Five key talking points from inaugural Ultimate Sevens event in Cardiff

The first weekend of Ultimate Sevens delivered four hours of scintillating action at Cardiff Arms Park, Atlantic Novas and Clan Taran claiming the inaugural competition titles in the women’s and men’s competitions respectively.

The weekend allowed fans to get a first impression of the new-look competition, with eyes now turning to Parc des Sports Aguilera in Biarritz with the continuation of the second round of action.

RugbyPass breaks down the key talking points following the first weekend of action, and the ramifications for the competition as it heads into its next stages.

Build it, and they will come

First impressions count, and even with Cardiff being a hub for rugby, it is always difficult to determine how the reaction will be to a new tournament until it gets out on the field.

However, if the first weekend was anything to judge by, it is the classic quote of ‘build it, and they will come.’

True to the goal of the competition’s organisers, the product served up across the 12 matches in Cardiff not only felt different from the usual expectations of sevens matches, but it dialled up the drama, with the fans who did show up getting their money’s worth.

“Launching a new series is not for the faint-hearted, but the commitment of these players, our team, the rugby community that helped deliver it to such high standards, and the fantastic atmosphere from those at the event, shows a glimpse of a bright future,” Ultimate Sevens Managing Director Barney Pascall said after the final whistle.

“What we saw today was exceptional rugby, new combinations forming incredibly quickly and players really embracing what we are trying to create.

“We set out to show Sevens in a new light and Cardiff gave us the first opportunity to showcase what this Championship can become. Now we will take this energy and keep building.”

While there is still plenty to play out, on the park there are all the signs the competition has the makings of being a huge success, especially as word of mouth continues to grow.

Tight contests galore

Touching on the drama angle, the law changes resulted in a key statistic that will bring a smile to the organisers’ faces – how tight the contests were.

Across the 12 matches, half of the games were decided by a margin of seven points or less, with four of them decided by a margin of an unconverted try or less.

The opening round of the men’s competition was particularly of note, Pacific Current’s tightly contested 17-12 victory over Sol Feroz being the biggest winning margin, with Atlantic Novas winning 7-5 over Albion Athletic and Clan Taran defeating Foudre Bleue 13-12.

The contests proved just as enthralling in the women’s competition, Pacific Current at the centre of two tight contests, going down 11-7 to eventual champions Atlantic Novas in round one, before losing to Sol Feroz 14-11 in the semi final.

With every one of the six clubs represented in either the men’s and/or women’s competitions, it points to a player draft getting the balance right for even contests – and setting a tantalising stage for more action in the coming weeks.

Rule changes prove effective

Making rule changes is always a delicate balance, and while the live setting ultimately determines if they help or hinder the game, the first signs of the unique changes to the Ultimate Sevens rulebook proved promising.

In fact, the unique format of the series and rule changes heightened what made the competition unique compared to its sevens contemporary competitions, and how the matches played out.

With the action done and dusted in four hours, clubs were encouraged to play enterprising high risk rugby from the off, the likes of open space specialists like Maddi Levi, Henry Hutchison, Alev Kelter, Nia Toliver and Selvyn Davids flourishing in the format.

Ten minute matches with no break and a 90 second timeout kept the action at a fast pace, with scores under the posts worth seven points, and more difficult conversions rewarded with more points based on designated kicking spots on the field.

The result opened up the format for teams to try new ways to find victory – something that is likely to be expanded upon in the coming weeks as sides get used to the format, and how to utilise the rules in their favour.

Clan Taran, Atlantic Novas sides to watch

After the first round, we have our first table leaders, with ‘local’ side Clan Taran winning the men’s competition, while Atlantic Novas topped the women’s competition.

The men’s 19-7 victory over Foudre Bleue pointed to open play rugby getting the rewards, with Selvyn Davids’ individual effort in the third minute a contender for try of the weekend, well supported by the likes of Will Homer and Tom Emery on the scoresheet.

Atlantic also blossomed in the women’s final, with tries to Allie Boatman and the contender for player of the weekend, Nia Toliver, seeing the side overcome Sol Feroz 19-7.

With the winners also having overcome the other sides in tight fixtures in semi finals and opening rounds, the question remains as to whether the additional pressure of leading the competition will heighten their momentum or hinder it.

Barrelling onto Biarritz

Parc des Sports Aguilera in Biarritz will mark the second round of action for Ultimate Sevens, and if there is one side set to watch that weekend, it will be ‘local’ side Foudre Bleue.

While the women’s side struggled to fire a shot going out in the first round 11-0 against Atlantic Novas, the side had enough local and international talent to return fire in Biarritz, the combination of international stars combining together in the same teams one of the highlights of Cardiff.

The men’s side however will be particularly dangerous, the likes of Pol Pla, Nathaniel Barry and Ryan Oosthuizen impressing across the opening weekend, finishing as runner’s up.

With the French fans expected to bring their charismatic vocal support and flair in one of southern France’s rugby strongholds, the second round of Ultimate Sevens is likely to be a significant step up on the opening weekend.