The Northern Women’s Rugby Series comes to an end, with just two matches left to go. The first of these will be in Hong Kong, China, which will take place from March 31 to April 2.
This weekend’s tournament has extra importance, as the United States, Australia and Ireland have a chance to qualify for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
The top four teams from the 2023 World Series qualified directly for the Olympic Games. The first team to do this was the New Zealand captain’s tournament.
France, as the host nation, has its berth secured at Paris 2024, so the next available berth will go to the next team if France finishes in the top four of the World Series.
Australia and the United States are big favorites to qualify for this weekend, with 84 and 82 points respectively. Ireland, in fifth place (58 points), also has a chance to qualify, but they still need a unique combination of results.
How will Australia 7s qualify for the Paris 2024 World Series in Hong Kong, China?
After five world series stops, Australia is second in the standings and has 36 more points than Fiji (sixth) in the Olympic qualifying round. With France already in fourth position and holding its place in Paris 2024 as host nation, Fiji and Great Britain are mathematically the only countries that can avoid qualification for Australia, as 20 points are awarded to the winners of each world.
However, with such an advantage over their rivals in the standings, only six points from Hong Kong, China will give the Aussies a place in Paris 2024, although the teams will manage to go down the table.
After winning the first world series in Dubai, the Australians took two silvers (Cape Town and Vancouver) and a bronze in Hamilton. The only problem in his season was the quarter-final loss to France in January when he was playing at home in Sydney.
In Hong Kong, China, the ‘Aussies’ will begin their journey in group B on Friday, March 31, against Brazil (11th in the standings), before facing Ireland (5th) and Fiji (6th) in the duels. On Saturday, April 1.
Cheta Emba USA (2022 Photos)
How can the United States 7s qualify for the 2024 Paris World Series in Hong Kong, China?
With the addition of eight points in Hong Kong, China, the United States will have a place in the next Olympic Games regardless of what the other teams do, although they could already achieve even less of the Olympic dream.
The Americans are now third in the table with 82 points, just two behind Australia. Team USA has been a model of consistency this season, winning silver in Hamilton and bronze in Dubai, Cape Town, Sydney and Vancouver.
The United States campaign this weekend against Spain (10th) in Pool C on Friday, March 31. Then they will play against Japan on the same day and the next day against France (4th).
Like Australia, the United States is in pole position to advance to the Olympics this weekend.
How will the remaining rugby 7s teams qualify for Paris 2024?
By the end of the Rugby Sevens World Cup, up to five nations will have qualified for Paris 2024: the best four teams in the tournament and host nation France. But if France finishes in the top four of the series, the fifth placed team will also have a ticket to the games.
The next chance to qualify for Paris 2024 will be in the Regional Associations World Rugby Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2023. The venues and dates will be undefined between May 31 and December 31, 2023.
Teams that have already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will not participate in these tournaments, and the winners of each Pre-Olympic tournament will have a place in the next Games.
In those places the distribution will be as follows.
But there will be one opportunity to qualify for Paris 2024: the Equestrian Games Playoff Finals, which will take place at a time to be determined between the end of the Pre-Olympic regional and June 23, 2024.
A total of 12 women’s teams (two from each continent) will compete in this tournament and the winner will get the final place in Paris 2024.
