Hello Olympics

[Nickdnz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Aug 28 2009, 10:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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.[/b]

Also, I can't see Sevens who's tornements is funded by the IRB, would want to share their victory with Rugby League, and I can't really blame them. Besides that League has its own form of 7's.

 

[Jethro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Sep 4 2009, 01:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Aug 28 2009, 10:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Also, I can't see Sevens who's tornements is funded by the IRB, would want to share their victory with Rugby League, and I can't really blame them. Besides that League has its own form of 7's.
[/b][/quote]

And if you have ever been along to League 7s ... no idea comes to mind. Went to a couple in Sydney, a low ranked World Series side would knock most if not all teams off without breaking a sweat. There's the odd good individual player, surprised the ARU hasn't swooped, but overall the levels of performance are appalling. Our friends across in the other rugby code don't seem overly fussed on the shortened form of the game.

 

[Steve-o]

Has anybody thought of the long term implications of having Sevens as the main 'product' to advertise/expose rugby to the world?

Will rugby go the direction cricket is going with 20/20 games becoming more popular than a Test series? Will Sevens eventually become more popular than Rugby Union?

 

[Nickdnz]

I doubt it. As enjoyable as sevens is, it is a sport you really have to watch a tornement to see how your team does, which can take 2 days, as apposed to how Rugby Union games take 80 minutes. I mean it should raise people awearness of Rugby Union and it's shortened form of the game, but 20/20 offers you a "quick" game of cricket, whereas while each game of 7's is shorter, your team plays games 30 minutes apart if not more, which dosn't lend itself to easy watching.

 

[Steve-o]

I get what you're saying but people who grew up watching Rugby Union would say that. We're coming from a different frame of reference.

We'll be basically be telling people, who have no idea what rugby is, this:
- Quick (skinny players)
- Open and free flowing
- Easy to play (Sevens positions are not nearly as specialized)
- Over soon enough to see 2 games in your lunch break

Imagine that is what you knew that as rugby, and then all of a sudden you get shown rugby union, which is basically:
- Slower
- Complicated and not easy to play (due to the very specific roles attached to positions)
- Very set piece originated
- Has these fat, ugly trolls called props

Just remember I'm playing devils advocate here, I'd much rather have any form of rugby be more popular than any form of soccer.
I just feel we might be sitting back one day and saying "be careful what you wish for". That would suck.

 

[Nickdnz]

I get what you mean, and you make a valid point. It would suck if Rugby sevens is what people began to think of as Rugby. I guess the hope is that it will spark interest and make people investigate Rugby further. I think we may be slightly over playing the importance though. Apparently the Rugby World Cup in 2007 was the third biggest sporting event behind the Olympics and the Soccer World Cup, and let's face it, as many people will watch Rugby 7's in the Olympics as people who watch mix gender ping pong, I mean it is alot of people, but I don't think the impact will be too large. I think the best part about it, is that it gives countries who struggle to win a gold medal the chance, as I don't think countries such as Samoa and Fiji compete in the Olympics to the extent they will now that sevens is introduced, and hopfully they will win a medal (hopefully silver or bronze, as the gold is reserved for NZ )

 

[Steve-o]

I think you're right, the Olympics we be more of a spring board for rugby union and rugby as a whole, than a threat to rugby union. Kinda like soccer in the Olympics is viewed. It's more about participation.
I guess it will depend how strongly people will react to rugby and how nations go about competing for it. Whether they have specialist Sevens teams or they draft star Union players in. Of course the latter is not good for anybody and will just be greedy.