Premiership Rugby 7s Series
Current season or competition:: 2017 Premiership Rugby Sevens Series
|
|
Competition logo
|
|
| Sport | Rugby sevens |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 2010 |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Country | England Wales (Since 2014) |
| Holders | Wasps (2016) |
| Most titles | Gloucester 7s (2 titles) |
| Website | premiershiprugby.com |
| Broadcast partner |
ESPN UK (2010–12) BT Sport (2013–) |
| Related competition | World Club 7s |
The Premiership Rugby Sevens Series (known as the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series from 2015, though sponsorship from Singha) is a Rugby Sevens competition for the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs that will play the following season (i.e. the 2010 competition features the teams playing in the Aviva Premiership in the 2010–11 season). It was started in 2010, as an off-season competition, held during the months of July and August. Between 2014 and 2016 the competition included the four Welsh regions which compete in the Pro14.
All the games are played according to the International Rugby Board Laws of the Game – 7s Variations.
Originally, the twelve Premiership clubs were split into three pools, each playing on three consecutive Friday nights, on one of the teams grounds. Following expansion, the four Welsh regions compete in their own pool.
Teams play on a round-robin format and are awarded points based on the results of the matches. Teams are awarded:
Following the completion of all the matches in a pool, both the winner and runner-up progress to the final.
For the final, the final six teams were split into two pools. The teams again play each other on a round-robin basis, receiving points in the same manner as in the pool stage. After the pool stage of the final, the respective winners of the pools play each other in the grand final, the winner of that game being declared the winner of the competition.
Following the expansion to include the Welsh regions, the format of the finals was changed.
Eight teams contested the quarter-finals, and the format resembled a traditional sevens final day, with the losers of the quarter-finals contesting a plate competition, and the winners a cup competition. The winner of the cup competition is the series winner.
For 2017 a new format was introduced with the four Welsh regions no longer taking part and all matches taking place in one venue over two days. The 12 Aviva Premiership teams were split into four pools of three with all group matches taking place on the first day and the competition splitting into bowl, plate and cup tournaments on the second day.
Initially, each event in the competition was broadcast live on ESPN. Highlights were shown on ITV4 the following Sunday.
On 25 February 2013, BT announced that it had acquired ESPN's UK channels and their sports broadcasting rights. The 2013 edition of the competition, including the final, was broadcast live on the new BT Sport channel. The channel was launched on Thursday 1 August, the first day of the competition. Highlights of the 2013 competition were shown on STV in Scotland. In 2014, Welsh language channel S4C broadcast the first round of the tournament (containing the four regions) live.
...
Wikipedia