Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something to knowledge base
Content stats: 0 posts, 0 articles, 0 media, 0 notes
Members stats: 0 subscribers, 0 contributors, 0 moderators, 0 supporters
Subscribers
Supporters
Contributors
Moderators
Hub AI
Premier Rugby Sevens AI simulator
(@Premier Rugby Sevens_simulator)
Hub AI
Premier Rugby Sevens AI simulator
(@Premier Rugby Sevens_simulator)
Premier Rugby Sevens
Premier Rugby Sevens (PR7s) is an annual American men's and women's rugby sevens competition. The competition follows a touring model and involves 16 teams (8 men's and 8 women's teams) competing against each other across the country. The league was founded in 2021 and is officially sanctioned by USA Rugby as the highest level of rugby sevens in the United States.
The League is the first professional rugby union competition in North America to offer contracts to women.
Premier Rugby Sevens was launched in 2021 by CEO and Founder Owen Scannell. Former USA Men's XV head coach Mike Tolkin joined the league in 2021 as general manager. In May 2021, the league announced 10 ambassadors from the USA Men's and Women's Rugby Sevens teams would join, including Perry Baker, Naya Tapper, Alev Kelter, Danny Barrett, Folau Niua, Stephen Tomasin, Kevon Williams, Abby Gustaitis, Ilona Maher and Carlin Isles. Neither Maher nor Isles would compete in 2021. In August 2021, USA Rugby announced that the league would be officially sanctioned as the highest level of rugby sevens in the United States.
The league's Inaugural Championship took place at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 9, 2021. The League initially began with 10 teams with 6 men's and 4 women's teams. The Experts, Loggerheads, Loonies and Headliners would have a men's team and women's team competing in the two separate tournaments while the Locals and Team would play with only a men's team entered into the competition.
The women's Loonies coached by Olympian Kelly Griffin won the women's tournament, with standout play from Alev Kelter and tournament MVP and Canadian international Delaney Aikens. The men's Experts won the Inaugural Championships behind performances from Perry Baker and tournament MVP Logan Tago. Tago would go on to receive his first USA cap shortly after. The men's final was notably in that it was decided by a drop goal contest with a similar format to association football.
The competition scaled to a three stop circuit in 2022, with tournaments held in San Jose, California, at PayPal Park, Washington, D.C., at Audi Field, and the 2022 Championship at Q2 Stadium. The League scaled back to include only the men's and women's teams, with the Team and Locals removed from competition. The parity between men's and women's teams led to the adoption of nomenclature of "franchises" with each franchise having a men's and women's team. The franchises would then compete for a United Championship which combined the results of the two competitions.
The Headliners were the first United Champions and won the Kathy Flores Women's Championship while the Loggerheads won the A. Jon Prusmack Men's Championship. Notable players appearing in 2022 included All Black Sevens star Brady Rush, USA Rugby Stars Alena Olsen, Martin Iosefo, Matai Leuta and Madison Hughes.
The League announced in December 2022 that in 2023 it would expand into a conference structure and play a five-tournament circuit. Franchises would be split between the Eastern and Western Conferences, with tournaments alternating play each week between the two conferences. Each conference plays two weekends, with the top two men's and women's teams from each conference qualifying for the Championship weekend. Additionally, the 2023 expansion added regional names to the teams for the first time in league history. The rebranded Texas Team and New York Locals would rejoin the men's competition, and add women's teams for the first time. Additionally, the league announced that the Golden State Retrievers and the Pittsburgh Steeltoes would join the league as expansion franchises.
Premier Rugby Sevens
Premier Rugby Sevens (PR7s) is an annual American men's and women's rugby sevens competition. The competition follows a touring model and involves 16 teams (8 men's and 8 women's teams) competing against each other across the country. The league was founded in 2021 and is officially sanctioned by USA Rugby as the highest level of rugby sevens in the United States.
The League is the first professional rugby union competition in North America to offer contracts to women.
Premier Rugby Sevens was launched in 2021 by CEO and Founder Owen Scannell. Former USA Men's XV head coach Mike Tolkin joined the league in 2021 as general manager. In May 2021, the league announced 10 ambassadors from the USA Men's and Women's Rugby Sevens teams would join, including Perry Baker, Naya Tapper, Alev Kelter, Danny Barrett, Folau Niua, Stephen Tomasin, Kevon Williams, Abby Gustaitis, Ilona Maher and Carlin Isles. Neither Maher nor Isles would compete in 2021. In August 2021, USA Rugby announced that the league would be officially sanctioned as the highest level of rugby sevens in the United States.
The league's Inaugural Championship took place at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 9, 2021. The League initially began with 10 teams with 6 men's and 4 women's teams. The Experts, Loggerheads, Loonies and Headliners would have a men's team and women's team competing in the two separate tournaments while the Locals and Team would play with only a men's team entered into the competition.
The women's Loonies coached by Olympian Kelly Griffin won the women's tournament, with standout play from Alev Kelter and tournament MVP and Canadian international Delaney Aikens. The men's Experts won the Inaugural Championships behind performances from Perry Baker and tournament MVP Logan Tago. Tago would go on to receive his first USA cap shortly after. The men's final was notably in that it was decided by a drop goal contest with a similar format to association football.
The competition scaled to a three stop circuit in 2022, with tournaments held in San Jose, California, at PayPal Park, Washington, D.C., at Audi Field, and the 2022 Championship at Q2 Stadium. The League scaled back to include only the men's and women's teams, with the Team and Locals removed from competition. The parity between men's and women's teams led to the adoption of nomenclature of "franchises" with each franchise having a men's and women's team. The franchises would then compete for a United Championship which combined the results of the two competitions.
The Headliners were the first United Champions and won the Kathy Flores Women's Championship while the Loggerheads won the A. Jon Prusmack Men's Championship. Notable players appearing in 2022 included All Black Sevens star Brady Rush, USA Rugby Stars Alena Olsen, Martin Iosefo, Matai Leuta and Madison Hughes.
The League announced in December 2022 that in 2023 it would expand into a conference structure and play a five-tournament circuit. Franchises would be split between the Eastern and Western Conferences, with tournaments alternating play each week between the two conferences. Each conference plays two weekends, with the top two men's and women's teams from each conference qualifying for the Championship weekend. Additionally, the 2023 expansion added regional names to the teams for the first time in league history. The rebranded Texas Team and New York Locals would rejoin the men's competition, and add women's teams for the first time. Additionally, the league announced that the Golden State Retrievers and the Pittsburgh Steeltoes would join the league as expansion franchises.