Photo by Jose Romero Lagman / FMRU
It’s safe to say that this past weekend’s 2022 RAN Super Sevens in Mexico City was a resounding success, setting the stage for some of the region’s best teams to qualify for next year’s World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, the Pan American Games, and Centro Caribe Games (formerly CASCO Games Sevens).
Taking place at UNAM’s Deportivo Alfredo Harp Helu grounds over November 11-13, the competition was hot, with 28 teams from 12 countries (across Senior Men, Senior Women, and Age-Grade Men’s and Women’s divisions all bringing their ‘A-Game’ for three days of fierce rugby action.
The tournament was a key initiative in the progression of the game regionally and showcases RAN’s continued support of both senior and up-and-coming young players. Here’s what you need to know.
Who Competed?
This year’s RAN Super Sevens made regional history, not only as the biggest ever RAN tournament to date, but also for the very first time with the inclusion of Age-Grade brackets, signifying RAN’s firm commitment to the growth of the sport at all levels.
RAN members came out in fine form to compete in the Super Sevens and to give their players the chance to participate in this crucial development opportunity for men, women, boys, and girls.
Countries who completed in each division included:
AGE-GRADE WOMEN’S TEAMS (U18)
Cayman Islands
México
México ‘B’
Trinidad & Tobago
AGE-GRADE MEN’S TEAMS (U18)
Jamaica
Trinidad & Tobago
British Virgin Islands
México ‘B’
México
Cayman Islands
Curacao
SENIOR WOMEN’S TEAMS
Bermuda
Dominican Republic
Jamaica
México
St. Lucia
Trinidad & Tobago
SENIOR MEN’S TEAMS
Jamaica
Trinidad & Tobago
Curacao
México
Cayman Islands
The Bahamas
St. Lucia
Bermuda
Barbados
Belize
Dominican Republic
The Results Are In
The tournament was jam-packed with highlights which are not always reflected on the scoreboard, however the official top three teams for each division were as follows:
AGE-GRADE MEN
1st Mexico
2nd Jamaica
3rd Mexico ‘B’
AGE-GRADE WOMEN
1st Mexico
2nd Mexico ‘B’
3rd Trinidad & Tobago
SENIOR MEN
1st Jamaica
2nd Mexico
3rd Bermuda
SENIOR WOMEN
1st Mexico
2nd Jamaica
3rd Trinidad & Tobago
Who Qualified?
Another big drawcard of the 2022 RAN Super Sevens was the chance for teams to qualify for the following events:
• 2023 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series – One (1) Senior Men’s & Women’s Team
• 2023 Pan American Games – Two (2) Senior Men’s & Women’s Teams
• 2023 Centro Caribe Games – Four (4) Senior Men & Three (3) Senior Women’s Teams
Impressively, both Jamaica and Mexico qualified for all three events, while Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands all qualified to head off to the Centro Caribe Games next year.
Here’s our official Qualifiers List:
2023 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series
Jamaica Men & Mexico Women
2023 Pan American Games
Jamaica Men & Women
Mexico Men & Women
2023 Centro Caribe Games
Jamaica Men & Women
Mexico Men & Women
Trinidad & Tobago Women
Bermuda Men
Cayman Islands Men
RAN General Manager Niall Brooks said:
“RAN gratefully appreciate the time, effort, and commitment, both personally from team managers, coaches, medics and players, and also financially from their respective Unions, in making the 2022 RAN Super Sevens a resounding success.
The event not only showcased the talent that already exists at the Senior sevens level, but also the future with some inspiring, skillful, and passionate rugby taking place within the Age-Grade brackets. It was tremendous to see so many Age-Grade teams compete in this inaugural event which bears well for the development and growth of rugby around the region.
RAN would particularly like to thank the Federación Mexicana de Rugby Union for their hard work, dedication, and organization of the tournament, and UNAM for allowing the event to take place at the Pumas Rugby grounds. RAN congratulates all of the teams that have qualified for the Panam Games, Challenger Series and Centro Caribe Games and wishes each of them successful and enjoyable competition(s).”
Missed any of the Super Sevens action?
Get all the replays, highlights reels, photos, and results right here on our website.
