The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Why you should watch the World Rugby Sevens circuit

Autoplay in... 6 (Cancel)
Up Next No more videos! Playlist is empty -
Replay
Cancel
Next
Roar Guru
25th January, 2019
15

While the 2018-19 World rugby sevens season has already begun with tournaments in Dubai and Capetown, the 2019 leg kicks off on Saturday in Hamilton, before moving to Sydney next weekend.

Sevens rugby conflicts supporters of the game. The purists claim it’s too short, too unlike “real rugby”, just a try-fest. While some fans – largely the ‘rugby is rugby’ tribe – are absolutely sold on it. Here’s why you should watch the World rugby sevens series.

It’s rugby, but very different.
The differences between sevens and XVs are no doubt a turn off for some, but for me, they add extra incentive. Short games with plenty of scoring, which are fast moving more often than not, is enough to have me hooked for a whole weekend.

Referees rarely have a big impact in games, so results are nearly always decided by world-class athletes doing battle, not by ruck interpretations or disputable offside calls.

Good luck predicting the winner.
The monkey, at least in XVs, on World Rugby’s back – a monkey which has been there for almost ten years – is the All Blacks’ domination. 2007 was the last time that the Rugby World Cup was won by someone else, and any victory over New Zealand makes headlines globally.

Sevens, however, is a completely different kettle of fish. While Fiji were the dominant country in the 2017-18 season with five titles, the Blitzboks, Australia, USA and New Zealand all took home at least one trophy – highly commended goes to heavy outsiders Kenya, who finished runner-up to Fiji in the Vancouver tournament.

New Zealand and Fiji have won the two editions, in this season, with the USA finishing with the silver medal on both occasions.

Advertisement

Olympic qualification is on the line.
Australian rugby is fighting hard for mainstream coverage, but is currently buried underneath football, league, AFL and cricket in terms of public interest. Outside of the World Cup and perhaps Lions tours, the Olympics is a great opportunity to get rugby in front of Australians’ eyeballs, making qualification crucial.

The host country, Japan, and the top four ranked countries from this series qualify, as well as a quota team from each continent, while the remaining teams have to go through a regional championships process.

Last time around, Australia snuck into fourth on the ladder, but keeping that place against teams like USA and England will be nothing short of a huge challenge, especially given they’re currently in sixth.

close