Ukraine’s rugby sevens teams to play at European Championship
27 June 2024 08:59
The women’s and men’s national teams of Ukraine will play in the 2nd round of the European Rugby League Championship 7th division on 28-30 June, reports "Komersant Ukrainian" The matches will take place in Hamburg, Germany.
Ukraine’s men’s national team will meet France (winners of the first round), Italy and Great Britain in Group A.
Group A: France, Italy, Great Britain, Ukraine.
Calendar of games with the participation of the national team of Ukraine:
28 June
- 13.30 (Kyiv time) France – Ukraine (broadcast: https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/men-s-7s-championship-hamburg/france-v-ukraine).
- 18.52 Italy vs Ukraine (live stream: ttps://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/men-s-7s-championship-hamburg/italy-v-ukraine)
29 June
- 13.22 Great Britain vs Ukraine (live streaming: https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/men-s-7s-championship-hamburg/great-britain-v-ukraine).
Group B: Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Croatia.
Group C: Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, Spain.
After the first round, the men’s national team ranks 12th in the championship.
The rivals of the women’s national team of Ukraine in the group stage will be the national teams of Poland (winners of the opening round), Germany and Great Britain.
Group A: Poland, Ukraine, Germany, Great Britain.
Calendar of games with the participation of the national team of Ukraine:
28 June
- 12.28 (Kyiv time) Poland – Ukraine (broadcast: https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/women-s-7s-championship-hamburg/poland-v-ukraine).
- 17.50 Germany – Ukraine (broadcast: https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/women-s-7s-championship-hamburg/germany-v-ukraine).
29 June
- 11.58 Great Britain vs Ukraine (live streaming: https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/women-s-7s-championship-hamburg/great-britain-v-ukraine).
Group B: France, Portugal, Czech Republic, Ireland.
Group C: Belgium, Turkey, Spain, Italy.
Ukraine’s women’s national team also ranks last, 12th, after the first round.
The broadcasts will also be available on the Rugby Europe YouTube channel.
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens (or rugby 7s, sevens) is a form of rugby that has gained considerable popularity in recent decades. This dynamic game is a shortened version of classic rugby, where instead of 15 players, only 7 take part in each team. Rugby sevens matches are fast-paced, high-scoring and of a shorter duration – usually two halves of 7 minutes each – which makes the sport particularly attractive to viewers and TV broadcasters.
The history of rugby sevens began in Scotland in 1883, but the sport gained global popularity much later. An important milestone in the development of rugby sevens was its inclusion in the Olympic Games programme, starting in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. This significantly raised the status of the game and contributed to its further spread around the world.
Rugby sevens requires players to have a high level of physical fitness, speed, endurance and versatility. Due to the smaller number of players on the field, each participant must be able to perform a variety of functions, from attack to defence. This feature makes the game more open and spectacular, with frequent breakthroughs and bright individual actions.
The most prestigious international tournament in this sport after the Olympic Rugby Sevens Tournament is the Rugby Sevens World Series. It is held annually and includes stages in different countries around the world. In addition, the Rugby Sevens World Cup is held every four years, bringing together the strongest national teams. These competitions contribute to the further development and popularisation of rugby sevens on a global scale.
Neither the men’s nor the women’s national teams of Ukraine participate in the World Series.
Rugby Europe Championship
The Rugby 7s Europe Championship, also known as the European Rugby 7s Championship, is the main continental rugby sevens tournament in Europe. The Championship is organised by Rugby Europe, the European governing body for rugby league, and is an important part of the international rugby league calendar.
The tournament is held annually and includes both men’s and women’s competitions. The format of the championship involves a series of tournaments that take place in different European cities throughout the season. Teams compete for points in each tournament, and the overall winner is determined by the sum of points scored in all stages.
The European Rugby Sevens Championship is a key competition for the development of the sport in Europe. It provides an opportunity for national teams to compete at a high level and prepare for other international tournaments, including the Rugby Sevens World Series and the Olympic Games. In addition, this tournament serves as a qualifying stage for European teams seeking to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.
The championship brings together traditionally strong rugby nations, such as England, France and Ireland, as well as countries where rugby sevens is actively developing. This creates an interesting mix of experienced teams and ambitious newcomers, making the tournament unpredictable and exciting for fans.
Obviously, both Ukrainian teams have virtually no chance of winning this year’s tournament. It is worth mentioning that both our national teams won the right to play in the highest European division only last year, winning the second strongest division – the Trophy. The last team in the Champions League will leave the division and go to the Trophy division, so a more realistic task for the Ukrainian teams is to maintain their registration in the top division.
