Sport Rugby union No. of teams 12 Most recent
champion(s) France (2nd title) Number of teams 12 | Founded 2011 Country European Most titles Portugal (8 titles) | |
The Sevens Grand Prix Series is a European competition of 7-a-side rugby. It was formerly known as the FIRA European Sevens. It is organized as a series of tournament, following the model of the IRB Sevens World Series. The first edition of this competition was held in 2011 with a victory of Portugal.
Contents
Format
The twelve teams are playing several tournaments. After the pool phase (2 pools of 6 teams), the teams are distributed in the Cup competition (two first of each pool), the Plate (3rd and 4th) or the Bowl (last two). Points are allocated following the ranking in each tournament. At the end of the series, the Champion is declared. The tournament last two day and each game have to period of 7 minutes except the final of the Cup which is 2x10 minutes.
2002–2010
A number of qualifying tournaments lead up to a finals tournament, which functions as the European championship and, in 2008, also as the qualifying stage for the Sevens World Cup.
The first European Championship was held in 2002 in Heidelberg, Germany, and was won by Portugal, the team that won every men's championship since except 2007 and 2009, when Russia won. In 2003, the tournament was again held in Heidelberg and, in 2004, Palma de Mallorca, Spain was the host. From 2005 to 2007, Moscow was the host of the tournament.
Hanover held the tournament for the first time in 2008 and did so again in 2009. In 2010, the tournament return to Moscow.
2011–2014
In 2011, the format of the competition changed. The twelve best teams meet on several tournaments, following the model of the IRB Sevens World Series. The name also changed, the European Championship was known as Sevens Grand Prix Series.
Partners
Société Générale, Eurosport 2 (Official broadcaster), Berugbe