Carson Has Some Rugby in Its Future

The Home Depot Center in Carson will be one of eight sites of the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series tournament, which begins in Saudi Arabia in December.

The tournament has never been played at a North American venue but USA Rugby has been granted a site for the next three years.

About 40 nations, including the United States, will compete in the tournament, to be played in North America, Asia, Europe, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates from December through next June.

The tournament, in its seventh year, will be at Carson on Feb. 14-15, 2004, and will feature 16 national teams. The teams play seven players a side, instead of the customary 15.

New Zealand is the defending World Series Sevens champion. Other world class sevens teams include England, Fiji, South Africa and Australia.

The United States finished 19th in last year’s series standings.

Sevens Tour Manager Mark Egan, in a statement, praised the stadium as “the ideal arena for sevens.” “Bringing the event to Los Angeles is a milestone for sevens and for the promotion of rugby in the USA,” he added. “I am sure that this superb stadium will prove to be an extremely popular venue for players and spectators alike.”

Beth White, general manager for Home Depot Center, said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host the best rugby players and teams from the United States and around the world.”

Tickets for the event will be available beginning Wednesday through Ticketmaster and the stadium box office.