Team USA Goes for Gold in Olympic Rugby Sevens Tournament

Team USA’s rugby squad will start their quest for their first-ever Olympic medal at the Paris Games’ rugby sevens tournament on Sunday.

This marks only the third time rugby sevens has been featured in the Olympics, following its debut at the 2016 Rio Games.

Team USA aims for their first Olympic medal on Sunday. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOPC)

How the Olympic rugby sevens tournament works

Unlike traditional rugby with 15 players and 40-minute halves, rugby sevens features teams of seven playing two seven-minute halves. The Olympic rugby sevens tournament is played over three consecutive days to match the fast-paced nature of the sport.

Twelve teams, divided into three groups of four, will compete in matches to earn points from Sunday, July 28th to the first half of Monday, July 29th.

The top two teams in each group, along with the next two best teams overall, will advance to the quarterfinals on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday, July 30th, teams eliminated from the playoffs will play in “placing” matches to determine their official Olympic ranking. These matches coincide with the semifinals before the bronze and gold medal matches conclude the tournament.

USA rugby's Ilona Maher breaks a tackle in a 2023 game. — Ilona Maher and her US teammates are aiming for their first Olympic medal. (MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP via Getty Images)

Veterans lead Team USA’s Olympic charge

The US is looking to improve on their fifth and sixth-place finishes in Rio and Tokyo, respectively, relying on their experienced players to achieve this goal.

Seven of Team USA’s 12 players are Olympic veterans, including 33-year-olds Lauren Doyle and Alev Kelter, who have competed in both previous Olympic showcases. Doyle and fellow Tokyo veteran Naya Tapper co-captain the team, with rugby standout and TikTok star Ilona Maher also on the squad.

To reach their first Olympic podium, the US will have to face top teams like Australia and New Zealand, the reigning gold medalists from Rio and Tokyo. Team GB, the current world No. 1, will also be a tough competitor, seeking to improve on their fourth-place finishes in 2016 and 2021.