The World Rugby Sevens Series, played since the 1999-2000 sevens season, was initially dominated by New Zealand who won the first six tournaments up to 2004/05.
The series, highlighted by a World Cup every four years, has ten international rugby sevens tournaments that falls under the auspices of World Rugby.
The goal of the series was to promote an elite-level of international rugby sevens, but its inclusion in the Olympic Games in 2016 has boosted the game and also the World Sevens Series and the greater revenue has led to a greater number of the core teams to field professional squads.
The seven a side rugby circuit generally starts late November/early December and lasts until May with 10 tournaments played across 10 countries.
The United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, France and England each host one event.
Sixteen teams participate in each tournament. Teams accumulate points based on their position in each tournament.
New Zealand had originally dominated the Series, winning all first the first six season titles (1999-2000 to 2004/05). Fiji, South Africa and Samoa have since each won season titles.
The Sevens series for women follows the same concept but with less tournaments, and with two exceptions is played at the same venue and time as the men’s tournaments in line with recent adaptations to the competition.
