Provincial rugby game concludes in Shanxi

Men compete in a rugby match during the 16th Games of Shanxi Province in Huairen. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

A mini rugby tournament that featured as part of the 16th Games of Shanxi Province concluded in Huairen, North China's Shanxi province, on July 16.

It's the first time a seven-a-side rugby tournament has been included as an official event in the provincial games of Shanxi. 

It comprised men's and women's matches, with teams from the cities of Taiyuan, Yangquan, Jincheng, Jinzhong, and Lyuliang competing. 

The teams from Jincheng, Taiyuan, and Lyuliang secured the top three positions in the men's category, while those from Taiyuan, Lyuliang and Jincheng claimed the top three positions in the women's category.

Women compete in a rugby game during the 16th Games of Shanxi Province in Huairen. [Photo/Shanxi Daily] 

Rugby is a highly competitive and entertaining sport that emphasizes individual skills and team collaboration, earning it the reputation of being the "game of the brave". 

It's a growing sport in Shanxi. In 2011, the Shanxi Seven-a-Side Rugby Team was established, and the sport has since taken root and sprung up in the province, injecting new vitality into sports in Shanxi.

At the 14th National Games of China, the province's rugby team ranked eighth in the men's category.