional event. We hope to welcome supporters from other countries to Moscow while also engaging the local population and switching them on to Rugby Sevens,” added Kopiev.