Russia Seeks “Rugby Superpower” Status - Official

Russia wants to achieve the status of a “rugby superpower” and hosting next year’s World Cup Sevens will help it achieve this goal, Rugby Union of Russia president Vyacheslav Kopiev said Saturday.

Russia was awarded the tournament, its first major rugby competition, in 2010 and it will take place from June 28 through 30 in Moscow, the Rugby Union of Russia said Saturday.

“We have made real progress in recent years and Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be the next step along the way to Russia becoming a Rugby superpower,” Kopiev said in a statement on the tournament website.

Russia’s 15s team made their World Cup debut last year, impressing pundits despite losing all three games, and this is a sign of things to come, Kopiev said.

“Indeed, our national team’s performances at the recent RWC in New Zealand showed the world how far we have already come along the way.”

Russia’s sevens team are taking part in this weekend’s Sevens World Series finale at the London Sevens, where they lost their first match 49-7 to New Zealand.

Russia failed to earn a spot at every stage of next season’s World Series after failing to finish in the top three at a qualification tournament that ran alongside the Hong Kong Sevens in March and April.