New promotional video endorsing sevens rugby for the 2016 Olympics
Despite recent set backs, the International Rugby Board (IRB) has released a new promotional video (see below) on the heels of the Beijing games as it continues to lobby the International Olumpic Committee (IOC) for the inclusion of sevens rugby in the Olympics.
Stressing the common ideals of fair play and friendship, the video is the latest move by the IRB after failing in 2005 to secure a spot in the 2012 London Olympics.
The current IRB campaign also stresses the potential financial contributions of a sevens rugby berth at the Olympics such as attracting new corporate sponsors and filling the Olympic stadium during the first week of the Olympics. The Olympic stadium is typically ‘vacant’ following the open ceremonies until the track and field events in the second week thus providing sevens rugby a no-overhead venue for a 3-day competition and of course the commensurate ticket sales.
One outstanding issue remains the quality of rugby. Following the 2007 Rugby World Cup (RWC), IOC President and out-spoken rugby supporter Jacques Rogge expressed doubt about rugby’s inclusion at the Olympics:
“[At the RWC] play went from one maul, to another maul, to another maul, waiting for a penalty to be blown.”
While the experimental law variations now in global usage are likely to quell such criticisms for the 2011 RWC, it’s not clear that these laws will significantly affect the sevens variation as ruck and maul situations as well as penalty kicks for goal are already quite infrequent.
Thus, the main obstacle for quality sevens rugby at the Olympics would appear to be player availability. Any successful campaign with the IOC would have to include guarantees that the elite players would be free from their club obligations to rest in advance of and then compete at the Olympics. Contracts for professional rugby players typically include leave for international Tests, but the Olympic games are not specifically included in these contracts. It is likely that the IRB is negotiating this firmly with all relevant stakeholders and by all accounts have the support of the top players as well as player associations:
“All the top players are involved in this process,” Lapasset [IRB Chairmain] said. “They support the sevens in the Olympic movement and we receive the support of all the top level players.”
How can you help get sevens rugby included in the Olympics?
The IOC has created a specific website called the Virtual Olympic Congress (www.2009congress.olympic.org) to record public feedback between now and December 31, 2008. Please visit and submit your feedback noting how sevens rugby would be an exciting addition to the Olympics, and especially include your thoughts on how rugby fits the Olympic principles. I am sure many of you have strong feelings and personal experiences to draw from to make an impassioned endorsement. American readers might also like to comment how the USA Sevens Tournament has grown steadily into a premier event and that you would make every effort to attend the any Olympic games to watch the USA defend its position as the current Olympyic Rugby champions.
(On Aug 28th, 2008 at 1:36 pm)
Good video. I love how there wasn’t one clip of any US rugby. The "pregnant" Mom pulling a ball out from under her shirt was a little strange though.
In regards to player availability, it really shouldn’t be an issue. None of the club teams are playing at the time and there are usually no test matches during the Olympics. The only rugby going on is the Tri-Nations, which has little if not zero players who play 7’s. The only other rugby being played that could be affected would be the Air NZ Cup. But letting those guys play in the Olympics would do more for a country like New Zealand than the Air NZ Cup could.
(On Aug 28th, 2008 at 3:13 pm)
You might be right about players being generally available, but this a a big money venture for the IOC. So contractual guarantees from clubs (even if they are never required from a practical stand-point) will need to be in place for the IRB to consider rugby IMO.
(On Sep 8th, 2008 at 2:23 pm)
I think even with amateur players, 7’s rugby in the Olympics would attract a large fan base and be more exciting than a bulk of the sports that the Olympics offer.
Good video clip too… still love the "World in Union" trademark.
(On Sep 25th, 2008 at 9:26 am)
Two issues spring to mind from this video, both of which go to the question of player availability;
i) Elite 7’s has developed so much over the last few years that it has a completely different player base from the elite 15’s game. Clubs already release players to national squads for the IRB World Sevens circus, the Olympics could be treated as just another stop on that tour.
ii) Actual 7’s footage aside, the vast majority of talking heads in the video, do not play 7’s , I think that’s a bit disingenuous of the IRB and if there’s anyone in the IOC that expects Lawrence Dallaglio (yes he played in the England 7 that won the inaugural World cup but that was a lifetime ago) or Johnny Wilkinson to grace an Olympic Tournament they’ll be sadly disappointed.
As for the ELVs making rugby more attractive to the IOC, the few games I’ve seen so far this season (Guiness Premiership) have been ruined by these so call improvements……..sell our game on it’s merits, not by changing it to suit.