Toulouse 7s: Shujaa land kind draw in penultimate season outing

The men's national rugby 7s side Shujaa have been handed a kind draw in the penultimate outing of the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Seven Series outing that will take place in Toulouse, France from 12 to 14 May as they were drawn against fellow relegation threatened sides Canada, Uruguay and current Series leaders New Zealand in Pool A.

Positioned in 13th place on 37 points at the moment, Shujaa, who are yet to make any cup quarter final this season, have been handed a lifeline as they seek to take as many points as possible off 14th placed Canada and Uruguay who are in 11th position with New Zealand being the difficult test.

Pool B features Argentina, Great Britain, Spain and the invitational side from Germany.

Defending HSBC France Sevens champions Fiji headline Pool C and will meet hosts France, South Africa and USA while Pool D includes Samoa, Australia, Japan and Ireland. 

How relegation will be determined

The 2023 Series is continuing to be the most competitive in history with the prize of Olympic Games Paris 2024 qualification on offer for the top four women’s and men’s teams in the 2023 Series standings.

Hosts France men and women have pre-qualified for next summer’s pinnacle event in the nation’s capital, while New Zealand, USA and Australia women have also secured their spots.

The stakes couldn’t be higher at the bottom end of the men’s Series this season as well.

Following the penultimate event in Toulouse, the 15th ranked team will be relegated while the 12th through 14th ranked teams will face off against the Sevens Challenger Series 2023 winner for the 12th and final position on the 2024 Series at HSBC London Sevens.

As it stands, Japan (16 points) hold the lowest ranking among core teams, while Canada (24), Kenya (37), Spain (48) and Uruguay (40) will be fervently trying to accumulate points in Toulouse to avoid relegation and the playoff in London.

The men’s Series has seen five different winners (Australia, Samoa, South Africa, Argentina and New Zealand) through the opening nine tournaments.

New Zealand, who won tournaments in Sydney, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore, currently sit atop the Series standings with 164 points, followed by Argentina (140), who won in Hamilton and Vancouver, closely trailed by Singapore bronze medalists Fiji with 130 points, Paris 2024 hosts France with 122 points, Australia with 112 points and Samoa with 111 points.

Relegation threatened Shujaa set to rope in experienced Amonde, Agero to help team avoid the drop

Toulouse 7s Pools

Pool A: New Zealand, Uruguay, Kenya 7s, Canada

Pool B: Argentina, Great Britain, Spain, Germany

Pool C: Fiji, France, South Africa, USA

Pool D: Samoa, Australia, Japan, Ireland