The London Sevens is played annually as part of the IRB Sevens World Series for international rugby sevens (seven-a-side version of rugby union). The 2009 competition took place on May 23 and May 24 in London, England, and was the seventh Cup trophy in the 2008-09 IRB Sevens World Series. England won the most prestigious Cup trophy, with an extra time 31-26 victory over New Zealand; Fiji won the Plate trophy, Kenya won the Bowl trophy, and Canada won the Shield trophy.
Contents
Format
The tournament consists of four round-robin pools of four teams. All sixteen teams progress to the knockout stage. The top two teams from each group progress to quarter-finals in the main competition, with the winners of those quarter-finals competing in cup semi-finals and the losers competing in plate semi-finals. The bottom two teams from each group progress to quarter-finals in the consolation competition, with the winners of those quarter-finals competing in bowl semi-finals and the losers competing in shield semi-finals.