IRB wants rugby stars to play at Rio Olympics

[The InnFORCEr]

AFP
June 12, 2014, 10:43 am


Sydney (AFP) - Global rugby chief Brett Gosper on Thursday urged international unions to play their star names at the Rio Olympics Sevens to maximise the sport's opportunity on the world stage.

Gosper said that while the value of having regular Sevens players must be properly respected, rugby's chances of becoming a permanent Olympic sport may rely on an injection of star power from the traditional, more high-profile 15s game.

"In 2017, straight after Rio, they'll decide if rugby continues to be a core sport at the Olympics. We will be in Japan (2020) as well but that may be it," Gosper told reporters in Sydney.

"We've got to work very hard to ensure we'll be successful at Rio ... because a lot of money comes into rugby because of the Olympics.

"It really is a differentiator. A powerful draw for youth, spectators and players to be part of an Olympic adventure.

"The profile of the players in 15s is obviously something which has a lot of impact.

"We think it's important and the Olympics would like us to have them there.

"We would hope the unions would make it easy for those top players who want to be part of the Olympics. It's good for their country, good for the sport and good for the Olympics."

Gosper said he would personally love to see exciting Wallabies fullback Israel Folau and England powerhouse Manu Tuilagi feature at the 2016 Rio Games.

Australian Sevens coach Geraint John said he is open to the idea of including union stars in his squad for the 2016 Olympics, but only if they spend a significant amount of time integrating themselves with the game in the lead-up months.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...-rio-olympics/

[Sheikh]

You can't just slot 'proper' rugby players into a 7s side; it's like asking middle/long distance runners to run in the 100m - they can do it but they won't be as good as the dedicated sprinters.

That said, if fringe test players like DHP or Godwin (who, IIRC, used to represent Australia at 7s) want to head back for the Olympics, then I think that'd be fine. It would suck for the Force losing a couple of guys who'd be stars come the 2016 season, but they'd need a good 6 months and the IRB 7s championship to integrate themselves back into the short form of the game.

[shasta]

I wonder how much effort will go into actually trying to win gold. Folau plus couple more big players with real gas from 15's could be what's needed.

...... or Greg Inglis?...Brett/Josh Morris? (FX: Shasta ducks for cover)

[chibi]

No need to duck from me mate, I have no problems sending a combined union/league team to the Olympics. If it brings us gold, I could handle it once every four years.

[.X.]

and what about the guys that wear the jersey for the 7s team week in week out Representing Australia in the IRB Sevens World Cup.

They do all the hard work but dont get to go to the Olympics. Thats bullshit

[beige]

Rugby union will be wanting to use the Olympics as a major differentiator so they won't be giving rugby league any free kicks by selecting their players - and fair enough too.

Other than that I don't think we're giving the coaches enough credit here. Personally I think the unions should make all test/Super Rugby players available for selection. From what I keep reading, the balance of the squads would still be made up of full-time sevens players as most of the time that would be the best option for victory. However if the coach feels that adding (say) a Folau or a Hooper is something that can't be ignored, and the players are interested, then they should be allowed to do so.

[sloppy]

Ever thought the current players are the best who want to play but not neccesarily the best players.

[GIGS20]

Possibly, but there are quite different requirements in each game.

Short games and wide open spaces makes sevens a speed game, no question.....how many 130kg props do you see playing sevens at the top level.

Extra bodies and 80 minutes makes fifteens an endurance game.

That basically adds up to the best players for sevens not really being the best players for fifteens (OK we can all name several players wh do have the endurance and plenty of jets, but I guess you get my point)

Sure there might be a place for a great outside back like Corey Jane or Izzy Folau to line up and be of value to the team but predominantly selecting some of the bigger names in World Rugby for the Olympics would be done at the expense of team performance (Richie McCaw would be a prime example.....does anybody think a thirty something backrower is really going to keep up with the game? Even him?) at the very least, most of the fifteens players would need to spend a significant amount of time preparing for the differing energy needs required by what is essentially 20 minutes of high output exercise rather than an hour and a half of sustained effort.

[Tonkar]

and what about the guys that wear the jersey for the 7s team week in week out Representing Australia in the IRB Sevens World Cup.

They do all the hard work but dont get to go to the Olympics. Thats bullshit

I am with you EX Sorry others but EX is so right Like people at work' you work all yr to get a big project up and running know theirs a trip to promote it and then the boss tell you he is sending someone from another dept ( Same Same ) I would quit as shows you not respected

[beige]

What Gigs said.

[shasta]

I am with you EX Sorry others but EX is so right Like people at work' you work all yr to get a big project up and running know theirs a trip to promote it and then the boss tell you he is sending someone from another dept ( Same Same ) I would quit as shows you not respected

Fair enough. But would you all apply the same standards to the Socceroos? Similar principle involved. Journeymen from the A League and similar comps playing "safe" qualifiers because star players are unavailable due to other commitments.

[beige]

At least this soccer World Cup is whetting my appetite for the sevens in Rio.

[GIGS20]

Fair enough. But would you all apply the same standards to the Socceroos? Similar principle involved. Journeymen from the A League and similar comps playing "safe" qualifiers because star players are unavailable due to other commitments.

It doesn't match well Shas, the A league and all the European comps are playing the same game at different levels. Sevens and Fifteens are very different games, some of the reasons I mentioned in my previous post.

Personally, I think that if the Fifteens players are the better man for the job.....it's the olympics, throw them into the team, but I think blokes who would tick all the boxes will be very rare and I reckon the IRB are stupid to put out a press release suggesting that putting a team of potentially lower quality on the pitch is the best way to get rugby into the Olympics for good.

[beige]

Either way I don't want to see any IRB-imposed selection criteria.

What I do want to see is the IRB ensure there aren't any test matches scheduled at the same time as the Olympic tournament, otherwise it could devalue both.