The South African sevens rugby team now know their fate following the Olympic group draw for the sides taking part in the men’s tournament at Rio 2016.
This is the first time that rugby has been introduced at the Olympic summer games, with the short format of the sport included in the events schedule in Brazil.
A total of 12 teams have qualified for the men’s sevens rugby tournament, including South Africa’s Blitzboks, as they are known, and Kenya.
The Blitzboks are seeded second in the Olympic competition based on their performances in the past two years in World Sevens Series events. In both years the South Africans ended the season second behind Fiji.
South Africa were drawn in Pool B alongside Australia, France and Spain. The selection is not considered the ‘group of death’, which is the dubious title handed to Pool C, which consists of Kenya, New Zealand, Great Britain and Japan.
Australia is seeded fifth at the tournament, with France and Spain seeded eighth and eleventh respectively.
The top two teams from each Olympic group, plus the two best third-placed sides, progress to the quarter-finals of the tournament, which then goes on to the semi-finals and the final.
South Africa, seeded as the second best side in the competition due to their track record in the last couple of years, will be expecting to return home from the Olympic games with a medal for their efforts.
During the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2015/16 South Africa performed well, finishing second overall, winning a tournament, while reaching four finals and eight semi-finals.
The men’s sevens rugby competition takes place between 9 and 11 August in Rio.
Pool A: Fiji, USA, Argentina, Brazil
Pool B: South Africa, Australia, France, Spain
Pool C: New Zealand, Great Britain, Kenya, Japan
