Union Bordeaux Begles, the latest Investec Champions Cup victors, have confirmed their participation in the upcoming London City 7s, which will be held at the Honourable Artillery Company. This marks a significant step for the French side, which has now secured its second consecutive European title—most recently defeating Leinster in May. The event will feature a competitive mix of local and international talent, with Harlequins victorious in last year’s final against Saracens. For the 2022 edition, Wedlake Bell, a prominent City law firm, is set to sponsor the event, which promises to elevate the tournament’s profile. Laurent Ferreres, head coach of UBB and a former French international, expressed pride in the club's ability to compete across all rugby formats. He said the club is excited to face off against English teams and represent the colors of Union Bordeaux Begles with distinction.
Tournament founder Dan James, who has a background in World Rugby, called the inclusion of the reigning European champions a major coup for the Square Mile event. He highlighted that the team will include global sevens talent, such as Marcos Moneta, who recently played for Bordeaux Begles in a high-profile match. This year’s event will see nine men’s teams and four women’s teams competing on 17 September. The competition aims to capitalize on a growing interest in sevens after London previously hosted a leg of the global World Rugby sevens tournament. That event, however, was moved after the city lost its hosting rights, despite drawing an impressive crowd of 50,000 fans every year at Allianz Stadium. The gap has since been filled by new tournaments, with the London City 7s working to establish itself as a key player in the local and international sevens scene.