The sides will play in the tournament from July 26th to July 28th – the pool stage will take place from July 26th to July 27th.

The men’s competition will be held before the Women’s Olympic Sevens tournament gets underway in a reverse to the schedule from the Rio Olympic games in 2016.

The men’s draw split the 12 teams into three pools of four.

POOLS ANNOUNCEMENT

Mouthwatering match-ups in the early stages of the men's competition

The countdown to #Tokyo2020 is #HowWeSevens pic.twitter.com/BNsWcJGMi9

— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) June 28, 2021

Pool A involves bookies’ favourite New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and South Korea.

The former pair will renew their historic rivalry at the Olympics, making it the perfect opportunity for current Rugby World Cup Sevens and World Series champions New Zealand to make a statement in the pool stages.

Argentina will want to improve on their respectable sixth-placed finish at Rio 2016 with an impressive outing in Tokyo.

South Korea round off Pool A and will take part in Olympic Sevens for the first time in its history after winning the Asian qualification tournament with an extra-time ‘golden-point’ try to overcome Hong Kong.

Pool B includes Fiji, Great Britain, Japan and Canada.

Reigning Olympic champions Fiji will want to assert themselves early but face a tough task to do so in Pool B.

Great Britain will want revenge for their 43-7 defeat in the 2016 Olympic Sevens final at the hands of the champions and the draw has given them an opportunity to do that early.

The pair are joined by hosts Japan who will want to get a medal on home soil after their fourth-placed finish in Rio saw them miss out on one.

Another Olympic debutant Canada is the fourth team in this tough group and will have a lot to prove as a result.

The final pool – Pool C – includes Ireland, the USA, South Africa and Kenya.

Ireland are the last of the three Olympic debutants in Tokyo and face some tough challenges in the United States, South Africa and Kenya.

Anthony Eddy’s side beat 2016 quarter-finalists France to reach Tokyo.

The United States come in as third-favourites to win the Men’s Olympic Sevens tournament this summer and will be tough for opponents to handle.

Rio 2016 Bronze medalists South Africa will want to go at least one game further in the competition this summer.

Kenya failed to get out of their group in 2016 but have grown in the five years since and will pose a threat to the other three teams in the pool.

The draw makes for an exciting tournament in late July.

You can read the Irish Rugby announcement here.

The post 7s: Full Olympic Draw appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Men’s competition will take place from June 26th – June 28th.

Team Ireland will have a lot of competition for medals as the other 11 sides are strong.

We break down who Ireland’s toughest competition for Olympic glory will be.

Great Britain

First up is some familiar foes under a different – England, Wales and Scotland.

The side got to the Olympics after Simon Amor’s England side won the 2019 Rugby Europe Sevens Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Colomiers.

England veteran Dan Norton will be a danger on the flanks as he will look to extend his all-time try-scoring record.

The active Sevens legend is one of four survivors from the 2016 squad who won a silver medal in Rio – Dan Bibby, Tom Mitchell and Ollie Lindsay-Hague also represent Great Britain for the second successive Olympic games.

England star Tom Bowen is available in reserve.

They will be one of the favourites for the top prize this summer.

GB men: Dan Bibby, Alec Coombes, Alex Davis, Robbie Fergusson, Harry Glover, Ben Harris, Ollie Lindsay-Hague, Ross McCann, Max McFarland, Tom Mitchell, Dan Norton, Ethan Waddleton.

Men’s reserve: Tom Bowen.

Odds: 12/1

United States

The United States Men’s Sevens side have underachieved at times throughout their lifespan.

They failed to deliver at the Olympics in 2016 but will want to put on an improved showing this year.

If they can build on their qualification promise, the national team could go far at the Olympics.

Speedster Carlin Isles is as fast as ever and will be a threat to every opponent he faces.

Perry Baker, Stephen Tomasin and Madison Hughes will also be ones to look out for as the side attempt to bring home an Olympic medal.

The United States Men’s Sevens Olympics squad has not been announced yet.

Odds: 7/1

Fiji

The 2016 Olympic champions are tipped by many to repeat that feat.

World Rugby’s Men’s Sevens Player of the Decade Jerry Tuwai is expected to lead the side to their second Olympic games with the hopes of defending their crown.

The side’s Oceania 7s squad gives fans an idea of what to expect for the Olympics.

2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner Kitione Taluga is set to take part in his second Olympic games as well.

Head Coach Gareth Baber can win a 12th tournament with his Fiji side, compared to nine tournament wins under 2016 Olympic Head Coach Ben Ryan.

The Pacific Islanders will have their eyes on the prize once again and if their 2018-19 World Rugby Sevens performance is anything to go by, they may retain it.

The Fiji Men’s Sevens Olympics squad has not been announced yet.

Odds: 11/4

New Zealand

The bookies’ favourite New Zealand will want to avenge their quarter-final loss to Fiji at the 2016 Olympics with a medal in Tokyo.

Clark Laidlaw’s world-class side will have the extra boost of 15’s star Caleb Clarke being available for the Olympics.

The Blues winger will line up alongside Sevens legends Scott Curry and and Tim Mikkelson at the Oceania 7s and is set to do so again at the Olympics next month.

Before cancellation, the All Blacks were leading the 2019-20 World Rugby Sevens Series and have the quality to carry that form over to this year’s Olympic tournament.

The New Zealand Men’s Sevens rugby team have not announced their Olympic squad yet.

Odds: 2/1

To view the full list of Irish athletes heading to the Olympic games this summer, click here.

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The schedule for the 2021 Rugby Championship was recently unveiled with a full roster of teams, including South Africa. The bulk of the Rugby Championship matches will be played in Australia and New Zealand, with both countries hosting five matches each and South Africa two.

The All Blacks play the opening Bledisloe Cup Test before the start of the Rugby Championship, at Eden Park, Auckland, on Saturday 7 August.

The second Bledisloe Test is at Optus Stadium, Perth on Saturday 21 August. The third will be at Sky Stadium, Wellington on Saturday 28 August.

Busy September for the All Blacks

September will see four Tests in a row for the All Blacks, with back-to-back Tests against Argentina, at Eden Park on Saturday 11 September and Sky Stadium, Wellington on Saturday 18 September. The latter is a “home” game for the Pumas.

The first of the back-to-back Tests against South Africa at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin on Saturday 25 September will be the 100th Test match between the two famous foes. The 100th year anniversary game between the sides will be played in the same city as that first ever Test. It was Played at Carisbrook on 13 August 1921 with the All Blacks winning 13-5.

The All Blacks’ final Rugby Championship Test against South Africa will be at Eden Park on Saturday 2 October. This is a “home game” for the Springboks.

The All Blacks will play three Tests in the earlier Steinlager Series, one against Tonga and two against Fiji. They will also play four Tests on their Northern Hemisphere Tour against Wales, Italy, Ireland and France later in the year. The All Blacks will play 14 Tests in total this year, their busiest year since 2017 when they played 14 Tests and two non-Test matches.

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