Olympics and sevens
Discussion
According to the news, rugby sevens will be in the 2016 Olympics.
Is that good or bad for the full-size game?
As a wing I enjoyed playing sevens as you sometimes got fed the ball. The fly-half in our full team would have been confused is someone in the crowd yelled: Give it to the wings.
During a lull in play or when it was too far away for him to reach without collapsing he'd wander over to the stands and ask: which one is the wing?
Relpy: You've got two.
FH: Two, eh? That seems a bit generous.
Also in sevens I didn't get kicked so much. Or punched. Or trodden on. Mind you, I'd be knackered after my third run.
That didn't happen often in full strength rugby. Not being knackered, but getting three runs.
As a spectator, sevens seems rugby lite. I wouldn't want it to ruin support for the real game.
Is that good or bad for the full-size game?
As a wing I enjoyed playing sevens as you sometimes got fed the ball. The fly-half in our full team would have been confused is someone in the crowd yelled: Give it to the wings.
During a lull in play or when it was too far away for him to reach without collapsing he'd wander over to the stands and ask: which one is the wing?
Relpy: You've got two.
FH: Two, eh? That seems a bit generous.
Also in sevens I didn't get kicked so much. Or punched. Or trodden on. Mind you, I'd be knackered after my third run.
That didn't happen often in full strength rugby. Not being knackered, but getting three runs.
As a spectator, sevens seems rugby lite. I wouldn't want it to ruin support for the real game.
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k knows why this is in the olympics, wheres the point? Rugby already has a world cup and sevens always seemed to be a junior category of it.The olympics should be a sports pinnacle, if it isnt the sport shouldnt be dishing out medals, it cheapens the achievements of the athletes in athletics etc.
Golf is another one thats been let in, can you honestly see tiger woods wanting an olympic medal over a Masters title? no. Womens boxing is in too which is a joke as the standard of that sport is laughable.
k knows why this is in the olympics, wheres the point? Rugby already has a world cup and sevens always seemed to be a junior category of it.The olympics should be a sports pinnacle, if it isnt the sport shouldnt be dishing out medals, it cheapens the achievements of the athletes in athletics etc.Golf is another one thats been let in, can you honestly see tiger woods wanting an olympic medal over a Masters title? no. Womens boxing is in too which is a joke as the standard of that sport is laughable.
deevlash said:
fk knows why this is in the olympics, wheres the point? Rugby already has a world cup and sevens always seemed to be a junior category of it.The olympics should be a sports pinnacle, if it isnt the sport shouldnt be dishing out medals, it cheapens the achievements of the athletes in athletics etc.
Golf is another one thats been let in, can you honestly see tiger woods wanting an olympic medal over a Masters title? no. Womens boxing is in too which is a joke as the standard of that sport is laughable.
I agree with that, Athletics gold medal equals sevens team member? Yeah right.k knows why this is in the olympics, wheres the point? Rugby already has a world cup and sevens always seemed to be a junior category of it.The olympics should be a sports pinnacle, if it isnt the sport shouldnt be dishing out medals, it cheapens the achievements of the athletes in athletics etc.Golf is another one thats been let in, can you honestly see tiger woods wanting an olympic medal over a Masters title? no. Womens boxing is in too which is a joke as the standard of that sport is laughable.
I don't think this will affect the 15 man game in the slightest, because it's a completely different sport, with different types of players needed. If anything it will bring rugby to other nations who cannot support the full size game but be successful in this shortened format. If that then leads into more countries playing top level 15 a side rugby then I'm all for it.
As for the people who don't see the point, then mores the pity for you. There are plenty of team games in the olympics, it's not just athletics, and winning and Olympic medal is still seen as a unique achievement.
Loving rugby of all formats I am really pleased this is in, because sevens tournament can be played over a couple of days, as opposed to weeks in the 15 man game. The games are short, energetic and entertaining, a sort of lightweight skirmish over 15 minutes, compared to the normal game, which is more of a tactical battle with tanks, infantry and cavalry over 80 minutes.
And finally, it's possibly another sport GB could win, so I'm more than happy to include it!
As for the people who don't see the point, then mores the pity for you. There are plenty of team games in the olympics, it's not just athletics, and winning and Olympic medal is still seen as a unique achievement.
Loving rugby of all formats I am really pleased this is in, because sevens tournament can be played over a couple of days, as opposed to weeks in the 15 man game. The games are short, energetic and entertaining, a sort of lightweight skirmish over 15 minutes, compared to the normal game, which is more of a tactical battle with tanks, infantry and cavalry over 80 minutes.
And finally, it's possibly another sport GB could win, so I'm more than happy to include it!
prand said:
I don't think this will affect the 15 man game in the slightest, because it's a completely different sport, with different types of players needed. If anything it will bring rugby to other nations who cannot support the full size game but be successful in this shortened format. If that then leads into more countries playing top level 15 a side rugby then I'm all for it.
As for the people who don't see the point, then mores the pity for you. There are plenty of team games in the olympics, it's not just athletics, and winning and Olympic medal is still seen as a unique achievement.
Loving rugby of all formats I am really pleased this is in, because sevens tournament can be played over a couple of days, as opposed to weeks in the 15 man game. The games are short, energetic and entertaining, a sort of lightweight skirmish over 15 minutes, compared to the normal game, which is more of a tactical battle with tanks, infantry and cavalry over 80 minutes.
And finally, it's possibly another sport GB could win, so I'm more than happy to include it!
So by your argument, 15 a side should be included too? I cannot see any nations that are not successful in the real game being very successful at 7's either. It will be the usual suspects.As for the people who don't see the point, then mores the pity for you. There are plenty of team games in the olympics, it's not just athletics, and winning and Olympic medal is still seen as a unique achievement.
Loving rugby of all formats I am really pleased this is in, because sevens tournament can be played over a couple of days, as opposed to weeks in the 15 man game. The games are short, energetic and entertaining, a sort of lightweight skirmish over 15 minutes, compared to the normal game, which is more of a tactical battle with tanks, infantry and cavalry over 80 minutes.
And finally, it's possibly another sport GB could win, so I'm more than happy to include it!
Almost every sport has its world championship including rugby sevens, the 15 man game, AND athletics. But nowhere else do you get the variety of sports in one place at one time, and an Olympic gold is generally seen as ultimate achievement in any sport. I'd feel just as pleased if rugby league was included.
What you are saying is perhaps we should just get rid of the whole Olympics as all the sports have their own championships, and as such, the Olympics are irrelevant in modern society? (a justifiable opinion, but not really the point, when just discussing rugby's inclusion).
As I said before you couldn't have a 15 a side tournament in the time the Olympics because of the time it would take with players needing week rests between games. Sevens is a different game and has been around since the 1880s, and has co-existed next to the larger game without much problem. It has also been a successful and popular addition to the Commonwealth Games, perhaps introducing the oval ball game to new audiences.
What you are saying is perhaps we should just get rid of the whole Olympics as all the sports have their own championships, and as such, the Olympics are irrelevant in modern society? (a justifiable opinion, but not really the point, when just discussing rugby's inclusion).
As I said before you couldn't have a 15 a side tournament in the time the Olympics because of the time it would take with players needing week rests between games. Sevens is a different game and has been around since the 1880s, and has co-existed next to the larger game without much problem. It has also been a successful and popular addition to the Commonwealth Games, perhaps introducing the oval ball game to new audiences.
DJC said:
I think 7s is a brilliant addition to the Olympics. Its a brilliant version of rugby.
sixes is a fun version of football, theres no way anybody can convince me it deserves 6 olympic gold medals being dished out each year though.Half assed versions of games which have a full proper version with a world cup that outweighs the olympics for importance only serve to make the olympics look ike an mickey mouse meeting for junior versions of sports or sports which cannot make their own world championships.
That whole premise belittles those who work ridiculously hard for their olympic medal(s). Some junior version of a sport which has a world championships already, that only 4 teams have a realistic chance of winning, dishing out 7 medals is a joke and belittles the whole olympic concept.
None of this is a rant against rugby 7's or indeed golf, of which I am a keen practioner and spectator, but it is a rant against what I perceive to be the olympic ideal.
My sport, Judo, has a world championships, but nobody within the sport would argue that a WC medal outweighs an Olympic one. A guy at a rugby club or a golf club with an olympic sevens medal or golf gold would ever argue that it outweighs a proper world cup rugby medal, or probably even a tri nations or 6 nations one or a golf major in turn.
The olympics is in danger of becoming an expensive irrelevance that will make itself become irrelevant to those who compete, they will want a world championship medal as their individual sports seek to legitimise themselves as standalone sports without the need for what may become nothing more than a fancy bauble.
Some random junior sevens team member with a gold medal on the same level as Usain Bolt? Dont make me laugh.
It might just make me cry however.
grumbledoak said:
Seems a pointless addition- as said, they already have their own cup. Though, at least it is a sport. Frankly, I'd rather watch it than most of the other events.
I can't see it being a bad thing for either game, though.
Chatting at a match yesterday - we lost, 15-30 yet they only got in our half twice in the first half and there was a 25 minute spell when they kicked into our half once and we ran it back immediately - and one person mentioned 1-day cricket. He was of the opinion that it took away from the main game in some ways but has so increased its appeal that it was the making of the sport. He reckoned there is every chance of 7s doing the same for real rugby.I can't see it being a bad thing for either game, though.
The chap reckoned that gates are down for all but premiere division. We played last year's fixture (National League 2) before over 1500 but this season it was a fraction under 900.
Of course its not going to be bad for the 15 game, if it was it would have already happened with the 7s circus etc. From a spectator perspective I can see how its more attractive to watch and seeing a load of games and teams in one session certainly helps, but its no danger. The two games share the same name but that is about it, much like amateur and professional boxing another sport that shares the a name but that is it.
Also, 7s is already in the Commonwealth Games, that has had no impact and nearly all the major teams are in that tournament. Surely anything that raises the profile of the game and brings people to the sport has to be a good thing!!
Also, 7s is already in the Commonwealth Games, that has had no impact and nearly all the major teams are in that tournament. Surely anything that raises the profile of the game and brings people to the sport has to be a good thing!!
DJC said:
ExChrispy Porker said:
DJC said:
I think 7s is a brilliant addition to the Olympics. Its a brilliant version of rugby.
Not to a front five forward it isn't. It's a pale imitation of the real game.Back in the bar, the only reason for playing, we are then told how great the front five are and how pushing things in the scrum is the real rugby and that the ball just gets in the way.
Just a load of girlies, that's what you lot are.
ExChrispy Porker said:
prand said:
I don't think this will affect the 15 man game in the slightest, because it's a completely different sport, with different types of players needed. If anything it will bring rugby to other nations who cannot support the full size game but be successful in this shortened format. If that then leads into more countries playing top level 15 a side rugby then I'm all for it.
As for the people who don't see the point, then mores the pity for you. There are plenty of team games in the olympics, it's not just athletics, and winning and Olympic medal is still seen as a unique achievement.
Loving rugby of all formats I am really pleased this is in, because sevens tournament can be played over a couple of days, as opposed to weeks in the 15 man game. The games are short, energetic and entertaining, a sort of lightweight skirmish over 15 minutes, compared to the normal game, which is more of a tactical battle with tanks, infantry and cavalry over 80 minutes.
And finally, it's possibly another sport GB could win, so I'm more than happy to include it!
So by your argument, 15 a side should be included too? I cannot see any nations that are not successful in the real game being very successful at 7's either. It will be the usual suspects.As for the people who don't see the point, then mores the pity for you. There are plenty of team games in the olympics, it's not just athletics, and winning and Olympic medal is still seen as a unique achievement.
Loving rugby of all formats I am really pleased this is in, because sevens tournament can be played over a couple of days, as opposed to weeks in the 15 man game. The games are short, energetic and entertaining, a sort of lightweight skirmish over 15 minutes, compared to the normal game, which is more of a tactical battle with tanks, infantry and cavalry over 80 minutes.
And finally, it's possibly another sport GB could win, so I'm more than happy to include it!
Scotland, Kenya, Fiji all had great runs this year.
Wales are the world champions!
Can you see that happening in 15s?
DJC said:
ExChrispy Porker said:
DJC said:
I think 7s is a brilliant addition to the Olympics. Its a brilliant version of rugby.
Not to a front five forward it isn't. It's a pale imitation of the real game.Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff