Countries on the series

Since winning bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Canada has continued to cement its place as one of the most dominant teams on the series. They reached the podium at five out of the six stops on the 2017 series, taking home one gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Canada will be looking to build on the success of their bronze medal win at Sydney Sevens in 2018, as 2019 remains a qualifying year for the 2020 Olympic Games. With a strong leadership core, an extremely talented roster, and a passionate crowd behind them, Canada is limitless in the pursuit of a World Series Championship.

Australia entered the 2018 series with vengeance claiming a podium spot at every tour stop and cementing two golds, two silver and one bronze medal in their name. They competed in the historic Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where the home field advantage worked in their favour as the took home a Silver medal. With players nearing the top of the stats list, Australia will look to keep the winning streak alive in 2019.

Beating South Africa at the Hong Kong Sevens qualifying tournament, China solidified themselves as the 12^th team on this year’s women’s series. As the newest core team on tour, China will face strong veteran competitors throughout the 6 stops. Fans got a taste of China’s competitive play at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco this past summer and the team quickly became a crowd favourite with their stellar plays and last minute points. They are sure to bring the same excitement to the pitch in 2019.

Although they are an always competitive side, England have found themselves in the middle of the pack in the World Rugby standings, finishing 8^th in the 2018 series. They won bronze at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games after defeating Canada to reach the podium. This win showed signs of the 2016 England squad that took home two bronze medals and a gold, finishing 4^th in the series overall. They finished the season by winning the Challenge Trophy at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco.

Playing one of the most unique styles, the “Fijian Globetrotters” are forging a name for themselves. Their uncanny ability to offload keeps opponents on their heels and fans on their feet. They finished fourth in the 2017 series and were part of history at this year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games as they competed in the inaugural tournament for women’s rugby sevens. Always a fan favourite, Fiji showcased their most impressive performances at Kitakyushu and Paris Sevens during the 2018 series, leading them to a top ten finish in the series standings.

France became a core team for the first time in 2015 and has since grown to be an impressing competitive team year after year. 2018 turned out to be the team’s year as they won their first podium spot at Kitakyushu 7s claiming a silver medal. That competitive spirit lead the team to finish third overall in the series standings and eventually lead them to a silver medal at the summer’s Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. They have become a powerhouse squad that every team will need to keep their eye on in 2019.

Ireland have made their way up the rankings since the 2016 series, finishing 9^th in 2017. They showcased their most competitive skills of the year at Langford Sevens, surprising fans and giving many top team’s a run for their money. They finished the 2018 series in tenth place, but equipped with strong talent and leadership, Ireland could quickly become a top five squad in 2019.

New Zealand are not only the reigning Canada Women’s Sevens Champions, but also stand as a five-time World Series champion. The claimed a historic gold medal win at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and at Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. With many players topping the stats list, the Black Ferns are not only a massive strength on the field, but an extremely exciting team to watch from the stands.

Russia has found themselves in a podium position for many years on the series. They started 2018 strong winning bronze at Dubai Sevens, but after a series of player injuries, began to often finds themselves moving down the ranks as the tour continued. As a team that has vastly improved year after year, there is no doubt that Russia will be seeking redemption and be ready to compete in 2019.