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more »Gold Coast keen to showcase Sevens
The Gold Coast is looking forward to hosting an international Rugby Sevens following last week's historic announcement that Sevens had been admitted into the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
The Gold Coast International 7s will feature 16 teams from overseas and around Australia at Albert Park, Surfers Paradise on November 7 and 8 and will include Australia’s leading 24 players in 7s rugby, led by dual rugby and rugby league international and Australian Sevens coach Michael O’Connor. It follows the Central Coast Sevens and the Byron Sevens which takes place this weekend.
O’Connor and the Australian squad are currently at the AIS in Canberra at an official ARU Selection Camp for the up-coming IRB 7s World Series.
“It is very exciting indeed, there were high fives at breakfast this morning when he woke up to the news that rugby was once again an Olympic sport,” said O’Connor.
“There was a real buzz around the place and you could tell with the boys that they had that extra spring in their step – to have rugby back on the Olympic schedule and in Rio is just wonderful for the code.
“To be an Olympic sport will do so much for rugby at a grass roots level and ensure the pathway to the top of the sport is secured.”
The Australian Squad will play a series of games today (Saturday) and tomorrow as O’Connor and his selectors narrow down the squad for the up-coming World Series and the teams to be finalised for the Gold Coast International 7s
One of O’Connor’s assistant coaches is Gold Coast-based English international Ben Gollings – international 7s greatest points scorer, who is regarded as one of the game’s great ambassadors.
Gollings is the only player still playing on the Sevens World Series who competed in the first season 10 years ago.
Of all the players who have experienced at first hand the IRB Sevens World Series, only one has stayed the course over its 10-year lifespan.
Englishman Gollings started his international Sevens career in 1999 and has passed the phenomenal milestone of 2,000 Series points, ending 2008 on 2,042.
Five years ago in Los Angeles, Gollings surpassed the great Fijian Waisale Serevi as the sport's leading all time point-scorer and since then he has set about stretching that record. Serevi's tally of 1,310 remains the second best in the game.
"Sevens has played a massive part in my life," says Gollings. "I love representing my country and I love playing Sevens and to be able to tour the world like I've done over those 10 years has been huge. I might never have got to do that if I was doing something different,” says Gollings of the sport he loves.
"The game's come on leaps and bounds too and keeps throwing up new challenges, which is why I stick around to keep playing. To have Sevens as an Olympic sport is a dream come true for players like me who have devoted a lifetime to the sport.
“The challenge for me now is try and stick around for the next seven years until 2016…we’ll have to wait and see…but to have 7s in the Olympics is a massive step forward for the game.
“It will mean rugby will start to be played in schools all round the world and that will mean so many more youngsters will be exposed to this great game.”
Australian team manager and Gold Coast International 7s tournament director Luca Liussi is excited that the Gold Coast will get the chance to showcase the 7s game so soon after the Olympic announcement.
“This will be the first international tournament to be staged after the announcement and it will give people an opportunity to come out and see what 7s rugby is all about,” said Liussi.
“It will give rugby followers and families a chance to see just how exciting our game is and to have Australia’s best players and players from Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand on show will add to the colour and exposure of the tournament.
“By next month Australia will have finalised it’s team for the opening World Series games in Dubai and to have some of the best players here is sure to bring out the best in the Australian boys.”
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COMMENTS
japie van der huess Fri 16 Oct 2009 06:20
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 Postallen Gold coast Fri 16 Oct 2009 06:35
It's not rugby gold coast that keeps rugby union going, it's the Kiwi's. RGC couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.I hope they don't try to take over the Trans Tasman Cup now that's a good game of local Rugby.
Reply | Report this Postgazza gc Fri 16 Oct 2009 06:59
I believe Rugby Gold Coast have put their name all over this (Sanctioned of course) Surfers Paradise is hosting it and some other person is organising the tournament. Who does RGC blame if it stuffs up. The bench mark has already been set from what i hear about the original tournament.
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