The New Zealand Sevens tournament has been moved from Wellington to Hamilton.

Crowds at the Wellington Sevens have declined in recent years, and there were again thousands of empty seats at this year's event.

'It was time to start a new chapter for the tournament in New Zealand,' New Zealand Rugby's chief strategy officer Nigel Cass said. 'The inclusion of Sevens in the Olympic Games has introduced the sport to a new group of athletes and fans and NZR is committed to developing a strong sevens programme.'

2017-18 World Rugby Sevens Series schedule:

1-2 December: Dubai
9-10 December: Cape Town
26-28 January: Sydney
3-4 February: Hamilton
2-4 March : Las Vegas
10-11 March: Vancouver
6-8 April: Hong Kong
28-29 April: Singapore
26-27 May: Paris
2-3 June: London

The Sevens World Cup will be played in San Francisco on 20-22 July.

Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images