IRB: Lets Get Rugby Into The Olympics

[laura]

I dont think 7's is the way to go, especially if we are trying to get the game we love re-included in the Olympics, but at the same time its what the IRB are backing and having their backing for 7s gives it more credibility.
I think 7's is a great starting block and when people get into that more then they will be more aware of rugby as a general sport and hopefully sit up and pay attention and in no time will realise that 15's is where its at and call for 15s to replace 7s.
It might be a bit of a cop-out explanation but I think we have to take it one step at a time, just having rugby back in the games would be fantastic.

[AndyS]

15s will never be an Olympic sport - imagine the RWC with twice the teams! There is too much down time required between games for a tournament completed in 2 weeks, and philosophically I have always felt that the Olympics should be the pinnacle of any sport played there. Rugby 15s, soccer, tennis and probably basketball and baseball - there are all other, bigger events that the competitors would rather win. Maybe different if you make it strictly amateur like the boxing...

No, 10s is the most "Union" form of the game that I can see working. 7s would certainly be the most recognisable short form, but in some respects popularising a slightly different version would perhaps be an advantage for the Olympics...everyone starts from a bit more level a playing field and it would definitely be the number one tournament of it's kind.

[BLR]

Football in the Olympics has 16 teams, the World Cup has 32....

[KenyaQuin]

Again, in my opinion 7s is the way to go. With 10s what are we proposing? A 3 man scrum and 7 backline players? A 5-man scrum and a 5-man backline? What would be the purpose of the extra 3 men? To be honest I don't see any benefit of the extra numbers. As it is, there are lineouts and scrums in 7s already. There are rucks and the odd maul so really there is nothing missing or rather there is little to be gained by having the extra men on the field.

[AndyS]

We wouldn't be proposing anything - 10s is a recognised form of rugby with tournaments and everything. You'd recognise most of the rules, but in general think of it as the tight five and five backs. Scrums in 7s might as well be league (aka a "lean-on" according to the alternative rugby commentary) - what I'd hope to see is some genuine forward play.

[beige]

Thought this snippet was interesting. I'd actually been wondering about this myself and I think it makes sense:

With a year to go until rugby union finds out if it is back in the Olympic Games, rugby chiefs are considering a radical plan to boost their cause.

The International Rugby Board would consider scrapping the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament if Rugby Sevens is selected as an Olympic sport.

IRB officials will find out on 2 October 2009 if their bid for inclusion in the 2016 Games has been successful.

"The Olympics should be the pinnacle of your sport," said IRB boss Mike Miller.

Speaking to BBC Wales' Scrum V rugby programme, the chief executive said:

"The Olympics can be the pinnacle of Sevens rugby and we will decide whether we will keep World Cup sevens, or not, if we get into the Olympics."

The rest of the article is a bit of a rehash...

BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | Welsh | Rugby's year of Olympic reckoning

[AndyS]

Stumbled across this...

Cape Town Tens gets Carter!
Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:50

The inaugural Cape Town Tens rugby tournament continues to break new ground, with the organising committee revealing on Wednesday that star All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter - the world's best rugby player - will serve as the event's ambassador.

Carter, like fellow All Blacks player Kees Meeuws, will form part of the management team of the adidas/Sports Illustrated Legends team, which will be competing in the premier league of the Cape Town Tens - joining former internationals Leon Lloyd, Eddie Evans, Matt Phillips and Willie Lose in the star-studded selection.

http://www.rugby365.com/all_news/sa/news/1480180.htm

[Happy]

I actually don't want to see union in the olympics ... anything with harsh contact (boxing for example) is considered amature in the real worlds fans.

Imagine our players all running out with padding, neck braces, head guards, uncontested scrums

Ask your self.. the world cup is every four years.. why would you want to see a "light" version of union every four years ??

[The InnFORCEr]

Ask your self.. the world cup is every four years.. why would you want to see a "light" version of union every four years ??

$$$$$$ my good friend,well it was until recently, the america's and asia's will pump heaps into anything Olympic, ask Moose he'll explain.

[beige]

Ask your self.. the world cup is every four years.. why would you want to see a "light" version of union every four years ??

Cos it'd be f'ing awesome!!!

We already have the Rugby World Cup Sevens every 4 years - this would just give it a bigger stage.

[Happy]

not it wouldn't .. light rugby is called league .. or diet rugby

[AndyS]

For those that may have missed the discussion on the Rugby Club regarding Sevens, the Olympics and Australia's plans for the future. Interesting (and in places worrying) in that it is our High Performance Unit Manager talking - encapsulates a good bit of the discussion here...
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/vi..._11388,00.html