International Club Rugby Rugby 7's

[Mint Condition]

Anyone else here watch the IRB 7's from time to time?

In the current tournament in Dubai Portugal, Canada and Kenya have made the cup (first tier) quarter finals while England, South Africa and Australia have to fight it out in the bowl (second tier).

It's getting to the point where every match in these tournaments is competitive. Olympics inclusion for rugby 7's is a massive deal for the growth of the sport and I don't think it will be long at all until there are 30+ competitive international sides. Qualifying for the olympics in 2016 will be very difficult as apparently only 12 teams will compete. Women's 7's is starting to grow quickly too, with an IRB women's series starting up this year (the first leg at this Dubai event).

It's going to be very interesting to see how 7's grows in the next few years and whether that hinders or helps the growth of 15's. I suspect it might hinder it in the short to medium term in some regions (eg Asia and Africa) but help in others (the Americas and continental Europe). It will be interesting to see whether any professional franchise based 7's leagues pop up as well (like the IPL etc in cricket) and how that changes the landscape.

I think in a few years we will see the top stars in rugby and even rugby league signing contracts that allow them to play in lucrative 7's tournaments in the off season.

 

[Mint Condition]

For anyone interested check out this link about a sevens tournament that's being organised in America next July for a $1 million winner takes all prize. 24 team tournament with most of the best national 7's teams plus 4 private American franchises (who knows who they will recruit!).

http://rugbyamerica.net/2012/11/30/grand-prix-rugby-another-step-closer/

This is the start of the sort of thing I'm talking about. There's another tournament being held in South Africa in a couple of weeks that will involve the South African super rugby teams plus corporate sponsored teams. I think Sonny Bill Williams was supposed to be playing in it until he got injured.

 

[fumbler]

Need a few extra tournaments a year, there is only 9 (I think) currently

 

[Aucklander]

Watch it when I can. Very good to watch. Much more even now too which makes it better still.

 

[Matt121]

Need a few extra tournaments a year, there is only 9 (I think) currently

Correct

Australia
UAE
South Africa
New Zealand
USA
Hong Kong
Japan
Scotland
England

At least it went to Argentina next season.

 

[fumbler]

Correct

Australia
UAE
South Africa
New Zealand
USA
Hong Kong
Japan
Scotland
England

At least it went to Argentina next season.

Need one mainland Europe (France, Italy or Romania area) another Africa either Kenya or West Africa, and a third Asian destination either Thailand or China.
Thoughts?

 

[Mint Condition]

There was supposed to be a 10th in Argentina this year (was going to be held after the Gold Coast event) but the Argentinian weren't well enough prepared so it got cancelled. It will be played next year though. I think in the future a 14 leg series would be good.

There are other regional sevens tournaments...Asia and Europe have separate series and a lot of the African countries also have their own mini tournaments. Then there are these invitational big prize money tournaments starting to pop up like this Grand Prix 7's in LA.

It would be great to see another world series event in Africa. Kenya would be an obvious choice as they already run their own successful tournament which is held before the world series begins. And obviously the Kenyans have a strong team. Rugby union is also the national sport of Madagascar and they have got crowds of 40-50k there in the last year or two. Very poor country though and logistically it would be difficult to hold a world series tournament there.

 

[Matt121]

Need one mainland Europe (France, Italy or Romania area) another Africa either Kenya or West Africa, and a third Asian destination either Thailand or China.
Thoughts?

This would be my schuedle if I was manager

Australia
New Zealand
Singapore
Japan
Hong Kong
UAE
South Africa
Kenya
Argentina
USA
England
Romania
Scotland

 

[fumbler]

This would be my schuedle if I was manager

Australia
New Zealand
Singapore
Japan
Hong Kong
UAE
South Africa
Kenya
Argentina
USA
England
Romania
Scotland

Singapore is a good idea.
Australia is too early and too hot i went there in 2010 at GC and it was a stinker.

Also have to cash in on either China or india

 

[Mint Condition]

I don't think Romania would be likely. Much more likely to have a tournament somewhere like Italy, France or Spain...or if in Eastern Europe in Russia. Especially given the sevens world cup is being played there in 2013 (though it's going to be a disaster due to their no alcohol sold in sports stadiums law and clash with the Lions tour, which will mean bugger all tourists).

 

[Lions1024]

The USA team brought an Olympic sprinter to the Gold Coast 7's earlier this year. One of the most amazing things I'll ever seen. In one play literally ran from midfield to the sideline, outrunning every single player, then to the tryline. One of the craziest things I've ever seen on a rugby field. If rugby 7's can keep players like him, the sport is going to be a hit in every country. Would happily pay >$100 to see him play again.

 

[Mint Condition]

The USA team brought an Olympic sprinter to the Gold Coast 7's earlier this year. One of the most amazing things I'll ever seen. In one play literally ran from midfield to the sideline, outrunning every single player, then to the tryline. One of the craziest things I've ever seen on a rugby field. If rugby 7's can keep players like him, the sport is going to be a hit in every country. Would happily pay >$100 to see him play again.

Carlin Isles...PB in the 100m of 10.1 which would have made the 100m semi finals in London. Definitely the fastest rugby player of all time and would compete with a couple of guys that played NFL for fastest ever football player in any code.

 

[fumbler]

Just keep giving him the ball

 

[caMoGFC]

i don't go out of my way to watch it but love when i flick through channels and happen to catch it on one of the sports channels.

to me it's MUCH more entertaining than regular union and rugby league.

just so much faster paced and far more enjoyable to watch than the constant run 5 metres directly into somebody over and over (obviously simplifying but not too far off the mark really) as far as i'm concerned.

it's refreshing to see basically everybody always making a play to get around some-one also!

 

[S120]

Carlin Isles...PB in the 100m of 10.1 which would have made the 100m semi finals in London. Definitely the fastest rugby player of all time and would compete with a couple of guys that played NFL for fastest ever football player in any code.

Good lord.

 

[Aucklander]

Wow, just wow.

 

[Aucklander]

How good have the Kenyan's been in Wellington? A well deserved spot in the final.

 

[fumbler]

Agree if only they had a bit of money to support the 15 man game they could definetly give a few sides a good showing.

 

[Aucklander]

Very unlucky to lose the final. I was hoping they'd let England score way out wide and then (hopefully) time run out.

 

[Mint Condition]

I went to the finals day in Las Vegas.

Was a bit cold and I was hungover but it was a lot of fun to watch. Was surreal to hear all these Americans and Canadians talking about rugby so passionately and with a lot of knowledge (crowd of about 25k I think on the day). Both semi finals and the 3rd/4th play off (Samoa vs Fiji - match of the day) went to sudden death extra time. Only negative was the final (South Africa beat NZ) was such a blowout.

Would definitely love to go again at one of the other big tournaments. Definitely recommend.

 

[S120]

Hopefully I'll be there for the next edition as I plan on taking a long trip to America at the end of this year.

 

[S120]

Did anyone else catch a bit of the Moscow leg over the weekend? I didn't see a lot of it but I did catch my first glimpse of women's sevens and I was pretty blown away by some of the sides. The NZ side were understandably pretty awesome but even sides like Canada and USA were pretty solid with some incredible athletes.

I hope I can see more of it. Was a very strong standard.

 

[Mint Condition]

Did anyone else catch a bit of the Moscow leg over the weekend? I didn't see a lot of it but I did catch my first glimpse of women's sevens and I was pretty blown away by some of the sides. The NZ side were understandably pretty awesome but even sides like Canada and USA were pretty solid with some incredible athletes.

I hope I can see more of it. Was a very strong standard.

That was actually the Rugby World Cup Sevens and not just a leg on the annual circuit. Was an embarrassing turnout and highlights the awful decision of the IRB to take it to an enormous stadium in Moscow (not the easiest place to travel to) during the Lions tour! There are a number of places in the world where a 3 day World Cup of Sevens would get big crowds...Russia is obviously not one of them.

Anyway, yeah there's been a lot of investment in women's sevens in the last couple of years given the olympic inclusion. Funnily enough a lot of the NZ sevens girls don't actually have much rugby experience - pretty sure there's a few converted touch players, even some from other sports like Netball. The Aussie girls are the same (Mark Gerrard's sister for example, who has played netball for Australia for many years has just quit netball to give rugby 7's a crack). Canada and the US have been among the best in women's rugby for a while. Funny also is that the Netherlands have a decent team, whereas they're no where to be seen in the mens game. On the other hand the Fijian women aren't anywhere near as strong as their men - their women's team didn't actually exist until relatively recently.

In the Moscow tournament the Aussie girls were defending champions from 2009 but were beaten in the quarters by Spain. It's easier for these historically 'minnow' rugby nations to get competitive in 7's. You see it in the mens with Kenya. There's a lot of room for it to grow and become more competitive and popular. Hopefully the IRB don't stuff it up.