A variation on rugby union, with teams of 7 players (instead of 15), shorter matches, and rules adapted for the smaller sides. The game was first conceived in Melrose in the Scottish Borders in 1883.
It has become a popular form of the game in countries which see it as a way to develop interest in Rugby Union, or which may not have been so successful in the full-side code.
Rugby Sevens will be included as an Olympic sport on the programme of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.