Premiership Rugby Sevens Series
| Premiership Rugby 7s Series | |
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Current season or competition:: 2016 Premiership Rugby Sevens Series
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Competition logo
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| Sport | Rugby sevens |
| Inaugural season | 2010 |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Country | England Wales (Since 2014) |
| Holders | Wasps (2015) |
| 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. Since 2014, the competition has been expanded to include the 4 Welsh Regions that compete in the Pro12.
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 3 consecutive Friday nights, at one of the teams home grounds. Following expansion, the four Welsh Regions compete in their own pool, alongside the three premiership pools.
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 6 teams were split into 2 pools. The teams again played 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 for the finals was changed.
Now the 8 teams contest quarter finals, and the format resembles more a traditional sevens final day. As the losers of the quarter finals contest a plate competition, and the winners a cup competition. The winner of the cup competition is considered the series winner.
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, will be broadcast live on the new BT Sport channel. The channel will launch 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.
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