Rugby World Cup winning All Black John Kirwan stated today that Rugby Sevens is the key to unlocking Rugby’s true potential as a global game. Speaking at an HSBC hosted media debate in Hong Kong on the eve of the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Kirwan said, “Sevens is fundamental [to the growth of the game]. We do not have a global game… yet. Sevens will be the global game whilst Fifteens will be the international game.”
In just four years, Rugby Sevens will become an Olympic sport at the Rio Games and Kirwan, former Coach of Japan, is excited about big nations waking up to the potential of the Game following the Olympic inclusion.
"America has been the so-called sleeping giant and the question has always been ‘when will we be able to unlock this?’ Well it’s just been unlocked! America will be a Sevens country within the next four years,"Kirwan said. "There are three thousand elite level athletes that don’t get scholarships at American colleges and there has been no other sport in America that they can play. So, there are three thousand athletes each year in America waiting to play Sevens. Now that that [Olympic] funding is hitting, you will see an incredible American Sevens team within four years."
Also at the event was Trevor Gregory, Chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, who host the biggest international Rugby Sevens tournament this weekend. Gregory was similarly excited by the potential growth of the sport – especially in Asia.
"The potential for Rugby to grow here is enormous - Asia boasts 80% of the world’s youth and we are seeing tremendous growth in the sport here in Hong Kong. There are already over 3,000 games of Rugby played each year in Hong Kong. We almost can’t keep up with the growth of the sport at all levels here."
This year’s Hong Kong Sevens boasts a new qualifying tournament which will enable three emerging Rugby nations to become core teams on the HSBC Sevens World Series next season. Kirwan is adamant that this opportunity for developing teams to play against the top teams like New Zealand and England will be good news for Rugby.
"Competition is crucial to the growth of the Game. Countries who qualify this weekend in Hong Kong will start to compete on a regular basis with the established nations. That’s how they will improve" he said.
Head Coach, and former Captain, of China, Johnny Zhang, explained how much of an impact the Olympic decision has made on the sport in China, with the union choosing to focus on Sevens rather than Fifteens.
"The Chinese government realized there would be a change with Rugby coming into the Olympics. Sports development in China is very heavily dependent on the government and Rugby Sevens is an Olympic sport.
"Sevens is the focal point of the development, but they’re not going to give up on Fifteens because this is where Rugby originates. Their policy is to bring people from Sevens to Fifteens. Rugby used to only be played in schools and at universities but since the Olympic decision in 2009, the Government has backed the sport and is now investing heavily in Rugby meaning its being played more widely."
So, the decision to bring Rugby into the Olympics seems to be having a lasting effect. I for one can't wait to see how the game evolves over the next few years given the increased importance it has been given globally since it's inclusion. The Rio Olympic games will be a defining moment in the history of rugby, and given the support seen at the recent South American Sevens Championships (won narrowly by Uruguay over Argentina), I expect the atmosphere to be like one great carnival. As for John Kirwan's remark that USA was a sleeping giant, its difficult to argue against him. On the sevens scene teams such as Kenya have made dramatic improvements in recent years so I wouldn't bet against it given the athletes they could potentially have at their disposal in a few years time.
For now....bring on the Hong Kong sevens this weekend!
In just four years, Rugby Sevens will become an Olympic sport at the Rio Games and Kirwan, former Coach of Japan, is excited about big nations waking up to the potential of the Game following the Olympic inclusion.
"America has been the so-called sleeping giant and the question has always been ‘when will we be able to unlock this?’ Well it’s just been unlocked! America will be a Sevens country within the next four years,"Kirwan said. "There are three thousand elite level athletes that don’t get scholarships at American colleges and there has been no other sport in America that they can play. So, there are three thousand athletes each year in America waiting to play Sevens. Now that that [Olympic] funding is hitting, you will see an incredible American Sevens team within four years."
Also at the event was Trevor Gregory, Chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, who host the biggest international Rugby Sevens tournament this weekend. Gregory was similarly excited by the potential growth of the sport – especially in Asia.
"The potential for Rugby to grow here is enormous - Asia boasts 80% of the world’s youth and we are seeing tremendous growth in the sport here in Hong Kong. There are already over 3,000 games of Rugby played each year in Hong Kong. We almost can’t keep up with the growth of the sport at all levels here."
This year’s Hong Kong Sevens boasts a new qualifying tournament which will enable three emerging Rugby nations to become core teams on the HSBC Sevens World Series next season. Kirwan is adamant that this opportunity for developing teams to play against the top teams like New Zealand and England will be good news for Rugby.
"Competition is crucial to the growth of the Game. Countries who qualify this weekend in Hong Kong will start to compete on a regular basis with the established nations. That’s how they will improve" he said.
Head Coach, and former Captain, of China, Johnny Zhang, explained how much of an impact the Olympic decision has made on the sport in China, with the union choosing to focus on Sevens rather than Fifteens.
"The Chinese government realized there would be a change with Rugby coming into the Olympics. Sports development in China is very heavily dependent on the government and Rugby Sevens is an Olympic sport.
"Sevens is the focal point of the development, but they’re not going to give up on Fifteens because this is where Rugby originates. Their policy is to bring people from Sevens to Fifteens. Rugby used to only be played in schools and at universities but since the Olympic decision in 2009, the Government has backed the sport and is now investing heavily in Rugby meaning its being played more widely."
So, the decision to bring Rugby into the Olympics seems to be having a lasting effect. I for one can't wait to see how the game evolves over the next few years given the increased importance it has been given globally since it's inclusion. The Rio Olympic games will be a defining moment in the history of rugby, and given the support seen at the recent South American Sevens Championships (won narrowly by Uruguay over Argentina), I expect the atmosphere to be like one great carnival. As for John Kirwan's remark that USA was a sleeping giant, its difficult to argue against him. On the sevens scene teams such as Kenya have made dramatic improvements in recent years so I wouldn't bet against it given the athletes they could potentially have at their disposal in a few years time.
For now....bring on the Hong Kong sevens this weekend!
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