Shandong and Jiangsu triumph in rugby sevens tournament

The national rugby sevens tournament ended on Sunday in Zengcheng, Guangdong province, with Shandong claiming the men's title and Jiangsu winning the women's crown.

The national tournament has played a major role in raising the profile of rugby in China, according to Jarrad Gallagher, consultant with the International Rugby Board.

"Zengcheng has been the right place to develop rugby. I am quite impressed by the organization, competition level and local people's enthusiasm for the sport," said Gallagher.

Local authorities will hold more national and international rugby events to raise awareness of the sport in the coming years, after organizing the Women's International Rugby Sevens tournament last year.

Construction of a large rugby stadium in Zengcheng is under construction and local authorities will invest more to promote the sport in schools and communities.