The IRB has confirmed what RUGBYMag.com reported earlier this month, that the HSBC Sevens World Series will have a new points system and the losing semifinalists will not play for 3^rd place in every tournament.

The new system gives less of an award for finishing 1^st, and also gives all teams points for just playing.

"Sevens is a global game and every team that arrives to play in each of the nine rounds of the World Series aspires to succeed in some capacity," said IRB Sevens Manager, Beth Coalter. "It is only right that they should all take points away from each tournament, and this new system will also allow for more objective ranking of the teams come the end of each season. It is an extremely positive move forward for the game of Sevens and has the teams' full backing."