Uruguayan Sevens standout, James McCubbin, has expressed his satisfaction with his team’s strong performance, securing a spot in the quarter-finals of the HSBC Challenger Series in Munich. The top four men’s Sevens teams in Munich will have the chance to compete in the promotion and relegation play-off competition at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid.
As Uruguay entered the tournament as the leading team in the series standings, they are primed to be one of the final four teams to advance to the playoffs in the Spanish capital. McCubbin shared his excitement, stating, “Yes, we have qualified for the quarterfinals. It is the objective we have today, so we are very happy that we have achieved our goal today.”
The team’s hard work has paid off after an intensive six-week training period since the last tournament in Montevideo. McCubbin noted, “Our objective is to achieve first place, so we know the pressure, we are familiar with it, we like it, so we embrace it.”
The ultimate goal for Uruguay is to earn their place back in the HSBC SVNS series proper. McCubbin expressed the team’s determination to accomplish this feat, sharing, “Well, that is our objective [getting back on the HSBC SVNS circuit]. Last year it was very tough to descend and play again in the Challenger, but it is our opportunity to go back to the series, and we are working every day for that goal, so we have that aim and we are doing everything to be there.”
If they secure their place in Madrid, Uruguay will have the opportunity to play at Atletico Madrid’s stadium, a prospect that McCubbin finds exhilarating. He expressed, “I like it, there are a lot of feelings that go with being in that stadium, so big with such great history, so it’s a big responsibility for each player that is on that field, playing and having this Uruguayan shirt.”
Looking ahead, Uruguay is poised to face tough competition from Kenya, Chile, Hong Kong China, and Germany in the Challenger Series in Madrid, should they advance on Day 2 in Munich. The HSBC SVNS champions will be crowned in Madrid from 31 May to 2 June, with tickets available for purchase.
Source:
RugbyPass