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Scotland to lose IRB Sevens host role to France

bakakumon

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Scotland is to lose its role as a host nation of rugby union's international tournament, the Sevens World Series.

As of 2016, France is to be preferred as one of the nine countries on the circuit, BBC Scotland has discovered.

When the IRB Sevens returns to Scotstoun in May, it will be for the last time until 2019 at the earliest because the Scottish bid has been overlooked in favour of one from Paris.

Prior to being hosted at Scotstoun, the event was held at the home of Scotland's national team, Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, for five years.

The move to the smaller, 15,000-capacity venue, where the hosts finished fourth as world champions New Zealand won in May, has attracted, on average over the three years, crowds of 26,000 for the two days' play.

However, the news of the failed Scottish bid comes only three months after Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow hosted 171,000 fans across four sessions of Commonwealth Games rugby sevens.

Organisers would not comment on the matter on Tuesday, nor would the Scottish Rugby Union, which has learned of the IRB's decision but has not yet received formal word of it.

However, the loss of this tournament would be a bitter pill for the SRU to swallow and not one it is likely to take without registering deep disappointment with the IRB.

Nonetheless, unless there is a drastic change of heart by rugby's governing body, it seems the feel-good factor around sevens in Glasgow will soon be a thing of the past.

Japan, where the 2019 Rugby World Cup will be staged, has lost its place on the sevens circuit to Singapore.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29705899
 
I seriously doubt the necessity of the World 7s. I think that an annual World Championship would be enough.
 
Vancouver is also getting a spot on the series tour. I read rumours that Vegas was losing theirs, but I can't remember if it's been confirmed or not.
 
Bit disappointing because its the birthplace but at the same time I can see why the decision would be made.
 
I seriously doubt the necessity of the World 7s. I think that an annual World Championship would be enough.

7's is an extremely unpredictable sport so the best team is the one which performs consistently across the tournaments. Not the team which has a one off good performance.

It would be sad to see Vegas lose its spot.
 
7's is an extremely unpredictable sport so the best team is the one which performs consistently across the tournaments. Not the team which has a one off good performance.

It would be sad to see Vegas lose its spot.

Yes I understand what you say. But is 7s really worth a World Series? I doubt much.
7s may be good for youth development, but it is seen some sort of sideshow at the senior level.

Personally I think that 7s can be used for extra time. In the case of tie after 80mins (15s), 5mins half extra-time (10s), and if still tie, 2.5mins half extra-time (7s).
 
Strange for France to be given it. They don't really have much culture, tradition, passion basically interest in it at all. Not really much room for growth there.

Perhaps should have gone for another European market like Germany or Holland. Would have helped with the profile of rugby in general
 
Yes I understand what you say. But is 7s really worth a World Series? I doubt much.
7s may be good for youth development, but it is seen some sort of sideshow at the senior level.

Personally I think that 7s can be used for extra time. In the case of tie after 80mins (15s), 5mins half extra-time (10s), and if still tie, 2.5mins half extra-time (7s).

Let me get this straight, rugby sevens is an Olympic sport, fully professional and government supported . There is a full time circuit of nine events that draws over 500,000 spectators, broadcast to over 177 countries including events in Asia and North American that gives the sport its profile in those countries. Furthermore there are regional trournaments that enable promotion/relegation to ensure that access to the elite level is based on merit. Not to mention sponsorship revenues etc. The Rio games will enable the sport to enter the mainstream via a global broadcast platform and be taken seriously as well as ensuring its biggest payday to date.

On the other hand there is Rugby 15s that is played in a handful of countries at the pro level and access to elite tournaments is by invitation only. A RWC that features the same old sides every four years.

Olympic Sevens is no sideshow , there is no bigger sporting event on the planet.
 
The 7s World Series is even shown in a country like Poland. Plenty of countries are now getting into the game since it is Olympic. Just by becoming part of the Olympic Games, it already helped rugby grow pretty much all over the world.

There are countries like Russia where only Olympic sports are played in schools, in Germany, rugby players willing to play 7s might become "sports soldiers" etc.

I'm not a big fan of it myself, but if there's a way for rugby to grow globally, 7s seems to have the best chances. Although it might actually hurt 15s in countries where that variety isn't developed yet.
 
Let me get this straight, rugby sevens is an Olympic sport, fully professional and government supported . There is a full time circuit of nine events that draws over 500,000 spectators, broadcast to over 177 countries including events in Asia and North American that gives the sport its profile in those countries. Furthermore there are regional trournaments that enable promotion/relegation to ensure that access to the elite level is based on merit. Not to mention sponsorship revenues etc. The Rio games will enable the sport to enter the mainstream via a global broadcast platform and be taken seriously as well as ensuring its biggest payday to date.



On the other hand there is Rugby 15s that is played in a handful of countries at the pro level and access to elite tournaments is by invitation only. A RWC that features the same old sides every four years.

Olympic Sevens is no sideshow , there is no bigger sporting event on the planet.

Totally agree also can improve some teams 15s side and expose countries such as China who could have a lot of untapped talent.
 
Let me get this straight, rugby sevens is an Olympic sport, fully professional and government supported . There is a full time circuit of nine events that draws over 500,000 spectators, broadcast to over 177 countries including events in Asia and North American that gives the sport its profile in those countries. Furthermore there are regional trournaments that enable promotion/relegation to ensure that access to the elite level is based on merit. Not to mention sponsorship revenues etc. The Rio games will enable the sport to enter the mainstream via a global broadcast platform and be taken seriously as well as ensuring its biggest payday to date.

On the other hand there is Rugby 15s that is played in a handful of countries at the pro level and access to elite tournaments is by invitation only. A RWC that features the same old sides every four years.

Olympic Sevens is no sideshow , there is no bigger sporting event on the planet.

Yep, the lure of the Olympics has certainly spiked the player number in many countries, and the World Sevens circuit promotes the game in these countries. Over the last few years we have started to see many of the traditional weaker teams, compete and sometimes beat the stronger ones. Sevens and the Sevens series is definitely driving increased popularity and team strength in the fifteens game in those countries too.

In summary, World Rugby definitely see Sevens as the best way to grow the game globally (and rightly so), so long live the sevens circuit.

... back on topic, I am sorry to see the tournament shift from Scotland to France - as it's already been pointed out, Scotland is the birth place of Sevens, so it's similar to if they decided to give the Hong Kong leg to someone else, in my opinion
 
Exactly right, Kunming Tiger. Short answer to the question posed whether it's worth a world series, if it draws in sponsorship, viewership, attendance and interest to rugby then yes .. it's worth it. Rugby can't stay stagnant in the same place, it needs these fun tournaments that help develop younger players and which also open up a new window of interest from the mainstream. It's a stepping stone for many great players.
 

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