The Zimbabwe Cheetahs will open their World Rugby Challenger Series campaign with a clash against Tonga at Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch South Africa on 20 April 2023.
The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023, which is set to take place over two three-day weekends in Stellenbosch, South Africa on 20-22 and 28-30 April, 2023. All six World Rugby regions represented in competition designed to boost the global development of rugby sevens
The winner of the men’s Challenger Series, which features 12 teams, will enter a four team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May 2023, together with the teams placed 12th-14th after 10 rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, with the winner of the play-off achieving Sevens World Series 2024 status.
The winner of the 12-team women’s Challenger Series will gain the ultimate prize of automatic promotion to the Sevens World Series 2024 – the pinnacle of international rugby sevens.
Tonga is in Pool A, along with Germany, Zimbabwe and Belgium. Pool B has Chile, Hong Kong, PNG and Italy. Pool C has Uganda, South Korea, Brazil and Jamaica.
World Rugby said that the tournament replicates the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four. The top two from each as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and semi-finals leading to the bronze and gold medal matches.
Uruguay men and Japan women were Challenger Series champions in 2022
