Host nation for the 2021 PacificAus Sports Oceania Sevens Australia will battle it out with 2016 Olympics champion Fiji in the opening round on June 25 at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
This was confirmed in the draw for the sevens tournament released today by Oceania Rugby.
That match will be followed by World Series champions New Zealand against the Oceania Barbarians, before the women’s teams close out the opening session.
According to Oceania Rugby, the three-day tournament will mirror the Olympic format, with each team playing two matches a day – one in each session.
Each team will play the other three teams twice, with the highest ranked team after six matches declared champion.
All matches will be played at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium from June 25-27, with the afternoon session on Friday and Saturday starting at 2pm, followed by the evening session at 7.30pm.
The Sunday sessions will start earlier at 12.30pm and 5.45pm, respectively.
The Townsville 7s Festival will be played in between each session, with teams from Townsville District Rugby Union playing in matches ranging from U8s to senior men and women.
The event will feature the national men’s and women’s sides from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, starring Olympic, Commonwealth and Rugby World Cup Sevens champions. They will be joined by an Oceania Barbarians side in both draws.
According to Oceania Rugby, this will be the first time the men’s teams from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji team have played in the same tournament since the Vancouver Sevens in March 2020, with the women last playing together in Sydney, a month earlier.
Australia and New Zealand played a six-match series in Auckland in May, but Fiji has not played an international match since early 2020.
This will be the last official hit-out for the three national teams before the Tokyo Olympic Tournament, which begins July 26, and will ensure teams the best possible preparation for the Games.
