Tournaments
The venues for the IRB Sevens World Series have evolved since the Series' beginning in 1999-2000, but the current format of the tournament emerged in the 2006-07 season, with the same 8 venues hosting every year since then, with the addition of Japan in 2011-12 and Argentina in 2013-14. As of the 2012–13 series, the World Series tour consists of nine legs. The 2011–12 season marked the return of Japan, a former tour stop, to the circuit.
The IRB announced on 26 June 2012 that the series would return to Argentina, which had last been part of the circuit in 2002. However, on 16 August, the Argentine Rugby Union announced that it would delay the launch of its event until the 2013–14 series, citing demands associated with the 2012 entry of the country's 15-a-side team into The Rugby Championship.
| IRB 7s World Series Itinerary (2012-13) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Stadium (Capacity) | City | Date | Since |
| Australia | Skilled Park (27,400) | Gold Coast | October | 2007 |
| UAE (Dubai) | The Sevens (50,000) | Dubai | Nov / Dec | 1999 |
| South Africa | Nelson Mandela Bay Stad. (48,500) | Port Elizabeth | December | 1999 |
| New Zealand | Westpac Stadium (36,000) | Wellington | February | 2000 |
| USA | Sam Boyd Stadium (36,800) | Las Vegas | February | 2004 |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong Stadium (40,000) | Hong Kong | March | 2000 |
| Japan | Chichibunomiya (27,200) | Tokyo | March / April | 2012 |
| Scotland | Scotstoun Stadium (5,000) | Glasgow | May | 2007 |
| England | Twickenham (82,000) | London | May | 2001 |
Notes:
- The Australia 7s was previously held in Adelaide in April until 2011.
- The South Africa 7s was first held in 1999 in Stellenbosch. It then moved to Durban for the next two editions, and then to George in 2002, where it remained for nine years. The 2011 edition was the first in Port Elizabeth.
- The USA 7s made its debut in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California. It then moved to San Diego in 2007, and to its current Las Vegas location in 2010.
- The Scotland 7s was previously held in Edinburgh at Murrayfield Stadium until 2012, but relocated in part due to trouble filling the 67,000 seat stadium.
- The Argentina 7s will be held in La Plata, beginning in 2013-14.
- Recent previous hosts (and their most recent year hosting) include: Paris (2005-06) and Singapore (2005-06).
Read more about this topic: IRB Sevens World Series