Moore talks up Olympic rugby

Australia captain Stephen Moore believes the success of Sevens at the Rio Olympics could be beneficial to rugby as a whole.

Last year’s Games marked the first time the seven-a-side version of rugby was included at the Olympics, with union having last featured in 1924.

Moore, a veteran of 117 Tests with the Wallabies, said the global stage provided an opportunity to showcase the sport to a greater audience.

“I think it’s a very different game, no doubt,” Moore told Omnisport from the HSBC Sydney Sevens event on Saturday.

“I’m really impressed by the physical capabilities of the players, the size of them, the way they can move around the field at their size.

“Some of these guys are 110-115kg and they just don’t stop. I think it’s really impressive.

“The fact Sevens is now in the Olympics, it gives the rest of the world a good example of how the athletes involved in Sevens are just as impressive as some of the other sports in the Olympics which I think is great for our sport.”

Sevens was lauded a success in Rio, as Fiji claimed a fairytale gold medal in the men’s competition and Australia took out the women’s.

Sydney is the fourth stop in the 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.