7 reasons why you should be watching Rugby 7s
With the Rugby Sevens World Cup kicking off in Cape Town on 9 September 2022, now is a better time than ever to explain why you should be watching more Rugby 7s.
What is Rugby 7s?
The stripped-back version of our game has something to offer everyone, from the rugby purist (“I ♥ mauls”), to the newcomer (“what’s a maul?”). It brings an exciting element to rugby in short bursts for those who find it tough to dive into 80 mins of obscure rules and start-stop play.
Here are W RUGBY’s 7 reasons for loving Rugby 7s:
1. It’s non-stop rugby entertainment
Sometimes you just want pure action. And lots of it.
It’s simple genius, really. Fewer players on the field means more space, more tries and more excitement, all jam-packed into 14 pulsating minutes.
The game rewards teams willing to use the ball. Quick taps are tactically encouraged. Shortened lineouts and scrums, on-field halftime talks, and drop-kick conversions ensure that the game never stops for more than a few seconds.
Even the break between the games themselves is barely enough time to empty the bladder, or top it up!
2. It’s ultra-competitive
There is a genuine feeling on the 7s field that any team can beat another. No team is safe.
There’s no better example of that than the 2009 Rugby 7s World Cup, when in one sensational hour, ALL FOUR of the men’s quarter finals resulted in serious upsets. In the end, an unfancied Wales side somehow departed Dubai as World Champions, probably as stunned as everyone else.
The margins are razor-thin in 7s. A 19-point lead can evaporate in two minutes. A single missed tackle, or more often a single piece of individual brilliance, typically leads to a try.
The thrilling end to the men’s World 7s Series 2022 demonstrates this. At the end of eight months and nine tournaments, three teams still stood a chance of winning the overall Series title with just two matches left in the season. In the end, New Zealand’s victory at the Los Angeles 7s made them the fourth different winner in as many tournaments, but it was Australia who earned their first ever overall Series title.
3. It’s a game for all
It’s incredible to watch the women’s sides playing alongside the men’s teams at the highest echelons of the 7s game. The overall 7s game has developed rapidly since the Women’s 7s series was established in 2012.
Particularly great was New Zealand’s semi-final victory over Fiji in extra-time in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, a true classic.
Most 7s tournaments these days are combined tournaments with the men’s and women’s matches played in the same stadium. Each nation sees the men’s and women’s teams as ‘one team’ which is a breath of fresh air in the sport. Often the loudest cheers in the tours come from the male/female counterparts on finals day.
4. It’s a global game
The upcoming Rugby 7s World Cup will see 31 different countries represented across the men’s and women’s tournaments.
7s doesn’t just expose rugby to a global audience - it offers the audience a glimpse into remote corners of the (rugby) world. Who could have guessed that rugby had such a following in Dubai, that the tiny emirate built a dedicated 7s rugby stadium and named it “The Sevens”?
Other annual stops include Las Vegas, Twickenham and Singapore. However, the highlight of the World 7s Series is undoubtedly Hong Kong - the spiritual home of 7s with its iconic stadium and rambunctious atmosphere.
And then there are the teams. Kenya and USA, hardly considered forces in World Rugby, regularly go head-to-head with the traditional “tier-one” rugby nations. Keep your eye out for unheralded Zimbabwe, Colombia, Jamaica and Poland at the upcoming World Cup.
5. It’s a great way to introduce newbies to rugby
For newbies, a standard game of 15s can be a little overwhelming. There is a lot going on with the rucks, new rules and TMO (TV Match Official) referrals.
Rugby 7s is a great way to introduce a friend to watching rugby. It is simpler, less technical, tries are more frequent and each game doesn’t require a two-hour commitment.
6. Witness exciting styles
Each team brings their own style and flavour to 7s.
New Zealand typically play the most “traditional” rugby. However, Fiji (“avoid the ruck at all costs”), Argentina (“let’s kick the ball into all that space”), USA (“give the ball to the professional 100 metre sprinter – they’re very fast”) and Kenya (“we’re all very very fast”) to name a few have each shown that there are many ways to win a tournament.
Watching the clash of styles, and also seeing how teams adapt to particular opponents is always interesting and adds a layer of intrigue, especially during the knockout stages.
7. It’s pure rugby fun
Finally, 7s is just fun.
Fans turn up in elaborate and bizarre costumes (never forget the infamous Borat costumes). The tournaments typically have party atmospheres to them.
Tournaments traditionally offer four trophies. Quarter-final losers compete for the Plate (or 5th place) while also on offer are the Bowl (9th place) and Shield (13th place) trophies. This means that teams at all levels are gunning for silverware on finals day, urged on by the crowd.
The game is played in great spirit- after all, the players regularly meet on the field, stay in the same hotels, and are generally good friends. There is a sense that, even during the heat of the battle when the passions run high, the players are having fun.
It’s an excellent reminder that, in the end, that is what rugby is all about.
Words // Daniel Naidu, Fiji
