Talking from Hong Kong, World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin has said of nailing down the details of the second season of the revamped SVNS series: “We want to get to the point where, at the end of Madrid, we can say ‘next season looks like this’.”
After the buzz of the Hong Kong Sevens, the SVNS series moves onto Singapore and then a ‘Grand Final’ event in Madrid at the end of May, where there will be titles decided, as well as a relegation-promotion play-off between the bottom sides and the top teams from the Challenger Series.
But in the interim, some unions are wondering what their fate will be and if they will remain on the series, or if the sport’s governing body will seek to place themselves in new markets.
For example, Rugby World understands that the Vancouver Sevens was not originally included in plans for the inaugural SVNS series, but was a late inclusion. Will the Canadian event – which is so important to the union – get the nod again?
“We’re gonna obviously review all that and a lot of that review is about talking to the teams and understanding their experiences,” says Gilpin. “What worked for them and what we can improve on. We want to get to the point where, at the end of Madrid, we can say ‘next season looks like this’.
“So as you can imagine we’re in conversations with the host partners that we’ve had this year, some of them new, some like Hong Kong and Dubai, who are obviously huge, established parts of of sevens. And it’s different because this year has been all about making sure that we’ve got the best possible experience.
“How do we make sure that teams are prepared as well as possible for Olympic Games? I think we have found that balance, and we’ve got a format that’s prepared the teams really well for what will be spectacular in Paris.
“Next season, we don’t have the Olympics the end of the year. So again, can we listen more to the team can try and make the adjustments that are needed to give them what they need.”
Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.