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The International Rugby Board (IRB) have revealed the sixteen nations competing in the Rugby Sevens tournament at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi this October.

Samoa, the newly crowned IRB Sevens World Series winners, lead a strong line-up that includes three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallists, New Zealand.

World Champions Wales, hosts India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda, England, Scotland, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Canada and Guyana will also participate on October 11-12.

One notable absentee from the Games are Fiji who have picked up two silver medals and a bronze since the sport was introduced into the games at Kuala Lumpar in 1998. 

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) banned Fiji from the Delhi 2010 Games after Fiji's membership was suspended by the Commonwealth last September.

Marking one year since Sevens’ inclusion as an Olympic sport at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen, the tournament will be the first opportunity since that historic moment to witness its successful blend of high-paced action and competitive matches in a multi-sport Games environment.

The rugby sevens final at the Commonwealth Games 2006 in Melbourne was a record crowd for the seven-a-side format with 150,000 attending the three competition days.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “We firmly believe that the Sevens tournament at the Commonwealth Games plays an important role in the ongoing development and promotion of Rugby around the world.

The event continues to attract some of the world’s top players, delivering exciting matches and attracting new fans thanks to the remarkable talent of all the international teams competing. 

Rugby to new audiences

“The Sevens tournament at the Commonwealth Games has consistently proven successful and this year we are particularly excited that the event is being held in India where Rugby is reaching out to new young audiences in a rapidly developing market for our sport. We are looking forward to what promises to be a memorable tournament for the Rugby family and sports fans alike.”

Mike Hooper, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation said: “With a record crowd of 50,000 at the final Rugby Sevens session in Melbourne in 2006, the Rugby Sevens tournament has become one of the most sought-after attractions at the Commonwealth Games, providing an excellent spectacle for both fans and television viewers.

"The inclusion of some of the world’s best Sevens teams and star players from every corner of the world continue to broaden the Games’ global appeal even further.”

The Pools and Tournament Schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.