Written By: Jason Clinkscales
Source: Sportico
The post-Olympics boom is spreading to rugby, as USA Rugby and Premier Rugby Sevens announced that the men’s and women’s national teams will compete in PR7’s All-Star Tournament on Nov. 17 in Portland, Ore. The exhibition will be the first competition on American soil for Team USA since the summer’s Paris Games.
“We’re proud to welcome our Olympic heroes back to the U.S. in a celebration of our sport,” Owen Scannell, Premier Rugby Sevens founder and CEO, said in a statement. “Our PR7s All-Star format ensures high-level competition as the U.S. national teams prepare to return to international competition in Dubai in late November. Portland is a perfect market to celebrate rugby’s growth in America, and we’re thrilled to make history with USA Rugby.”
In this brand of rugby, teams of seven players compete in short, 14-minute knockout matches leading to semifinals, consolation and championship rounds. For the All-Star event, both the men and women of Team USA will face a collection of the league’s top players, including some who competed in past Olympics.
PR7s launched in 2021 and is the highest level of rugby sevens sanctioned by USA Rugby. The league has a touring model in which all eight of its geographically based teams play on the same weekend. Its next season will be the summer of 2025.
“This is a great opportunity for fans to see our Olympians back in action and for rugby to continue building momentum in the U.S. with our partners at PR7s,” said USA Rugby CEO Bill Goren. “The PR7s All-Star Tournament will highlight American rugby’s competitiveness and promote our sport’s inclusiveness and excitement.”
“The excitement and energy we witnessed during the Paris Olympics were just the beginning of what’s possible for rugby,” Nigel Cass, World Rugby’s chief competitions and performance officer said in an email. “The Premier Rugby Sevens All-Star Tournament in Portland brings that momentum stateside, showcasing the talent and spirit that make rugby sevens such a captivating game. As the U.S. continues to emerge as a key market for rugby, events like this are vital for inspiring new fans, celebrating our Olympians, and highlighting the potential for growth in the sport across North America.”
In Paris, 43 men and women athletes from PR7s competed for 11 national teams. Among the women, 12 won bronze for the U.S. (the nation’s first medal in rugby sevens), while five took home gold for New Zealand and four silver for Canada. The Fiji men’s team, which won silver, had two PR7s competitors.
Rugby sevens pulled in millions of eyeballs during the Summer Games, with Ilona Maher quickly becoming a celebrity in the U.S. because of her social media presence and stellar play in leading the U.S. women to bronze. With her platform elevated in Paris, Maher was selected to participate in the current season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.
The growing interest in rugby compelled Michele Kang, owner of three women’s soccer clubs under her Kynisca Sports International umbrella, to donate $4 million over the next four years to the USA women’s rugby sevens team.
