Hello Olympics

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wayner @ Aug 16 2009, 01:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Why did they choose to start with 7s ather than XVs? Is it because more nations play 7s and/or are more competitive in 7s? Did the IRB propose 7s becuase they thought it had a better shot to get in and then they would hope to build on that with XVs in the future? Or is it just too hard to have a XVs tournament in 2.5 weeks.[/b]

Probably because it's a faster paced game/easier to follow for someone who isn't a rugby fan

 

[Flux]

It's also more competetive and there's a greater chance of an upset.

 

[bgrugbyfan]

Rugby 7's is easier for the media outlets for cover games when they're feverishly trying to fit in all the gymnastics and swimming they can. We should be able to see entire games instead of just highlights.

This is such a great thing for rugby on a global scale. It's not a cost prohibitive sport so even "small" nations can join and the awareness of the sport as a whole will be incredible. I hope it gets more people involved and we can turn some minnow teams into real powers.

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Aug 13 2009, 10:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

So how will the cup, plate and bowel work?[/b]

Bowel....snigger.

Well the plate and bowl are to decide lower rankings (aswell as to give the teams that lost mroe game time) so they'll (presumably) still have the plate and bowl competitions to see who comes 5th 6th 7th... whereas Gold will go to the Cup winners and runners-up and there'll probably be a 3rd/4th place playoff.


There'll be some pernickity issues alright with players deciding whom they wish to play for. I resume IRB will say that a player has to stick with Ireland if they have a cap but olympic rules suggest that uncapped Northern Irish players will be free to play for either.

I'm also wondering what will happen with the Britain team. Will they just chose a team from Scotland, Wales and England's existing teams before the olympics and give them one or tournements together or are the teams going to be fused a few years before which I just don't see working.

The IRFU have also been a bit cautions about what they say about the whole funding a full time 7s team. They can baredly afford to fund Connacht as it is. They had a good surplus last year though so hopefully they do something in the next couple of years.

 

[Thingimubob]

It'd be very bad if Wales, Scotland and England get merged permenantly, but a GB Team would need time to merge. It'd be useful to have a 'warm-up tournament' for them.
Am quite excited for this though, could turn out to be class. I can see some of the established stars coming in too, especially considering many have plenty of Sevens experience, nd teh lure of a Olympic Medal is pretty big. Would be unfair to shove the Sevens Specialists out of the limelight though, so it will be interesting what the selection policy will be like.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

I really hope this isn't a case of lots of English players and a few Scots/Welsh just to "keep the numbers up", that'd be a little bit of a kick in the balls...an unsurprising kick in the balls, but a kick in the balls none the less.

 

[Blindside6]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dundeesmiffy @ Aug 26 2009, 01:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I really hope this isn't a case of lots of English players and a few Scots/Welsh just to "keep the numbers up", that'd be a little bit of a kick in the balls...an unsurprising kick in the balls, but a kick in the balls none the less.[/b]

As Wales are the current Rugby 7s World Champions it's more likely that the Scots/English will be there to "keep the numbers up".

 

[dundeesmiffy]

You'd think that...madder things have happened.

 

[Olyy]

Meh, who's to say that Scotland won't be 7s world champs by then?
7 years is a long time

 

[feicarsinn]

I do.

 

[Olyy]

So do I, but i was just saying it's silly to guess at the teams make-up when it's so far off

 

[wayner]

Some of the Olympic competitions do take the full 2-3 weeks. I am pretty sure that Soccer does. In the winter Olympics Ice Hockey runs the full length of the games. Women's Ice Hockey is a sport where only two countries (Canada and US) have even the slightest chance of winning.

You could do a single knockout tournament for XVs. Let in 16 teams and play on Days 1,5,10,16 (Sat, Wed, Mon, Sun) - I think there are 16 days in the Olympics. And I do vaguely remember that some sports actually start before the opening ceremonies. Assuming highest rankings play lowest rankings you would have first round games, based on current rankings, of SA-Russia, NZ-Tonga, Aus-Japan, Ireland-Canada, France-Italy, Argentina-Samoa, England-Scotland, Wales-Fiji.

 

[Charles]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wayner @ Aug 27 2009, 10:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Some of the Olympic competitions do take the full 2-3 weeks. I am pretty sure that Soccer does. In the winter Olympics Ice Hockey runs the full length of the games. Women's Ice Hockey is a sport where only two countries (Canada and US) have even the slightest chance of winning.

You could do a single knockout tournament for XVs. Let in 16 teams and play on Days 1,5,10,16 (Sat, Wed, Mon, Sun) - I think there are 16 days in the Olympics. And I do vaguely remember that some sports actually start before the opening ceremonies. Assuming highest rankings play lowest rankings you would have first round games, based on current rankings, of SA-Russia, NZ-Tonga, Aus-Japan, Ireland-Canada, France-Italy, Argentina-Samoa, England-Scotland, Wales-Fiji.[/b]

Hmmm, no. There is already too much rugby games, and the world cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Plus a knock out tournament is not really interesting.
Bringing in 7's is a very good idea.

 

[DonBilly]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Charles @ Aug 28 2009, 01:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wayner @ Aug 27 2009, 10:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Some of the Olympic competitions do take the full 2-3 weeks. I am pretty sure that Soccer does. In the winter Olympics Ice Hockey runs the full length of the games. Women's Ice Hockey is a sport where only two countries (Canada and US) have even the slightest chance of winning.

You could do a single knockout tournament for XVs. Let in 16 teams and play on Days 1,5,10,16 (Sat, Wed, Mon, Sun) - I think there are 16 days in the Olympics. And I do vaguely remember that some sports actually start before the opening ceremonies. Assuming highest rankings play lowest rankings you would have first round games, based on current rankings, of SA-Russia, NZ-Tonga, Aus-Japan, Ireland-Canada, France-Italy, Argentina-Samoa, England-Scotland, Wales-Fiji.[/b]

Hmmm, no. There is already too much rugby games, and the world cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Plus a knock out tournament is not really interesting.
Bringing in 7's is a very good idea.
[/b][/quote]

Why? I would replace the H-cup current organization for example by such a format.

 

[gingergenius]

OK so we have Rugby 7s in the Olympics.

Has anyyone thought that this could be an advertisement for Rugby as a game, not just Rugby Union. 7s is a game that Leaguies can be just as good at. Look at the premier club 7s competition, the Middlesex 7s. It was won, against the cream of the 7s club world, by Wigan Warriors in 1996 and by Bradford Bulls in 2001.

This to me shows numerous possibilities. Firstly, with Team GB we are replacing the England, Wales and Scotland sides, all strong, and replacing them with one team. Ireland could also be potentially weakened. So, if League countries like Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands were to enter teams using established RL players then that could 1) fill the gaps left by Team GB and 2) provide 2 more minor countries with a high level of olympic competition.

Secondly, Team GB is already going to be a split from the usual 7s squads. Sides like NZ and Fiji may want to stick with their established 7s squads, but in Britain it will be completely different. So we could, feasably, select stars from both codes.

If Australia were to do this as well, we could not only have an Olympic 7s tournament with the most exciting rugby players in the world - think if we were to have the tournament now we could have Brian O'Driscoll, Matt Giteau, Greg Inglis, Darren Lockyer, Dan Carter, and Bryan Habana all playing in the same competition. Union fans would be interested. League fans would be interested. Rugby as a whole would benefit.

 

[Nickdnz]

Wouldn't league players have a problem with rucking, I mean I know it is limited, and league players could addapt, but a rugby league game that has rucking is just rugby union pretty much. Would be interesting to pick teams from both codes, though it wouldn't benafit NZ or Fiji all that much. I honestly can't see sevens players who specialise in 7's such as DJ Forbes, maintain their spots during the world cups. I see people like Joe Rokocoko, Ma'a Nonu and Rodney So'oialo taking over every four years for the Olympics. Not putting down 7's specialists, however I believe people who are established All Blacks or w/e, would be picked ahead of any 7's players. I mean can you see SA 7's team not having Habana, Chavhanga ect?

 

[wayner]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Aug 28 2009, 06:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Has anyyone thought that this could be an advertisement for Rugby as a game, not just Rugby Union.[/b]

As a former forward I must contend that 7s is an extremely watered down version of rugby and is NOT the real thing. To tell folks who have never seen rugby before that 7s is rugby is a damn shame. Having 7s in the olympics and not XVs is like having Beach Soccer in the Olympics but not Real Soccer.

Given the timing of the Olympics if you do get the top players from XVs then will the timing of the TriNations have to change? There isn't really a conflict with NH rugby but the Olympics generally take place in August, right in the middle of the 3N campaign.

By the way - why isn't a knockout tournament interesting? When you come right down to it that is what we have in the RWC as the pool matches are generally boring and there isn't much doubt about which teams get through - it is mainly a question of determining who is 1st or 2nd in each pool. For example in RWC 2011 Pool A has NZ, Tonga, France, Canada and Japan(probably). What's the probability of France and NZ not making it through?

The only real drama will be in Pool B with Argentina, Scotland and England fighting it out but given Scotland's form in recent years they may have trouble getting through.

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Aug 13 2009, 09:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

So how will the cup, plate and bowel work?[/b]

Easy, they won't. The Olympics will take priority as the culmination of the 4 year sevens cycle. Obviously, individual tournaments on the circuit (HK 7s, San Fran 7s, Wellington 7s, etc) will have their cups, plates and bowls but the Olympics will only have three awards: Gold, Silver & Bronze.

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Sep 1 2009, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Aug 13 2009, 09:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So how will the cup, plate and bowel work?[/b]

Easy, they won't. The Olympics will take priority as the culmination of the 4 year sevens cycle. Obviously, individual tournaments on the circuit (HK 7s, San Fran 7s, Wellington 7s, etc) will have their cups, plates and bowls but the Olympics will only have three awards: Gold, Silver & Bronze.
[/b][/quote]

One would presume though that the 'cup, plate and bowl' mathes would still be played, just not under that name but simply as a means of determining the final overall rankings of every team.

 

[alexrugby]

now we have to pure tears of happiness