Pune to host Asian Rugby Sevens women`s championship

Pune: The city of Pune will host the Asian Rugby Sevens women`s championship for the second consecutive year, it was announced on Tuesday.

The championship to be held at the Balewadi Sports Complex athletics stadium on October 6 and 7 is Sevens Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament. Fifteen teams including defending champion China and runners-up Kazakhstan have confirmed their participation in the continental championship, where top three finishers will qualify for the World Cup to be held in Moscow next year. The championship, held under the aegis of the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU), will for the first time see United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Sri Lanka send its team for a women`s rugby tournament. "We are happy to announce that women`s rugby is back in Pune, a city that loves following the sport. I hope the student population makes their presence felt,"Indian Rugby and Football Union (IRFU) President Pramod Khanna said. The two-day IRFU showcase event will be managed by Let`s Play Sports Management Company Pvt Ltd. The countries that have confirmed their participation are China, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Japan, UAE, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, Fiji, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Iran and hosts India. The teams will be divided into three pools of four teams each with top two finishers after the league playing for Cup/Plate competition, while the bottom two will compete in Bowl/Shield event. PTI