The addition of Rugby 7s to the Olympic Games has been truly magnificent, with the shortened format of the game causing quite a stir in Rio.
The women took the stage first, showing off the incredible skill, speed and strength required for Sevens, with Australia stealing the show and clinching the gold medal. It was immediately clear that the world was taking notice of the sport, and seeing it a new light as a much more accessible game to watch and play.
I've never seen women's rugby 7s before. This is really good – exciting to watch.
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonMSP) August 7, 2016
Addition of rugby 7s to #Olympics has been brilliant. Short, sharp & exciting spectator sport. Interested to see if golf goes down so well.
— Caroline Rigby (@Carigby) August 11, 2016
#Rugby7s final between #nzl and #aus is one heck of an advert for women's sport. Drama, athleticism, aggression, skill – the lot.
— Women's Sport Trust (@WomenSportTrust) August 8, 2016
Expectations were high by the time the Men’s event began, and the first session was breathtaking, with the highlight undoubtedly being Japan beating New Zealand. The New Zealand rugby team are like mythical creatures to those that don’t really follow Rugby – everyone has heard that they are the best team in the world, and you can see newsreaders and commentators in awe of anyone that dares take them on. This made Japan’s achievement even more celebrated, and raised the profile further.
The drama created by Great Britain’s extra-time victory over Argentina created further headlines, even though the 0-0 scoreline at full-time sounded more like an amateur 15-a-side game played in wind and rain on a heavy pitch, and of course I am biased, but it feels like everyone has been talking about the Rugby.
Has a 0-0 ever been so exciting. Geez… #Rugby7s
— Colin Rhys Gregor (@colingregor) August 10, 2016
Watching the action, there was clearly no question of the importance of the Olympics to those taking part – there never really was, but unlike golf, you can see how the Olympics can become the pinnacle of Rugby 7s once every four years. The Sevens World Cup has never really done that job effectively, and the World Sevens Series will take on added importance depending on where we are in that 4-year cycle.
As the stakes become higher, I’m also interested in how the game will evolve. You can already see an increased focus on the breakdown, with players deciding whether or not to challenge for the ball, and I also spotted Japan scoring a try from a rolling maul!
Have you been watching the Sevens?