Southern Virginia Rugby: The Difference Between Sevens and 15s
By Scotty Vann
Southern Virginia University has seen rugby before, but never like this. Typically, rugby played in the fall is called 15s, which is the rugby everyone knows. In the spring season, a different variation is played called Sevens. There are 3 main differences between the two games.
The first and biggest visual difference is that in Sevens, there are seven players per team on the field at once. Whereas with 15s, there are 15 players on the field per team.
Sevens results in spectacular open field running, long and wide passes, and the opportunity to embarrass your opponent with big steps or jukes. Due to the lack of players on the field, the pace of play changes significantly. The game can seem slow and very repetitive at times, like a basketball team passing the ball around the 3 point line looking for an opportunity to strike. Similar to Sevens, the key is to be patient and wait for an opening. Once you have your opening, you explode through in a burst and, all of a sudden, the game goes from a slow pace to full on sprinting.
Another very large difference between the two games is, while 15s is played with 40 minute halves, Sevens is only played with seven minute halves, so in total, a full game will only last 14 minutes. This time difference is a huge factor for game planning, you don’t need to hold any energy back.
Lastly, 15s is typically played one match per day. Sevens, however, is played tournament style. There are challenges with Sevens that aren’t found in 15s. Although the games are short, more energy is used at one time. You have to be careful about how much you use, because in the later stages of the tournament, loss of energy can catch up to you.
On Feb. 19 at 9 a.m., Southern Virginia will host its first ever Sevens tournament up at The Fields. Come out and support while our Knights go up against James Madison, Loyola Maryland, Mary Washington, Mount St. Mary’s, NC State, St. Joe’s, University of Virginia, UNC Wilmington and Virginia Tech.
