2019 USA Sevens | |
---|---|
Sevens World Series XX | |
Host nation | United States |
Date | 1–3 March 2019 |
Cup | |
Champion | United States |
Runner-up | Samoa |
Third | New Zealand |
Challenge | |
Winner | Scotland |
Tournament details | |
Matches played | 45 |
Tries scored | 262 (average 5.82 per match) |
Most points | Nathan Hirayama (53) |
Most tries | Carlin Isles (8) |
← 2018 2020 → |
The 2019 USA Sevens (also sometimes referred to as the 2019 Las Vegas Sevens) is the sixteenth edition of the USA Sevens tournament, and the sixth tournament of the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series.[1] The tournament was played March 1–3, 2019 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In January 2019, it was reported that the 2019 USA Sevens would be the last in Las Vegas, with the event moving to an unknown city starting from 2020. Possible options are San Diego, which had been home to the USA Sevens before it moved to Las Vegas; San Francisco, which hosted the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens; and Miami in Florida. Among the reported reasons included the uncertain status of Sam Boyd Stadium with the upcoming stadium not due to be ready until summer 2020, poor living environment at the team hotels (the stadium is far distant from the main tourist area of the Las Vegas Strip), and safety concerns due to an unusually narrow pitch with team benches very close to the touchlines (Sam Boyd Stadium is built for American football, a sport with a playing field about 20 metres narrower than a standard rugby pitch). The stadium's normal pitch is artificial turf, which raised even more safety concerns in the early years of the event's run in Las Vegas, but temporary grass pitches were used in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 events.[2]