South America Announces 2025 Rugby Sevens Expansion

South America Rugby has announced expansion for the 2025 Rugby Sevens competitions. Set to take-place later this month in Villa María del Triunfo, Sudamerica Rugby have expanded both Men’s and Women’s regional competitions. A record twelve countries will compete in Peru.

Three places are on the line at the 2025 Sudamerica Rugby (SAR) 7’s. Three will secure spots at World Rugby’s restructured SVNS Division 3.

The Women’s competitors in Villa María del Triunfo will be competing for places on the SVNS División 3 Challenger. The top two sides, excluding Brazil, and the best Men’s team will qualify for the SVNS División 3 Challenger.

The opportunity of competing at the SVNS provides a player production platform that has been well used by Uruguay in recent years.

EXPANSION IN SOUTH AMERICA

The SAR 7’s will be played on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 in Lima, Peru. Eleven participants are from South America. The twelfth is from North America and will compete as an invitational competitor. That team is the Dominican Republic.

Expansión from 2024 to 2025 sees changes involving the participation of four countries: the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras. The changes see Ecuador and Guatemala competing in both Men’s and Women’s competitions in 2025. They were solely involved in Men’s in 2024.

The inclusion of Ecuador and Guatemala in the Women’s competition for 2025 means there will be nine competing teams. The Men’s competition has been expanded to include ten in 2025. The Dominican Republic and Honduras are the new competitors.

WORLD RUGBY SVNS REDUCTION

The expansion goes against the trend from rugby’s global head quarters in Dublin, Ireland. Sudamerica Rugby 7’s expansion comes following huge cut backs from World Rugby which have significantly reduced the World Circuit for next season.

Ireland made the decision to end their Men’s Rugby Seven system altogether while continuing the Women’s. Kenya has been speculated to follow and it may not end there.

SAR 7’s 2025 STRUCTURE

Ten Men’s teams will compete in Lima, Peru. None of them are Sudamerica Rugby members. They are Peru, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay. The remaining competitor is the Dominican Republic who will participate for the first time ever in an official Sudamerica Rugby event.

Argentina and Uruguay will not feature. This is due to their respective involvement in the first and second division of the World Rugby SVNS Circuit.

The Women’s competition will feature nine countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Brazil will not be competing for a place on the world circuit because As Yaras 7’s are already confirmed for the second division of the World Rugby SVNS Circuit next season.