Sevens: Rio and Las Vegas

The Games are getting closer...

Olympic “Test” Tournament, Rio, 5-6 March

South America’s top eight national teams will take part in an official Olympic “test” tournament this weekend. Designed as  a “dress-rehearsal” for return of rugby to the Games, the competition will take place in the stadium in Barueri that will be used in August.

Or at it would be if they had finished building it. One slight, possibly unplanned, problem is that construction is still in progress at Barueri, which means that – although the tournament will still go ahead at the venue – it will take place behind closed doors due to safety concerns.

However the tournament will still presumably be a good test for the transport system for the athletes, the field, camera positions and a range of backroom facilities as well as being a useful warm-up for both Brazil and Colombia.

Pool games take place on Saturday, and knock-out stages on Sunday

Pool A: Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay & PeruPool B: Colômbia, Argentina, Chile & Paraguay

Las Vegas Invitational

Brazil are also sending their development team to Las Vegas where they will play in a sixteen team tournament that will also include seven other national selections, includingGreat Britain(who will be playing in an official, pubic, tournament for the first time and will be including all of the non-English players in the squad), France, United States, Japan, Maple Leafs (Canada’s development team), Mexico and South Africa.

Another eight invitational teams will also take part, several of whom are expected to include international players.

The draw has yet to be published, but play will begin on Thursday and end at the weekend, with the final knock-out games being played in the main stadium along with the men’s World Series event.