Women’s Rugby USA Team Aims for Historic Rugby Sevens Victory
By Mohamed Bahaa
Team USA's rugby sevens team is poised to embark on a historic journey as they aim for their inaugural Olympic medal at the Paris Games, starting this Sunday. This year marks the third Olympic appearance for rugby sevens since its introduction at the 2016 Rio Games.
Understanding the Rugby Sevens Olympic Format
Rugby sevens is a high-paced variant of traditional rugby, featuring seven players per side and shorter, seven-minute halves. This format results in a brisk and dynamic tournament, which spans just three consecutive days.
The competition begins with twelve teams divided into three groups of four, engaging in round-robin pool play from Sunday, July 28th, to Monday, July 29th. Points are awarded as follows: three for a win, two for a draw, and one for a loss. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best-performing teams overall, will advance to the quarterfinals on Monday afternoon.
Tuesday, July 30th, will see teams eliminated from the playoffs compete in "placing" matches, determining their final Olympic rankings. These games run concurrently with the semifinals, culminating in the bronze and gold medal matches that close out the tournament.
Veteran Leadership Fuels Team USA's Ambitions
With a desire to improve upon their fifth and sixth-place finishes in Rio and Tokyo, Team USA relies heavily on their seasoned veterans. Seven of the twelve players have previous Olympic experience, including 33-year-olds Lauren Doyle and Alev Kelter, who have competed in both prior Olympic rugby sevens events. Doyle, along with Tokyo veteran Naya Tapper, serves as co-captain. The squad also boasts the talents of US rugby star and social media influencer Ilona Maher.
However, achieving a podium finish will require overcoming formidable opponents such as the reigning Olympic champions—Australia from Rio and New Zealand from Tokyo. Additionally, Team GB, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, is eager to rectify their fourth-place finishes from the last two Olympics, presenting a significant challenge.
Schedule for Team USA's Matches
Team USA kicks off their pool play with a match against Japan at 10:30 AM ET, followed by a game against No. 40 Brazil at 2 PM ET on Sunday, July 28th. Waiting to witness the team's quest for Olympic glory.
JUDY ROTICH