Source: Mike Lee KLC Fotos

Eight teams qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

  • +1

Eight teams have now qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games through the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2019 after securing a top-four finish in the men’s and women’s competitions.

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series carried added significance this season as the principal route for qualification to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

In the men’s series, which culminated in the French capital Paris earlier this month, Fiji, USA, New Zealand and South Africa secured their places in Japan.

The women’s series concludes in Biarritz, France, this weekend with New Zealand, USA, Canada and Australia having all secured a top-four spot in the standings to book their ticket to Tokyo.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Congratulations to the eight teams that have now qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by securing a top-four spot on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2019.

“The standard of rugby played in this competition is exceptional and increases year-on-year, so to finish within the top four is an outstanding achievement.

“We have seen unprecedented growth in this competition since its inception, and next season will be no different as the women’s series increases to eight rounds for the first time in its history.

“2020 will be a big year for rugby sevens as it makes its second appearance on the Olympic Games programme in Tokyo, and we are very excited to watch these teams in action there next summer.”

The eight teams will join Japan’s men’s and women’s teams who were guaranteed automatic qualification as host nation.

Brazil’s women have also confirmed their place at Tokyo 2020 after winning the South American regional qualifier in Lima, Peru, on 1-2 June.

The second regional qualifier will be the South America men’s tournament, hosted in Santiago, Chile, on 29-30 June, 2019.

Regional qualification tournaments for North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa will take place between July and November this year.

The final opportunity for teams to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be in the World Rugby Olympic Repechage tournaments held next year.

Courtesy of World Rugby