‘Never been a bigger year’: Why rugby sevens is set to reach new heights
With the new-look SVNS Series nearing its first-ever Grand Final in Madrid, and with the Paris Olympics just around the corner, World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin believes this is the biggest year in the already-decorated history of sevens.
As has been tradition on the circuit, Dubai hosted the first event of the revamped Series before the 12 best international teams in women’s and men’s sevens turned their focus to tournaments in Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver and Los Angeles.
It was then Hong Kong Stadium’s turn to welcome fans from all over the world across a phenomenal long weekend. The Series will soon head to Singapore from May 3-5 before the inaugural Grand Final and play-off events in Madrid from May 31 to June 2.
Civitas Metropolitan Stadium, which is the home of Spanish football giants Atletico Madrid, will host the Grand Final to determine the HSBC SVNS champions and the four playoff sides who will have earned core status for the 2024/25 season.
But as Alan Gilpin told reporters on day three at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, “The excitement doesn’t stop there” with sevens set to get the Paris Olympics party started at Stade de France in 120 days.
“As you know, (there has) never been a bigger year for sevens. A really exciting reset in the Series, again hopefully you can agree we’ve seen some amazing rugby throughout the whole Series, particularly the last couple of days here,” Gilpin said.
“That continues into Singapore now where the league regular season winner will now be crowned, and then the excitement builds into Madrid where we have our end-of-season playoffs and grand finale.
“The excitement doesn’t stop there because the reason it’s such a big year for sevens is we’ve got an incredible Paris Olympics coming up in 120 days’ time, so rugby sevens will kick off Paris 24. We’re the first sport to start the Games in 120 days from today.
“It’s a hugely exciting year for sevens. I think we’ve seen the players and the fans really step up to that. Delighted to be here and looking forward to the rest of a great day.”
SVNS Series veteran Charlotte Caslick is primed for a third Olympic Games in 2024 after an impressive season so far with Australia. Caslick, 29, was part of the trailblazing Aussie women’s side that claimed Olympic gold at the Rio Games in 2016.
That Olympic gold had an undeniable impact on sport in Australia. The Aussies became icons back home, with sevens inspiring many as it played a leading role in both the growth and promotion of women’s sport.
As SVNS Series regular Isabella Nasser, who has enjoyed a breakout season with Australia in 2023/24, told RugbyPass last year, the success of that champion team was a motivating “turning point” as the Olympic hopeful switched her focus towards sevens.
Rugby sevens has come a long way in less than a decade. There are countless stories that could be told about how sevens has made a difference in the lives of people all over the world since becoming an Olympic sport.
“It’s been massive. Let’s just take the example of rugby sevens in Asia, we know that there is funding available to national governing bodies, not just in Asia but throughout the world, that wouldn’t be there but for Olympic status for sevens,” Gilpin explained.
“We had a brilliant debut in Rio in 2016, obviously Abby (Gustaitis – who was sitting next to Gilpin) was part of what we did in Tokyo. It was devastating to be in the Tokyo Games a year late with no fans… we’re so excited about Paris. It’s going to be an amazing six days.
“Paris will be our big platform, our kind of coming of age of rugby sevens in the Olympics. We’re in the Stade de France, we know it’s going to be full, it’s going to be buzzing for rugby, we get to kick off the Games.
“We’re in conversation with LA28, that’s why LA is such an important part of the sevens program for us. We’re in conversation with Brisbane 32 so we feel like we’re a proper Olympic citizen as a sport which is really important.
“That allows us to continue to drive funding into not just the elite end of the sport that we’re seeing here but more kids around the world have more opportunities to play.
“It’s a really important opportunity for the sport as a whole.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
63 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
63 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
63 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
63 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
63 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
63 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
63 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
63 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
63 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
63 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
63 Go to comments