Major changes coming to 2012/13 Sevens series.

[LittleGuy]

The IRB is going to introduce some pretty sweeping changes next year to the 7's series, the largest of which is the increase of core teams to 15. As well there will be a relegation/promotion system put in place in future seasons. The IRB article summarises the full changes much better than I can and is to be found at the following link.

http://www.irbsevens.com/destination/edition=5/news/newsid=2060908.html#irb+opens+world+series+every+nation

I see some good and some bad in this, the lack of invited teams to the 16 team events will remove some of the colour from each indivdual tournament and I worry about there becoming a bigger gap between the core teams and the minnow nations.

 

[psychic duck]

I think there is too many matches for each festival

the whole point of Sevens is that it is short, yet the matches go on for about as long as a cricket match

also they shouldn't make the final 10 minutes and all the others 7, they just need 1 time, I don't think anybody would support the idea of making the Rugby World Cup final 90 minutes because it was the final

 

[Darwin]

The IRB is going to introduce some pretty sweeping changes next year to the 7's series, the largest of which is the increase of core teams to 15. As well there will be a relegation/promotion system put in place in future seasons. The IRB article summarises the full changes much better than I can and is to be found at the following link.

http://www.irbsevens.com/destinatio...0908.html#irb+opens+world+series+every+nation

I see some good and some bad in this, the lack of invited teams to the 16 team events will remove some of the colour from each indivdual tournament and I worry about there becoming a bigger gap between the core teams and the minnow nations.

I can certainly see that happening, though I do think increasing the number of core teams will benefit a couple of teams: those teams that are now included in the core group. I think being in the core group would do wonders for a teams such as Tonga & Canada, who showed in the weekend what they have to offer in the 7's game.

I think there is too many matches for each festival

the whole point of Sevens is that it is short, yet the matches go on for about as long as a cricket match

also they shouldn't make the final 10 minutes and all the others 7, they just need 1 time, I don't think anybody would support the idea of making the Rugby World Cup final 90 minutes because it was the final

I can't agree with that - the whole idea of Sevens is that it is a day long event. I've been to a few Sevens tournaments, and I certainly haven't found them too long (nor found anyone else complaining they are too long) - indeed I was always disappointed when the days games were over!

Agree entirely on the 10 minutes final though - I've always found that really bizarre. I've always compared it to changing the Olympic sprinting final to 140m, rather than the usual 100m!

 

[Melhor Time]

La Plata is very close to being confirmed the lattest venue with the Buenos Aires province city being prefered to Mar del Plata which hosted the 2011 Sevens World Cup.

http://rugbyworldcup-argentina2023.blogspot.com.br/2012/03/la-plata-to-host-leg-of-irb-world.html

With Argentina on board there will be 10 legs now. i.e.

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

I see no reason why it can´t be a lot larger. It is run from November-May but has, at times, huge gaps. There are no events at all in the month of January. Hong Kong is the only event in March and Tokyo the only one in April. The Gold Coast is November´s only leg too. I think two events per month is attanable pretty easily. Since it is 7 months it can be 14 legs. I´d move the Wellington Sevens to January and have the Australian event then too. This would free up two slots in November.

Aside from La Plata the four others to be added cuold well be some of the following:

Toronto which did really well for Canada vs USA last August.

Several years ago Hannover, Germany was a good host for the FIRA Sevens, getting really strong crowds.

Cardiff or Swansea. Rugby in Wales is and always will be well supported. Better options than the small Glasgow venue being used this year.If Wales think the Milleniunm to to big then utilize the Liberty Stadium which hardly hosts anything beyond Ospreys games.

Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian city has applied for a leg but La Plata will be the winner. Massive growth going on here. 2016 Olympics coming to town.

Lisbon. There is no reason why Portugal cannot utilize a soccer stadium and do well.

Madrid. Same as Lisbon. I´d prefer both to Italy.

Lyon. A return to France is always an option but a venue other than Paris would be my preference. I say Lyon because it is France´s second largest city, the region produces plenty of French players and is underused by the FFR.

Moscow. Will host the 2013 World Cup. Pretty clear that it makes sense to host a leg.

Punta del Este. The Uruguayan resort city hosts a good event every year featuring South American teams.

There is also the possibility of an existing country hosting another leg. Dunedin could host for instance as could an eastern USA city like Boston.

In my view the four added venues, aside from La Plata, should be Lyon, Hannover, Moscow and Toronto.

 

[dullonien]

Cardiff or Swansea. Rugby in Wales is and always will be well supported. Better options than the small Glasgow venue being used this year.If Wales think the Milleniunm to to big then utilize the Liberty Stadium which hardly hosts anything beyond Ospreys games.

Just so you know, the Liberty Stadium is also the home ground of the Swans, a Premiership football team, so it's quite heavily used. Not many stadiums are used more than this, as not many stadiums are shared by two sports teams both in the top flight of their respective sports.

 

[Melhor Time]

Sorry for not being clear. I was just talking about rugby.

 

[dullonien]

Sorry for not being clear. I was just talking about rugby.

Fair enough.

 

[BZHopenside]

Lyon. A return to France is always an option but a venue other than Paris would be my preference. I say Lyon because it is France´s second largest city, the region produces plenty of French players and is underused by the FFR.

Probably would end up in Marseilles. The weather is better, there's a beach (sevens seems attracted to beaches). Just choose a weekend when OM is out of town.

 

[scar123]

if not Swansea, why not Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli or even The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham

 

[welshglory]

Nah screw it Wales doesn't need a 7's tournament and quite frankly the world series definitely doesn't need it there!