For the very first time at an Olympic Games, women’s rugby will feature at Rio 2016 – and New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Great Britain are the first countries to qualify, as confirmed by World Rugby. A week after the first four men’s teams qualified for the competition, the 2014/2015 World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series has sealed Olympic qualification for the first four women’s. Next year’s Games will mark the return of rugby to the Olympics after a 92 year absence – and it’s first time that the event has hosted the seven-a-side version of the sport.

Like their counterparts in the men’s events, the Kiwis are a force to be reckoned with. The New Zealanders have won all three World Series events until now. In this season, they went 37 games without a loss, winning the title at a gallop, thereby ensuring Olympic qualification and the certainty that fans at Rio 2016 will get to watch the Haka at the Deodoro stadium.

“We have been focussed on this goal for over three and half years, and it’s been incredible to turn this into reality now,” Sarah Goss, the New Zealand captain, said. “I am so proud of all the girls on the team, we worked so hard for this. I’m speechless.”

Sarah Goss, New Zealand's captain, on the attack in a game against England (Photo JudyTeasdale-World Rugby)

The last phase of the World Series, which took place on 22 and 23 May in Amsterdam, determined the other three teams to go to Rio. Canada, who had been in third place during the last two seasons, rose up a notch this time around, qualifying as runner-up. Australia, in third place, also guaranteed themselves a spot, and reasserted Oceania’s dominance in the sport.

The battle for the fourth spot was the most thrilling. In the last game of the season, England took on the USA in a decisive game in the Dutch capital: whoever won was guaranteed fourth place in the World Series and the remaining Olympic spot. England’s women beat the USA by just one point, winning 15 to 14 to secure their berth at Rio 2016. Following a decision taken ahead of the World Series, England was competing for the Olympic spot as the representative of Great Britain.

“It’s a dream come true,” Abi Chamberlain, the England captain, said. “It’s probably been one of the hardest and best years of my life. We made such an effort to reach this target, and we did it. I have to congratulate the US team as well, they fought right to the end. But there are some games that you just know you are going to win, and before the match that was the feeling we had. We proved that we can do it, and we keep on getting better.”

Emily Scarratt, from Great Britain, helps ensure her country's place at Rio 2016 with victory over the USA (Photo Martin Seras Lima-Word Rugby)

Twelve countries will compete for medals in the men’s and women’s rugby sevens – and now the first four through to Rio in both events has been decided. The second half of 2015 will see six teams crowned champion of their continent (North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania), and they will qualify as well. The remaining space will go to winner of a Pre-Olympic world tournament, which will take place in 2016. As host nation, Brazil is guaranteed a place in both events.