When the level playing field is just not big enough
There are more problems than solutions when it comes to the integration of Sevens World Series events, but, as Scotty Stevenson discovered in Sydney, it is clearly the way forward for the sport.
They crushed it in front of their home fans. The Australian women’s sevens side, in a prime afternoon spot, hammered New Zealand 31-0 to become the first women’s team in the history of the series to win their home event. It was more than just a gold medal performance; it was a life-giver to the hopes of all the athletes on the series.
“We don’t want to be the curtain-raiser,” said New Zealand Sevens women’s player of the year Ruby Tui at the Rugby Awards in December. “We want to be the main event.” On Sunday in Sydney, that wish became a reality. The women’s final was played in front of the biggest crowd of the day at Allianz Stadium. Rather cruelly, from the point of view of Tui and her New Zealand team mates, they were reduced to spectators, too. Australia scored five tries to nil and, in the process, set up the tournament as an on-field success for Rugby Australia.
Later that evening, the Australian men followed suit and hammered South Africa. It was a master class from a side that had last won a major World Series title in 2012. For James ‘Chucky’ Stannard, their indomitable veteran playmaker, it was the perfect ending to his last home tournament. No one would have begrudged Chucky that moment. It was just a pity that the crowd – three days in to the event – was not as large as it could have been.
And therein lies the rub. Integrating the men’s and women’s tournaments is a scheduling nightmare. In order to do so over the weekend, the men were asked to play one game each on the Friday, two games each on the Saturday and three games – for those who played through to strata finals – on the Sunday.
The women, for their part, had to play three games on the Friday (a public holiday in Australia) beginning at 10 am, two games on Saturday, beginning at 9am, and then a final game on the Sunday, squeezed into the afternoon programme. As Charlotte Caslick, one of the stars of the winning Australian team, threw down a zinger of a hot take after the final, saying that playing in front of an empty house first thing in the morning is “pretty shit.”
Fair enough, too. Her point is valid but so is the position of the event organisers who are trying hard to fit this particular square peg a round hole. The men’s series has been sold to broadcasters as a standalone product, which means every single game must be played for broadcast. The women’s series has also been sold to broadcasters with the same parameters. There is simply no current solution that can satisfy the television market and the wishes of players. In other words, the level playing field is simply not big enough.
While Caslick rightly speaks on behalf of all the women athletes involved in the series, the schedule was also problematic for the men’s teams, who are patently accustomed to a routine that was thrown out of kilter in Sydney on the weekend. They, too, deserve a format that works in the best interests of their performance. The 1-2-3 schedule also forced them to make changes in approach and mentality, and the Sunday evening denouement was perhaps a few hours beyond the attention span of the paying live audience.
So where to now? One thing is certain: integration of the tournaments looks to be the best way forward for the sport. The women’s series is every bit as exciting as the men’s, and the top athletes are every ounce as skilful and professional. Inarguably, in Australia and in New Zealand the women’s sevens sides are as well-known as their male counterparts. A continuation and advancement of national and global exposure will only enhance the situation.
That is going to require some clever mathematics on cost, but the return must be tallied in value. Women’s sevens offers rugby enormous value, but the integrated format proved once again that doing the right thing comes at a hefty cost. Equality has never come cheaply, but it is always worth it. Rugby Australia’s new boss, Raelene Castle knows that, and she probably could not have hoped for a more perfect on-field start to her tenure at the top of a sport that has fallen well down the pecking order of preferred pastimes.
The Australian women’s sevens side stands at the forefront of rugby’s renewed battle for hearts and minds across the Tasman and they should know that they do not fight alone. Athletes like Caslick have created a global market for their sport based on their professional prowess. What is patently obvious is that they have a growing army of allies within world rugby who do not wish simply to pay lip service to their dreams, but to make their ‘main event’ status a reality.
It will take some time, but all good things do.
Comments on RugbyPass
Etzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
182 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
156 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
182 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
182 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
182 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
182 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
182 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
182 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
182 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
182 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
182 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to comments