EXPLAINED | World Rugby goes T20 with bold new sevens series format to draw non-believers

In what could perhaps be considered rugby's attempt to harness the pulling power of T20 cricket with younger audiences, World Rugby on Tuesday showed its hand in anointing the sevens format as its trump card for increasing the reach of the game.

Re-branded as World Rugby SVNS - a very clear attempt to cultivate top-of-mind awareness with a crude if effective abbreviation - the series now wants to position itself, at least from a playing perspective, as a tournament with proper conclusion.

And, as is a non-negotiable prerequisite nowadays, match-day experience is a key consideration.

What exactly then does the new World Rugby SVNS entail?

News24 Sport comes up with a handy guide.

Why the re-brand?

World Rugby, at least on paper, have been shrewd in trying to re-position the sevens format.

Unlike fifteens, which has a loyal but more discerning following because of its intricate technical nature, sevens is an easier-to-understand, aesthetically pleasing game to witness.

Already, as has been evident with the Cape Town leg of the series, a substantial portion of the crowd attends the event because of the festival-like atmosphere, not necessarily for the on-field action itself.

Even then, 14-minute matches provide enough of a rotating cast of teams not to "bore" less invested onlookers.

In fact, World Rugby makes no secret of the fact they want to target non-traditional audiences.

"With a bold ambition to supercharge rugby’s global reach and appeal by being more relevant and accessible to younger, leisure-hungry audiences, SVNS aims to deliver the ultimate in immersive experiences, a unique festival of sport, entertainment and culture set against stunning backdrops," the governing body noted in a statement.

How will World Rugby convert