PARIS (Reuters) – Rugby Sevens is hoping to finally seize the spotlight in Paris after making its Olympic debut in Rio in 2016 and having its sophomore showing at the COVID-19 affected Tokyo Games, World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin said on Tuesday.
The Olympic rugby Sevens competition will take place at the Stade de France, the venue of last year’s men’s Rugby World Cup final and France’s largest stadium.
“This is the coming of age moment really for Sevens and we’ve always known the Olympic platform can be incredible,” Gilpin told reporters.
“We know that Sevens is a form of the game that excites new audiences, it’s easier to understand, it brings people into the game and this next week is going to shine a light on it that we’ve never had before.
“It’s a huge opportunity for us… We’ve seen it in previous Games. In places where rugby is not watched traditionally, we’ll get some great audiences and we’ve got to work hard then as a sport to keep those people excited.”
The rugby competition is among a handful of events beginning on July 24, ahead of Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Associate Director David Luckes urged the sport to make the most of its early start.
“Tomorrow is the most important day, because competition begins,” Luckes added.
“It’s a very, very important moment, for the organising committee to switch from the planning mode to the delivery mode. That’s where we create the excitement and the buzz for the spectators.”
France’s Antoine Dupont has been in the headlines ahead of the Games, displaying his versatility by moving between the XVs and Sevens on a number of occasions in recent months.
The scrumhalf helped his club Toulouse win the European Champions Cup final in May and then drove France to victory in the season-ending Grand Final in Sevens a week later.
Former France player Vincent Clerc said the game owed much to his compatriot, adding: “Sevens rugby will take advantage of Antoine’s image.
“He has a desire to promote Sevens rugby and to show that an Olympic medal in rugby is as important as a World Cup or a European Cup.
“Antoine carries this message well.”
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Paris; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
