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Team USA’s rugby squad will start their quest for their first Olympic medal as the Paris Games’ rugby sevens tournament kicks off on Sunday.
This will only be the third time that rugby sevens has been featured in the Olympics, following its debut at the 2016 Rio Games.
How the Olympic rugby sevens tournament operates
Unlike traditional rugby with 15 player teams and 40-minute halves, rugby sevens consists of seven-player teams competing through two seven-minute halves. The Olympic rugby sevens tournament is played over three consecutive days to reflect the fast-paced nature of the sport.
Twelve teams are divided into three groups of four for round-robin pool play to earn points – three for a win, two for a draw, and one for a loss – from Sunday, July 28th through the first half of Monday, July 29th.
The top two teams in each group, along with the next two best overall teams, move on to Monday afternoon’s quarterfinals.
Teams eliminated from the playoffs will have “placing” matches on Tuesday, July 30th to determine their official Olympic ranking. These matches will be played alongside the semifinals before the bronze and gold medal matches conclude the tournament.
Veterans leading Team USA’s Olympic campaign
Team USA is aiming to improve on their fifth and sixth-place finishes in Rio and Tokyo, respectively, relying on their experience to achieve that. Seven of the 12 players on the team are Olympic veterans, with two, Lauren Doyle and Alev Kelter, having competed in both previous Olympic showcases. Doyle, along with fellow Tokyo veteran Naya Tapper, co-captains the team, which also includes US rugby star and TikTok personality Ilona Maher.
Despite their veteran presence, Team USA will face tough competition from top teams like Australia and New Zealand, the previous gold medalists in Rio and Tokyo. In addition, Team GB, ranked No. 1 in the world, will be a challenging opponent, seeking redemption for their fourth-place finishes in 2016 and 2021.
How to watch Team USA in the rugby sevens tournament
Team USA will kick off their pool play against Japan at 10:30 AM ET followed by a match against Brazil at 2 PM ET on Sunday, July 28th, with live coverage available on NBC platforms.
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