NEWS
more »Gold Coast International Sevens launched
The two-day Gold Coast International 7s was officially confirmed yesterday with the new event taking place on 7-8th of November.
Albert Park in Surfers Paradise will host men’s teams in four pools, including the Australian Sevens Team and eight women’s teams, with members of the World Cup winning Australian Women’s 7’s team, battling it out in the inaugural tournament.
Organisers, who have been consulting UR7s in the lead up to the event, have also confirmed two Fijian teams, a Queensland team, the Gold Coast Breakers and several international professional teams are headed to Surfers. It is also hoped a combined England, Wales, and Scottish team will make it Down Under too.
There is also serious interest from teams from the USA, Hong Kong, the Samoan National team as well as the Australian Barbarians providing an exciting line up that could match the Darwin Hottest Sevens.
Touring side Uprising Beach Resort, who enjoyed a stint in Europe recently, are thought to be involved to.
Once there is confirmation from the top teams, organisers will then open the event to Brisbane and Sydney club teams.
In the women’s event, comprising eight teams in two pools, there is confirmation of participation from Queensland and the Arabian Gulf, with interest from the USA and NSW.
Olympic Significance
With the worldwide interest in Sevens at the moment, due to pending October 9 International Olympic Committee decision on the inclusion of Sevens Rugby into 2016 Olympic program, the tournament will take on extra significance.
Rugby Gold Coast chairman Murray d’Almeida is excited about the unveiling of a major international rugby event for the Gold Coast.
“The response has been extremely positive and to be able to attract some of the best Sevens players from around the world to the Gold Coast for our first ever international tournament is very encouraging,” Mr d’Almeida said.
“We are all hoping that Sevens Rugby will be finally included on the 2016 Olympic program following the IOC membership vote in Copenhagen on October 9.
“Everyone in the rugby world has been very excited following the IOC Executive Board’s recommendation – we now face another anxious wait.
“Rugby requires a 50 percent plus one vote from the members to ensure its inclusion and the message from the International Rugby Board is ‘don’t be complacent’ – this isn't the end, it is like the semi-final and we're through to the final.
“But all indications are that Rugby is very well placed and the pending decision really adds plenty of impetus for the Gold Coast International 7s.
“We would like the Gold Coast International 7s event to become a part of an extended IRB Sevens World Series in the future.”
Tournament director and current Australian Sevens manager Lucca Liussi knows what the Olympic inclusion will mean for the sport and the inaugural 7s event on the Gold Coast.
“With an announcement of Sevens Rugby becoming an Olympic sport we hope to grow the game of Rugby and Sevens in Australia and to promote the Gold Coast internationally as a tourist and high performance sporting destination,” said Liussi.
“We are planning a fun, festival type weekend with an international flavour and this will be reflected in the teams, the food, the colour, costumes and of course, the rugby.
“We expect to involve all aspects of rugby development on the Gold Coast: volunteers from schools and clubs, referees, judiciary and development officers with the vision to grow the game on the Gold Coast. We want Gold Coasters to … get involved!”
Dual international and Australian coach Michael O’Connor will be directly involved in the event assisted by legends of the abbreviated code Ben Gollings and Waisale Serevi.
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COMMENTS
japie van der huess Fri 16 Oct 2009 09:13
There had already been a Sevens tournament run two years prior to this one, organised and produced by an independent group. This was the first time anybody had put their own finances and resources into Rugby for the sake of the sport and because it desperately needed all the help it could get. It's common knowledge in Gold Coast Rugby circles that Rugby Gold Coast stole this International Sevens concept by using sanctioning as a tool to undermine the already growing tournament. Why destroy a good thing especially when it was financed by major sponsors?? I guess money, ego's and justification has a lot to do with it and Rugby Gold Coast didn't want to look stagnant. If this is not true, will Club and Grassroots rugby on the Gold Coast see any major benefits,finances or growing Club numbers from this Sevens tournament??. This remains to be seen What would have happened if they had gained a super 15 team would the Sevens have happened or local Rugby benefited ???? An event like this is in total contrast to whats happening at grass roots level on the Gold Coast. Go to any local rugby match (especially grand finals) and see why Rugby Union struggles here on the Coast. If Rugby Gold Coast could railroad an already existing tournament they must have a master plan for Gold Coast Rugby. Time will tell. Be Back in two years.
Reply | Report this PostRuggers Fri 16 Oct 2009 09:28
Knowing Rugby Gold Coast it's international teams made up of Australian residents. IDIOTS
Reply | Report this PostNathan Turner Wed 11 Nov 2009 04:04
Its all very well to have a spray at RGC and accuse them of all sorts of things however are those doing the spraying aware of the changes within the ranks and the set up of the RGC brand, are you aware of the funding cuts imposed by QRU and ARU that are set to hurt Rugby on the Gold caost (not just RGC) even more in 2010??
Reply | Report this PostI have been vocal over the years about the lack of support from QRU, ARU and the RGC brand at a grass roots level and public school level but it was not unitl I took the time to meet with and disscuss the situation with people at club, volenteer and RGC level that I got a better picture and now in 2009 and going intot 2010 and beyond I thnk that this is an opportunity and the tide is turning it needs to be supported by the grass roots not bagged by the very people that can make it work.
RGC (and the Breakers) is the unbrella representaive group of GC club rugby and if someone is playing Grass roots rugby and is chosen to play in the Breakers franchise then they are seen as representatives of the greater Gold coast rugby catchment and are offered positions within the squads at the various levels wether that be colts Prems div, 7's or other they are part of the grass roots comp that "japie" speaks of.
The people at RGC should be congratulated on the recent sucess of the 7's festival it hs showcased the Gold coast and given some of our young men an opportunity to play international teams like PNG, and Fiji (2 teams), NZ and Samoa some of wich were Aust based others like PNG and Fiji are true international teams so whats the issue they have made a bigger better more acsesible tournamnet for the first time in about 10 years the rugby community and GC public have seen RGC move in a direction rather than sitting stagnemnt and all this whilst looking set to play host to some serious 7's and as a direct flow on 15 a side rugby in the future, sometimes you need to sit back and look at the bigger picture.
To Tim and the staff of RGC both paid and volenteers congratulations on a great event lets see it grow and prosper so that the flow on benifits can be seen in every school on the coast and lets look at public schools being involved and maybe incorporationg a 7's school challenge with next years event.
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