The World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series is being expanded to support more sponsors and run in parallel with the men’s edition, according to a new report from The Telegraph.
The decision was taken by World Rugby, but title sponsor HSBC was reportedly behind the push for a larger and more high-profile women’s competition.
Next season, World Rugby will increase the number of stops in the women’s series from six to eight, and will also increase the number of men’s and women’s events played concurrently in the same host city.
From next season until 2023, the men’s World Rugby Sevens Series will continue to have 10 legs, but for the first time ever, six will run in tandem with the women’s competition.
This season, only Dubai and Sydney hosted concurrent men’s and women’s events, but next season they will be joined by Hong Kong, Cape Town, Hamilton and Paris.