On October 4, 2012, the International Rugby Board, now known as World Rugby, announced the launch of a circuit now known as the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, the women's counterpart to the World Rugby Sevens Series for men. The inaugural 2012–13 season featured four events, with the USA Women's Sevens taking place at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston as the second event in February 2013.
The following are details of all official regional women's international championship played in the USA since the first tournament in 2006, listed chronologically with the earliest first, with all result details, where known.
Rugby sevens background Rugby sevens - a short form of the sport of rugby union - was first played in 1883, with the first (men's) internationals taking place in 1973. As women's rugby union developed in the 1960s and 1970s the format became very popular as it allowed games, and entire leagues, to be developed in countries even when player numbers were small, and it remains the main form the women's game is played in most parts of the world.
However, although the first Women's international rugby union 15-a-side test match took place in 1982, it was not until 1997 before the first Women's International Rugby Union Sevens tournaments were played, when the Hong Kong Sevens included a women's tournament for the first time. Over the next decade the number of tournaments grew, with almost every region developing regular championship. This reached its zenith with 2009's inaugural women's tournament for the Rugby World Cup Sevens, shortly followed by the announcement that women's rugby sevens will be included in the Olympics from 2016.
Results Summary of results in the United States leg of the World Rugby Women's Sevens series:
Year VenueCup finalPlacings Winner Score Runner-up Third Fourth Plate2013BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston29–122014Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw36–02015Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw50–12 Winner Score Runner-up Third Fourth Fifth2016Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw24–192017Sam Boyd Stadium, Whitney28–52018 Infinity Park, Glendale 33–7 2019 Infinity Park, Glendale 26–7 2024Dignity Health Sports Park, Los Angeles29–14
USA Tournament 2006 Venue: Los Angeles, USA (Source USA Rugby) USA 5-0 Canada Note: Believed to be as an exhibition match. It is also possible that the teams played a second time, before the final of the men's competition.
USA Tournament 2007 Played at San Diego, USA, on 9 and 10 February 2007 (Source USA Rugby)
Known Participants: USA A, USA B, Canada A, Canada B, China
China bt Canada A Canada B bt China USA A bt China USA B bt China
Final Canada B bt USA A China 4th
USA Sevens 2008 Venue/Date: San Diego, 9–10 February 2008 Initially Kazakhstan, China, New Zealand and Australia were expected
Pool 1 Canada, USA A, Canada Collegiate
Pool 2 USA, Canada A, South Africa Plus exhibition match USA vs South Africa
Group stages Although in groups of three, four teams played three games whilst the two A teams only played 2 each. The results are presented as one table.
Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against USA 3 0 0 60 7 Canada 3 0 0 74 25 USA A 1 0 1 25 26 Canada A 0 0 2 5 45 South Africa 1 0 2 38 45 Canada Collegiate 0 0 3 5 59 Canada A 5-21 South Africa Canada Collegiate 0-15 USA A USA 21-7 South Africa Canada 29-5 Canada Collegiate USA 24-0 Canada A Canada 26-10 USA A Canada 19-10 South Africa USA 15-0 Canada Collegiate
Classification matches 5th Place Canada Collegiate 10-24 South Africa 3rd Place USA A 12-20 Canada A Final USA 19-5 Canada Exhibition Match USA 17-12 South Africa
USA Sevens 2009 Venue/Date: 9 February 2009. San Diego (alongside the IRB event).
This tournament is ostensibly a World Cup warm up. There are 7 teams (including USA 2) and rather than playing in groups, each team plays three opponents and they are then all assessed to decide the classification participants. The teams (in "seed" order)are England, NZ Maori, Canada, USA, USA 2, China, Japan The subsequent classification games place Japan above China but the Chinese results are better against tougher opponents, as is the points for and points difference. Japan also appear to have played four games.
Group Games POOL A Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against England 3 0 0 70 7 NZ Maori 3 0 0 72 24 USA 2 0 1 66 19 Canada 2 0 1 55 32 USA 2 1 0 2 27 37 Japan 0 0 4 5 132 China 0 0 3 17 61 England 36-0 Japan Canada 17-5 USA 2 USA 21-0 China NZ Maori 36-0 Japan England 15-7 USA 2 Canada 26-5 China USA 45-0 Japan NZ Maori 22-12 Canada USA 2 15-5 Japan England 19-0 USA NZ Maori 14-12 China
Classification Games 5th 6th Play-off USA 2 17-7 Japan Semi Final 1st vs 4th England 29-0 Canada Semi Final 2nd vs 3rd USA 12-0 New Zealand Final England 17-12 USA (sudden death, 12-12 at full time)
USA Sevens 2010 Venue/Date: 12 February 2009. Whitney, Nevada (alongside the IRB event). POOL A Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against USA White 3 0 0 65 31 China 2 0 1 72 38 France 2 0 1 58 26 Canada University 2 0 1 38 27 Germany 0 0 3 31 82 USA Blue 0 0 3 22 82
USA White 19-12 China France 29-12 USA Blue USA White 29-12 Germany Canada University 14-0 France China 24-19 Germany Canada University 17-10 USA Blue USA White 17-7 Canada University France 29-0 Germany China 36-0 USA Blue 5th/6th place USA Blue 38-12 Germany
Semi-finals Semifinal: USA White 17-7 Canada National University Semifinal: China 26-14 France
3rd/4th place Canada University 31-0 France
Final USA White 0-10 China
USA Sevens 2011 Date/Venue: February 11–13, 2011. Whitney, Nevada Australia, Brazil and Kenya were originally expected, and Kenya only withdrew a week before due to visa problems, being replaced by the Hawaiian Select. Tyrolian Select - from the Women Rugby Club, Innsburck - had originally intended to take part in the club event. The final was broadcast on NBC in North America. POOL A Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against Netherlands 2 0 1 120 27 Canada 2 0 1 83 19 USA 2 0 1 65 26 Tyrolian Select 0 0 3 0 198 USA 43-0 Tyrolian Select Canada 12-10 Netherlands USA 15-21 Netherlands Canada 66-0 Tyrolian Select USA 7-5 Canada Netherlands 89-0 Tyrolian Select
5th to 8th Place USA 17-5 Hawaii Select Maple Leafs 52-0 Tyrolian Select 7th Place Hawaii Select 34-0 Tyrolian Select 5th Place USA 26-7 Maple Leafs POOL B Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against Spain 3 0 0 60 19 France 2 0 1 69 21 Maple Leafs 1 0 2 38 41 Hawaii Select 0 0 3 7 88 France 21-7 Maple Leafs Spain 26-7 Hawaii Select France 36-0 Hawaii Select Spain 20-5 Maple Leafs France 12-14 Spain Hawaii Select 0-26 Maple Leafs
Semi Finals Spain 0-15 Canada Netherlands 17-7 France 3rd Place Spain 12-15 France Final Canada 17-12 Netherlands
USA Sevens 2012 Chile and "Adler Sevens" (German development team) also took part in the Women's Elite Sevens. Adler beat Chile 22-5 on the way to winning the tournament. Date/Venue: February 10–12, 2012. Whitney, Nevada POOL A Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against Canada 3 0 0 80 7 Netherlands 2 0 1 48 33 Stars & Stripes 1 0 2 48 43 Brazil 0 0 3 5 97 Netherlands 12-5 Stars & Stripes Canada 26-0 Brazil Netherlands 36-0 Brazil Canada 26-7 Stars & Stripes Brazil 5-36 Stars & Stripes Canada 28-0 Netherlands
5th to 8th Place Maple Leafs 5-12 Brazil Stars & Stripes 14-5 Japan
7th Place Maple Leafs 27-14 Japan 5th Place Brazil 21-19 Stars & Stripes POOL B Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against USA 3 0 0 58 24 France 2 0 1 45 34 Maple Leafs 1 0 2 34 31 Japan 0 0 3 5 58 France 14-5 Maple Leafs USA 17-5 Japan France 19-0 Japan USA 22-7 Maple Leafs Japan 0-22 Maple Leafs USA 19-12 France
Semi Finals Canada 21-12 France USA 17-5 Netherlands
3rd Place Netherlands 12-17 France Final USA 5-14 Canada
Women's Sevens World Series (USA) Venue: Houston 1–2 February 2013
Group A Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 72 12 2 0 1 90 19 1 0 2 59 57 0 0 3 5 136 50-0 17-7 14-35 48-0 38-5 7-5
Group B Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 2 1 0 75 31 2 1 0 67 26 1 0 1 60 46 0 0 2 0 99 0-27 12-12 19-22 0-31 0-41 24-14
Plate Semi Finals (5th-8th) Netherlands 19-5 Canada Russia 20-0 South Africa
7th/8th Match Canada 33-0 South Africa
Plate final: 5th/6th Match Netherlands 10-29 Russia
Group C Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 68 22 2 0 1 61 20 1 0 2 34 67 0 0 3 12 66 31-12 27-0 22-0 24-5 12-17 15-10
Bowl Semi Finals (9th-12th) Japan 12-7 Trinidad Brazil 25-5 Argentina
11th/12th Match Trinidad 5-25 Argentina
Bowl final:9th/10th Match Japan 7-12 Brazil
Quarter-finals (1st-8th) England 19-14 Netherlands USA 15-7 Russia Canada 10-12 New Zealand Australia 17-12 South Africa (AET)
Cup Semi Finals (1st-4th) England 19-12 New Zealand United States 17-5 Australia
3rd/4th place New Zealand 12-17 Australia
Cup Final: 1st/2nd place England 29-12 United States
USA Sevens 2013
Venue: Sam Boyd Stadium, Whitney, Nevada 8–9 February 2013
Pool A Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 71 0 2 0 1 50 17 1 0 2 14 76 Laia Parkside 0 0 3 0 42 USA Stars 36-0 Argentina Maple Leafs Black 14-0 Laia Parkside USA Stars 14-0 Laia Parkside Maple Leafs Black 40-0 Argentina USA Stars 0-17 Maple Leafs Black Argentina 14-0 Laia Parkside
Pool B Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 122 5 Emperor's Atlantis 2 0 1 42 43 Beavers International Elite 1 0 2 19 55 0 0 3 12 96 Maple Leafs Red 38-0 Beavers International Elite Trinidad & Tobago 7-25 Emperor's Atlantis Maple Leafs Red 29-5 Emperor's Atlantis Trinidad & Tobago 5-12 Beavers International Elite Maple Leafs Red 55-0 Trinidad & Tobago Emperor's Atlantis 12-7 Beavers International Elite
Plate Semi Finals (5th-8th)
7th/8th Match
Plate final: 5th/6th Match
Group C Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 88 14 2 0 1 62 40Dog River Howlers 1 0 2 19 55 0 0 3 7 67 Japan 29-0 Combined Services USA Stripes 29-0 Dog River Howlers Japan 19-7 Dog River Howlers USA Stripes 26-0 Combined Services Japan 14-33 USA Stripes Combined Services 7-12 Dog River Howlers
Bowl Semi Finals (9th-12th) Combined Services v Laia Parkside Argentina v Trinidad & Tobago
11th/12th Match
Bowl final:9th/10th Match
Quarter-finals (1st-8th) Maple Leafs Red bt Dog River Howlers USA Stars lost to Japan USA Stripes v Beavers International Maple Leafs Black bt Emperors Atlantis
Cup Semi Finals (1st-4th) Maple Leafs Red bt Japan USA Stripes lost to Maple Leafs Black
3rd/4th place Japan v USA Stripes
Cup Final: 1st/2nd place Maple Leafs Red 19-0 Maple Leafs Black
Women's Sevens World Series (USA) 2014
Venue: Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw, Georgia, 15–16 February 2014
Group A Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 100 7 2 0 1 55 12 1 0 2 41 48 0 0 3 0 119 Australia 31-0 China Canada 31-0 United States Australia 17-0 United States Canada 47-0 China United States 41-0 China Australia 7-12 Canada
Group B Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 71 12 2 0 1 46 36 1 0 2 19 68 0 0 3 22 52 New Zealand 21-0 Netherlands England 22-0 Ireland New Zealand 36-7 Ireland England 19-12 Netherlands Ireland 12-10 Netherlands New Zealand 14-5 England
Plate Semi Finals (5th-8th) United States 19-5 England Spain 24-0 Japan
7th/8th Match England 19-12 Japan
Plate final: 5th/6th Match United States 22-0 Spain
Group C Nation Won Drawn Lost For Against 3 0 0 100 19 2 0 1 33 43 1 0 2 40 36 0 0 3 17 82 Russia 29-0 Japan Spain 19-5 Brazil Russia 42-5 Brazil Spain 7-12 Japan Brazil 7-21 Japan Russia 19-14 Spain
Bowl Semi Finals (9th-12th) Ireland 7-26 China Netherlands 17-10 Brazil
11th/12th Match Ireland 5-20 Brazil
Bowl final:9th/10th Match China 0-33 Netherlands
Quarter-finals (1st-8th) Canada 26-12 USA Australia 17-12 (AET) England Russia 29-0 Spain New Zealand 42-0 Japan
Cup Semi Finals (1st-4th) Canada 17-7 Australia Russia 7-24 New Zealand
3rd/4th place Australia 22-12 Russia
Cup Final: 1st/2nd place Canada 0-36 New Zealand
Women's Sevens World Series (USA) 2015
Venue: Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw, Georgia 14–15 February 2015
Group A