The rankings are used to seed teams for the World Cup draw and the Cheetahs are way off the top teams and in 18 place among the 27 teams that are supposed to battle for the global sevens trophy following the latest rankings released by the world rugby governing body, the International Rugby Board.
Zimbabwe have accumulated only 12 points in their participation in the World Series to be guaranteed of their 18th place while the top team New Zealand have 393 points followed by Fiji with 327, South Africa with 306 and Samoa on 292 points.
Apart from South Africa, Kenya are the highest placed African team in the HSBC World Series, placed 10th overally with 93 points and are above such teams as the USA, Scotland, and Canada.
Zimbabwe are in Pool C of the World Cup draw which could see them drawn in the same group with the likes of the world’s top teams like New Zealand, England, South Africa, Fiji Samoa or Australia who are placed in Pool A, the pool for the highest ranked teams.
Zimbabwe’s position could also see them drawn against the likes of Wales, Argentina, France, Kenya and Scotland who are in Pool B, a grouping of the second highest placed countries.
Zimbabwe are placed in the same category with teams like Canada, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Tonga who are in Pool C based on the current world rankings.
The teams that in the lowest band of rankings and in Pool D of the draw are Japan, Hong Kong, Georgia, Tunisia, the Philippines and a South American qualifier.
The Rugby Sevens World Cup is scheduled to take place in Moscow, Russia from 28 to 30 June with all the HSBC Sevens Series rugby playing teams in contention.
Unfortunately, Zimbabwe is not represented in the women’s section of the Rugby Sevens World Cup that will run concurrently with the men’s event.
In the World Cup women’s seedings, defending champions Australia lead the way, closely followed by England, Canada and Spain.
Post published in: Rugby