Rugby Sevens has a surprisingly long presence in our nation – over 120 years. Yet only now are we realising what a valuable asset the Sevens game can be to the growth of rugby in Australia.
Rugby played with seven players per team began in 1883 at Melrose RFC’s sporting carnival in the Scottish Borders.
Though we tend to think of Sevens as having a relatively short history in Australia, it was first played here just a few years after Melrose, and within decades came to be prized for its attributes as a development tool outside traditional regions.
The first Sevens game played in Australia wasn’t in the major rugby communities of Sydney or Brisbane but in the central Queensland coastal town of Rockhampton in 1891.
The idea of C.A. Mathias, a leading player as well as hard-working volunteer secretary of the Central Queensland RFU, on 4 July 1891 Rockhampton’s three clubs (Wanderers, Berserkers and Waratahs) played Sevens games to raise funds for the local hospital. Held over one afternoon on ‘Union Ground’ (now Browne Park), a large crowd mustered to watch on.
In Sydney in 1910 it was put to the Metropolitan RFU that a Sevens tournament between the city’s first grade teams be played when Waratahs or Wallabies removed the top players from the club premiership matches. It took until 1914, but the idea was finally adopted.
The first Sevens games were played before the Waratahs vs Reds contest at the Sports Ground (now Sydney Football Stadium) on 13 June 1914. The Sydney Morning Herald wrote of Sevens as a “game (that) lends itself to a study of tactics, and, as the play is chiefly confined to the backs, and there are so few men on the field, the pace is very fast”.
The series continued a week later, played before the Wallabies vs All Blacks Test at the Sports Ground. Balmain and Easts met in the Sevens final (the latter winning). Unfortunately, the game was long remembered by the Sydney rugby community more for a wild brawl, in which three players were sent off, than as an exposition of “the new lightning rugby”.
The Sevens game was played by Australian servicemen during WWII while stationed overseas with British units, and on Anzac Day in 1946 – a tournament with Sydney’s ten first grade clubs and two military teams (RAAF and RAN) was held at North Sydney Oval. Manly defeated Northern Suburbs in the final. The event was repeated in 1950, though without the service teams.
Until the 1970s there was a relatively low interest in Sevens in Australian rugby. Aside from a belief that Sevens was a picnic game, and was more for backs than forwards, the reality was on the harder grounds and warmer climes of NSW and Queensland (compared to say the UK where Sevens tournaments remained popular) the fitness demands of Sevens meant few enjoyed the experience.
Sevens rugby though in Australia did find a natural role in the developing rugby states, as a means to introduce local footballers and schoolboys to the rudiments of the 15 aside game.
Entirely independent of the NSWRU and QRU (the ARU was not founded until 1948) Sevens rugby was first played in Perth (1929), Launceston (1936), Adelaide (1939) and Canberra (1940). Widely supported annual Sevens club tournaments were established in Perth (1935 at Cottesloe Oval) and in Adelaide (1939 at Jubilee Oval, now part of University of Adelaide).
Both of these tournaments continued well into the 1950s, and others were played in Hobart, Launceston and Melbourne during the decade. No doubt many in these non-traditional rugby cities agreed with the Adelaide The Advertiser’s view that, “This competition is fast becoming the most popular feature of the rugby season”.
To the south of Sydney, the Kiama Rugby Sevens began in 1973 with a modest eight teams. With the rise of the Hong Kong Sevens providing a leading light, by the early 1980s club and invitational Sevens rugby tournaments spread throughout Australian rugby.
Today Sevens has an IRB world series of national teams, and is looking ahead to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Etching out a pathway and career as an income-earning professional Sevens player is now available to many.
The Hong Kong Sevens last weekend affords an interesting example of where Rugby Sevens is today. On Twitter the Wallabies’ @Kurtley_Beale wrote: Watching the #hongkongsevens. Got to be fit to play Sevens. These players can play. #1on1 #skillful.
In the stands, though, it was for many about all-day boozing and fancy dress, with the on-field rugby an adjunct.
Meanwhile, The Roar columnist @DavidCampese11 tweeted: Here in HK. Still we have a game of 7s with 15 man rules? What a joke. We need to get this game going. Watch the refs at the Sevens? Yours truly asked via @rugbydiehards after a scrum penalty was blown: What the heck is scrum’s “crouch-touch-pause-engage” and its conjoined penalties doing in #Rugby 7s?
The review and evolving of Sevens playing rules is hopefully a long way from over – not solely to drive the game as a television, sponsor and fan-friendly spectacle at the elite level, but to ensure the potential of Sevens as a growing game for social, school and occasional rugby footballers (of all ages and sexes) is not lost.
When rugby’s first clubs were founded in the mid-late 1800s most were formed by social connections made by like-minded young men from school, university, work, pub or cricket ties.
By the 1880s-90s soccer (requiring 11 aside) had an obvious and decided advantage over rugby (15 aside) when it came to ease of forming and costing teams. Clubs and schools in northern England under rugby league in the early 1900s changed to 12-aside to compete with soccer, then the entire code went to 13 in 1906.
Many today, focusing on brevity of the Sevens game and its speed of entertaining action, have pointed out that Sevens rugby can be the code’s equivalent to cricket’s Twenty20. It could well achieve that.
However, the greatest advantage Sevens offers is the yet unrealised one – that half the number of players are needed under Sevens to form a rugby team, or even a one-team rugby club, than under 15 aside.
To some extent we are already seeing examples of one-team invitational selections being formed to play in the ever-growing number of Sevens tournaments. Generally though, Touch rugby or Sevens teams have been organised informally, or under an established 15-aside club.
Sevens rugby affords the potential for a small group to independently form a one-team rugby club, devise their own colours, jersey and mascot, and quickly begin to embrace and enjoy the social trappings and connections that being part of a rugby club and match-day offers.
Somewhat akin to ‘Golden Oldies’ perhaps, but for all ages, offering far more regular games, and establishing a permanent club (a process made even simpler in today’s world of instant communication and social tools). The creation of these micro rugby clubs could provide a means for those who want to play rugby, but can’t commit to it every week, nor the training demands.
Yet, it is this last point that could stymie the potential of Sevens to grow rugby – Sevens is a very physically demanding sport played out on a full sized field, even though it is intended (below the elite levels) as a social game.
If nothing is done, Sevens will inevitably be restricted to those who play (or aspire to play) at the professional level, or in the tournaments and development teams that exist as a pathway toward it.
Some rule changes to bring the Sevens game within reach of all who might wish to play it is worth considering. Managed and targeted well, Sevens could open the door to an entirely new and abundant group of social rugby clubs.
drama city
Guest
Great news for the future of schoolboy rugby sevens in Australia as announced by the ARU on 28 March: 'Australian Rugby Union today announced the dates for 17 NSW Boys Secondary Schools Sevens tournaments set to be held across the state in 2012. The tournaments will act as the first stage of selection for high school teams looking to compete at the National Schoolboys Sevens Championships, held in the Gold Coast in October. The boys’ National Championships will feature the Top 3 high school sides from NSW and QLD, with an additional two teams from the ACT and one each from VIC, SA, NT and WA. Additional Secondary Schools Sevens dates in other States will be announced in the coming weeks.'
jeznez
Guest
ha ha - d is only one diagonal keystroke away from r!
Johnno
Guest
jeznez did you skipper the hong kong sevens team.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I'm much more interested in 10s than 7s when looking at the shorter versions of the game. Am not aware of the history of the game but assume it is much more recent than 7s. Where the article points to the potential of smaller groups getting together to help grow rugby then I think 10s is vastly superior as there is still room for some forwards. 10s is really growing as well - it is only March and already this year I've been to the Bondi and Manila 10s tournaments. 7s I love the booze up (skipper HK for the first time in a few years) but to be honest I get deadly bored if I try to watch the game.
Johnno
Guest
i think 7evens should get rid of scrums. Make it even faster, but i suppose keeping scrums in the game will also reward some forwad sin sevens otherwise it will be too back dominated. I love sevens now i am totally hooked.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Matt, within that time the ARU have sacked the entire sevens squad for asking for more cash and decided to start again with a group of young guys. I agree O'Connor has not had any meaningful success but the ARU needs to decide what it is prepared to invest in the game if it is committed to it.
jeznez
Roar Guru
They kept the crouch-touch-pause-engage calls in when the Cheetahs went uncontested against the Crusaders on the weekend. Nothing surprises me at the moment.
JottingsOnRugby.com
Roar Pro
@p.Tah - yes, seems to have! Bit hard to fathom that one.
p.Tah
Guest
Did I read that correctly, did he say with professionalism people flocked from Aussie Rules to Rugby???
drama city
Guest
Typical negativity from Scotland. To claim that Scotland are far superior at 15s to Fiji is a joke. Fiji didn't have a successful RWC 2011 but were ranked higher than Scotland going into the World Cup. The fact that Fiji are much superior to Scotland (and Australia) at 7s is a tribute to their pure rugby skills (handling, running etc). Some countries will be more suited to 7s than 15s whereas some, such as NZ, will remain good at both. Scotland never wanted a 15-a-side World Cup to begin because it meant losing power as one of the original eight IRB countries. It is now the consistent wooden-spooner in the Six Nations losing to Italy on 4 of the last 5 occasions they have met. To see the excitement of the Spanish team when they qualified in Hong Kong to become one of the 15 core countries on the IRB 7s circuit shows that people do care about 7s and it is a fantastic boost for all types of rugby (15s, 7s, womens) in the Iberian peninsular (with Portugal also qualifying).
Johnno
Guest
I love sevens now and am hooked i hope it stays, cant wait for rio 2016 i feel like saving money and going to the olympics in rio and see a dream fgold medal grand final AB's VS Walalbies go for gold aussie. WOuld be great at a packed maracana stadium 100,000 people. AMazing. 7evens has now become very professional, a real game, set pieces have some value, as does the breakdownm and sophisticated defensive patterns. 10's is an interesting sport i wonder if that will catch on, 10's is getting popular in Asia, and in some rugby parts of NSW like the coast. The central coast 10's quite big. I am very curious to see if i like 10's to watch. 10's is fun to play i played some 10's years ago, but to watch not yet sure, but it is a lot of fun to play let me tell you 10's.
JottingsOnRugby.com
Roar Pro
Thought-provoking piece in Herald Scotland today on future impact of 7s on full team rugby (and the cricket T20 comparison) http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/rugby-sevens-may-be-embraced-by-the-olympics-but-at-what-cost.17154983
nomis
Guest
But on the right track I think p.Tah!
p.Tah
Guest
Good point. I hadn't factored in the recovery time. Im sure Someone smarter than I could work out a more sensible format that is still suitable for TV.
BraveHeart
Guest
You cannot play 9 games ( amongst 6 teams ) in around 2 hrs... teams needs reasonable time between games to recover ( A team would require minimum of 30 minutes break from their game). having said that your concept is good wayforward.
JottingsOnRugby.com
Roar Pro
The story above is more about what the opportunity the rise of 7s presents as a social sport to help grow rugby. I played 7s rugby many many eons ago, so am a long way from being in a position to offer any view on the current Aust team. Maybe the lack of debate about performance, good or bad, re the national team is a barometer of the overall interest level and awareness. People need to have watched Aust's 7s games and come to recognise our 7s players before they can even begin to articuate criticism (praise less so!) about tactics, form etc.
p.Tah
Guest
Mella, the ARU have announced a NSW girls 7s comp. http://www.rugby.com.au/sevens/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1754/ArticleID/5932/Default.aspx
stuff happens
Guest
V. Interesting article, well done. Rugby7's is a success story & the IRB deserves some congrats for the global tournament which has a growing TV audience. I think it's marvellous to see teams like Samoa & Kenya playing such stunning rugby as well as NZ, Fiji, Eng & South Africa who have become the masters of the game. Australia's problem is twofold. Firstly they use the 7's as a stepping stone to the Super comp as opposed to the leading teams who have professional squads that focus almost entirely on 7's.Maybe Australia just does not have the player resources. Secondly Campo is right that the Australian tactics seem to have gone backwards & replicate a 15's style game. This is not the game that Fiji & NZ for instance play. Which is why it will be difficult for the stars of the 15 game to join the 7's squad for the Olympics.Unless they are properly trained & participate the previous season at least they simply won't keep up. There is a third problem for Australia & that's those green shirts!! but who cares I suppose. Great final between NZ & Fiji.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
For all the rich history of Aussie Sevens we(the ARU) don't seem to be learning from history -Mr O'Connor has been head coach of the national sevens side since 2008 -results up to HK Sevens 2012 -NOT A LOT -actually the perception among many is that the overall performance of the team is GETTING WORSE -so much so that Australia's slot as a permanent member of the IRB Sevens circuit is in jeopardy-so why no questions about Mr O'Connor's tenure ? His performance has been mediocre to say the best and downright abysmal to sayt the worst -he REALLY MUST HAVE SOMETHING OVER the powers that be at the ARU to keep going in this gig - I hope that the people who matter wake up to this sad sorry state of affairs before we get to the Olympic Qualification games that's for sure :-)
p.Tah
Guest
nomis, I agree that the existing comps (Darwin, Kiama etc.) should be pulled together and a point system allocated to make it an unofficial national comp. One concern is that at this point in time there isn't a large core group of teams that compete at all these events. Therefore it may be hard to have a meaningful championship ladder. Another concern is I don't think these competitions will bring 7s into the main stream in Australia. That requires TV coverage and no station is going to televise a 2 day competition. I think we need a truncated version that is designed for TV that is completed in a few hours. I have posted a proposal on this previously: "my proposal for a domestic sevens national comp run over summer. Start off small initially, just 6 teams (Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth). Divide them into 2 pools of 3 teams for each tournament: Example: Pool 1: Sydney Adelaide Perth Pool 2: Melbourne Brisbane Canberra Each team players each other within the pool. Once the pool results are decided: 3rd vs 3rd play each other across the pools, 2nd vs. 2nd and then 1st vs 1st. That’s 9 games in total for just over 2 hours of play that can be completed in one day. If a broadcaster so wished they could include adbreaks and still have a packaged product under 3 hours. Perfect for prime time viewing for Foxtel or Fee to air TV. Both of these media are looking for content during the summer months. The competition consists of 6 tournaments played on one evening over 6- 8 weekends. Depending if rest weekends are required. Play it in small stadia, Ballymore, Gosford, Blacktown for example.”