Don’t tell my daughter but I was stuck attending  her school’s annual PTA elections (on a Friday night nogal!) when the news about Sevens’ inclusion in the Olympic Games came through on my FaceBook Wall.  The boys at Olympic-rugby.org were first with the breaking news.

After that, news about the IOC decision was all that dominated my Inbox!  (I should really add some more non-rugby players and supporters to my FaceBook Friends-list. Not!) 

One of the benefits of the Sevens Series being a world-wide series , is that I now have contacts in all eight World Series cities.  As such, congratulatory messages from Dubai, Ozzie, New Zealand, etc. start flooding in.  I’m finally on the SARU mailing list and the guardians of the game in South Africa weren’t left behind and I soon had their message of congratulations in my Inbox:

Oregan Hoskins, the President of the South African Rugby Union, said,

“This is a tremendous step forward for Rugby Union and one of the biggest days in the history of the Game. In terms of growing the game across the globe and attracting more players, Rugby’s inclusion into the Olympic Games cannot be underestimated.” 

“On behalf of SARU, we’d like to thank everyone, especially the IRB and Bernard Lapasset in particular, who has worked tirelessly to get Rugby back into the Olympics. Be assured that our Springbok Sevens team will be geared when the day comes in 2016 in Rio when they too will have the opportunity to push for Olympic gold.”

The President was followed by the legendary BlitzBok player and current coach Paul Treu who added: 

“This is a wonderful occasion for Rugby and its future across the globe. Just think, in a few years’ time our top rugby players will share the same stage as world-class athletes like Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Yelena Isinbaeva,” 

“This would also mean greater support for rugby unions from their governments and national Olympic organisations, which will see the game grow even more.

“More countries will become competitive on the international stage – something we’ve already experienced in the IRB Series with teams like Kenya, Portugal and the USA doing very well. It would increase the footprint of the game.”

“The game will attract more players and especially the so-called smaller teams will have more resources from which to pick their sides.” 

The Springbok Sevens coach, who has dedicated much of his playing career to the faster, more exciting form of the game, in the process helping to transform the SA-side from a group of part-timers to a fully-contracted, professional World Championship Team added:

“Sportsmen and women will have the option of pursuing Sevens as a viable rugby career option outside of the traditional 15-man code. Apart from the IRB World Sevens Series, the Sevens World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, they now have the additional carrot of going for Olympic gold.”

And what a carrot it is, Coach.  One of the BlitzBokke on my FB friends-list wondered aloud whether he’ll “still be around” in the game come Rio 2016.  I think many of the curent squad will be sharing this very thought, because as an ex-student of mine, Olympic sprinter Geraldine Pillay once said: “Nothing comes bigger than the Olympics!”

So, to all of the folks who worked tirelessly for the Sevens cause here in cyberspace, as well as those of you who gave your support to initiatives like olympic-rugby.org:

Cheers and see you in Rio!

Samba De Janeiro!

The global Rugby family are celebrating the announcement that Rugby Sevens will be included at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

An overwhelming vote in favour of inclusion by the International Olympic Committee members at the 121st Session in Copenhagen – Rugby Sevens received 81 ‘yes’ votes to only eight ‘no’ votes – means that the world’s top men’s and women’s Rugby players will have the opportunity to compete for an Olympic Gold medal, the pinnacle of sporting achievement.

Bernard Lapasset, President of the International Rugby Board, said: “This is a historic moment for our sport and for the global Rugby community, who were united in support of our campaign.”

“We are excited and honoured to be joining the Olympic Games and I would like to thank the IOC members for believing in our Olympic vision and our values and recognising that Rugby Sevens is a perfect fit for the Olympic Games.”

“The Olympic Games will be the pinnacle of the sport for all our athletes and the Rugby family. The best men’s and women’s players in the world are excited to be able to showcase their talent on the world’s greatest sporting stage.”

“We are now looking forward to working in partnership with the IOC to develop and implement a Rugby Sevens tournament in Rio that will reach out to new audiences and inspire a new generation of sports fans around the world,” added Lapasset.

The International Olympic Committee voted the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro as the host city for the 2016 Olympic Games last Friday, and in the aftermath of that decision the country’s women’s Sevens team have been expressing their delight and hope for the Sevens game.

Brazil are unbeaten in five years of South American women’s Sevens competition and won the right to represent the continent at the first ever Rugby World Cup Sevens for women, earlier this year in Dubai.

With one part of their Copenhagen jigsaw having fallen into place, members of the side are now turning their attention to Sevens rugby’s final push for inclusion in the 2016 Games.

We caught up with captain Beatriz ‘Baby’ Futuro, her sister Cristiana and teammate Bárbara Rodrigues Santiago, and the message was clear.

“Rio is ready to receive rugby Sevens in 2016 at the Olympics. Having Sevens in the 2016 Olympics would be incredible,” they said.

“For us as athletes it would be a proud moment to compete in our sport, here in our country.

“It is a perfect fit – quick and creative, like the Carnival!

“It would be superb to have our rugby friends from all around the world here with us.

“Brazilian rugby awaits you here for the Olympic Games of 2016″

So, if you’re in primary school and thinking about playing Sevens Rugby at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro in 2016… learn how to SAMBA!

(OK, if you’re in Primary School, playing rugby and living on the Cape Flats… don’t worry about learning any dancing, you were BORN with the moves!)

I wouldn’t mind teachers like these no matter how old I am!

(irb.com)

The President of the International Rugby Board (IRB), Bernard Lapasset, on Monday led the team presenting Rugby Sevens’ case for inclusion in the Olympic Games to the IOC’s Executive Board in Lausanne, Switzerland.

IRB President Bernard Lapasset (Pic: IOC)

Mr. Lapasset was joined by Mike Miller, Secretary General of the IRB, Agustín Pichot, former captain of the Argentina Sevens Rugby Team, Cheryl Soon, captain of the Australia Sevens team that won Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens earlier this year, Humphrey Kayange, captain of the Kenya Sevens team and Anastassiya Khamova, one of Kazakhstan’s top female players, a referee at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 and a leading figure in the Women’s Game.

“Our team was very excited about presenting to the IOC Executive Board today. Our rehearsals as a team in the last few weeks were very beneficial and I feel that we left a positive impression of a united and committed team with the members. We shared our Olympic vision and highlighted Rugby Sevens’ case for Olympic Games inclusion, which we firmly believe would be good for the Olympic Games and good for Rugby,” said Mr Lapasset.

“We are committed to the continued global growth and development of the sport and its values and it is this aim that underpins our current campaign to secure the introduction of Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games, beginning in 2016,” added Lapasset.

Humphrey Kayange, captain of the Kenya Sevens team, believes that Olympic Games inclusion has the potential to offer medal opportunities to more nations around the world as well as bring a new fan base of enthusiastic young people to the Games.

“Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai showed that the so-called smaller sporting nations can compete with the biggest in the world. Countries like Zimbabwe, Samoa, Tonga, and Uruguay proved they are capable of beating the best. Playing at an Olympic Games would offer these countries a real chance of medals and a further opportunity to be part of the global sporting family.”

“Sevens supporters are like nothing I have seen before. They are passionate, dedicated and love sport. I know that once an Olympic Sevens tournament has finished, the Rugby fans would stay and enjoy all that the world’s greatest sporting celebration has to offer.”

Australia captain and Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 gold medalist Cheryl Soon, believes that Olympic Games inclusion would provide a further boost to a women’s game that continues to go from strength to strength.

“All my teammates and colleagues on the Sevens circuit play at the highest level of our sport. We want to play alongside the world’s top athletes competing at the highest level of their sport. It would be a privilege to do so.”

Agustín Pichot, a bronze medalist at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2001, reinforced the support of players for the campaign. He said: “I have spoken with many of my fellow top players and each one agrees that competing at the Olympic Games would be an amazing experience. We would all be there and would be proud to call ourselves Olympians”.

Anastassiya Khamova, captain of the Kazakhstan Sevens team and a top figure in the women’s game, indicated that a Rugby Sevens tournament at the Olympic Games would provide the impetus for the further growth of Women’s Rugby.

“Women’s Rugby is a strong sport and in excellent health. I was one of 32 administrators and senior players at the first ever IRB international conference on Women’s Rugby in London in 2007. Every single one of us agreed that Sevens in the Olympic Games would be the greatest catalyst to the growth of the women’s game and the best thing that could possibly happen to our Sport.”

Mike Miller said: “We believe that Rugby Sevens has much to offer the Olympic Movement. We would bring a modern, youthful and skilful sport that can be added easily, efficiently and cost-effectively to the Olympic Programme. The Sevens format – seven players per team, two seven-minute halves, 24 matches a day – is made for television, made for sponsors and most importantly loved by fans and players alike.”

Australian Women’s Sevens captain Cheryl Soon and Kenyan star and captain Humphrey Kayange were part of an IRB delegation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) where they put forward Rugby Sevens’ case for inclusion into the Olympic fold.  The IOC met at their Swiss headquarters on June 15 to hear presentations from the 7 sporting codes vying for 2 vacant spots on the Olympic roster. The 7 codes are rugby, karate, baseball, roller sports, golf, softball and squash.

The IRB delegation to the IOC (Pic: IOC)

After reviewing the merits of all seven, the Executive Board should recommend two for inclusion at its next meeting in August. The IOC Session will make the final decision at its meeting in October, scheduled in conjunction with the Olympic Congress.

“All seven sports made interesting and informative presentations. All have something to offer. In the end, the decision will come down to which are the best fit for the Olympic Programme,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge.

Grassroots Initiative

BlitzBokke Mpho Mbiyozo & Kyle Brown must be proud to know that one of their mates at UCT Rugby, Ikey Tigers Captain Bodo Sieber and others have come up with a great initiative to gather popular support for rugby’s cause for inclusion on the Olympic programme.

Olympic-rugby.org had been online for a mere 12 hours and managed to gather signatures in support of the cause from 27 countries! 

If you’ve been following the buzz around rugby’s bid for inclusion onto the Olympic programme, you will know that:

(1) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is meeting on June 2009 to discuss potential new sports to be included.

(2) Codes like Karate, Golf, Squash are all vying for one of 2 vacant spots on the programme.

(3) In October 2009, the IOC will meet in Copenhagen to decide on the Olympic Sports Program for 2016.  A decision will be made on which codes will fill the two vacant slots.

Crouch…

Olympic-rugby.org aims to provide a one-stop-platform to channel the combined forces of the rugby world towards the IOC by sending the petition signatures and motivations per country to each IOC member and the National Olympic Committees. 

Touch…

Olympic-rugby.org wants generate as much publicity and momentum for the cause as possible, before the decision gets made in October 2009. 

I’m really excited because the guys plan on using the impetus provided by the so-called “new media” with the potential for great viral marketing initiatives.  I hope to see some creative YouTube productions, etc. They already have a presence on FaceBook.

A little birdie (OK… Seth Rotherham who prompted “lost” the post!) told me that Bodo et al. were also involved in the very successful, very first Cape Town Tens rugby tournament spearheaded by Robbie Fleck and the-character-former-known-as-the-loose-forward (who often hung around in the third center position!)  If you’ve seen the creative videos produced by these guys for the Tens then folks,things can only get better!

Pause…

Hey Wena! No time to Pause! The vote’s in October 2009! 

Engage!

Now we’re talking! Time to roll up those sleeves and get working. 

(1) Go to Olympic-rugby.org and Join the Petition!

(2) If you’re a FaceBooker, join the Group there

(3) Get your significant-other, (even the insignificant-others!), Mom, Mom-in-law, drinking buddies, clubmates… Man! Even your cat and dog to also sign up! (That is to say if they’re internet savvy and keyboard-trained!)

If you’re a blogger or run your own website(s), get a banner from Olympic-rugby.com and help spread the word in that way.

(4) You’re already on BlitzBokke.com so add another “Favourite” to your browzer and stay tuned to Olympic-rugby.com

It’s as easy as that to support Rugby.

It’s the right thing to do.

Now.

During the current Sevens season, the Sevens-world was excitedly buzzing about the big strides being made the so-called smaller rugby-nations.  The USA is one of those.  The Americans have been fielding some very competitive teams and occasionally giving the big sides a good run for their money.  What few people know is that the reigning Olympic Champions are in in fact:

The United States of America.

The USA beat France for the Gold Medal during the 1924 Olympic Games.

The “Games of the VIII Olympiad” was hosted by the city of Paris, France which is also the home city of the man known as “the father of the modern Olympic Games”, Baron Pierre De Coubertin.  Rugby was one of 19 main sports, while the Games also hosted 6 demonstration sports.

South Africa was one of 44 nations who participated in the 1924 Olympic Games and if you look here have a look at the flag that SA sported in those days.

I found the following grainy, black&white video clip on YouTube.  It was placed there by a rugby historian (who also happens to be an avid collector of 1870-1930 rugby memorabilia) Frederic Humbert.  The Paris native incidently found the movie reels at a flea-market!

Enjoy.

(irb.com)

Former Springbok Sevens star Fabian Juries and World Cup winning centre Jean de Villiers have joined forces in their support of the International Rugby Board’s campaign for the introduction of Rugby Sevens into the Olympic programme.

The IRB believes Rugby Sevens is the ideal form of Rugby for Olympic inclusion, with a proven and very successful record in similar multi-sports Games such as the Commonwealth Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will decide on which two sports to include in the Olympic Games in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October 2009.

De Villiers, who started his international career in 2002 on the Sevens circuit, has developed into one of the world’s leading centres and has a Rugby World Cup, IRB Under 21 World Championship and Tri Nations winners’ medals to his name.

The Springbok centre, who is the SA Rugby Player of the Year, believes that a Rugby event at the greatest sporting event on the planet will further add to the sporting spectacle which runs every four years.

“I am definitely all for the introduction of Rugby Sevens into the Olympic Games. I would be one of the first players to admit that it would be great for Rugby players to one day end their career with an Olympic Games and World Cup gold medal to their name,” said De Villiers.

Most exciting spectacles

“The Sevens game is both exciting and fun, easy to watch and understand and will be a great attraction at the Olympic Games. Rugby Sevens has become one of the most exciting spectacles on the annual sporting calendar and while the game has grown around the world, the competitiveness of the various countries competing on the Sevens circuit has exploded.

“What sport fans want to see is entertainment and I believe Rugby Sevens will give Olympic spectators exactly that.”

Juries, who is one of the leading try-scorers of all-time in IRB Sevens history with 173, echoed De Villiers’ sentiments and called for the International Olympic Campaign to introduce Rugby Sevens into the Olympic Games.

“Rugby Sevens has so much to offer and will definitely add to the spectacle of the Olympic Games,” said Juries.

“The various Sevens tournaments around the world have all turned into successful events and while it is a fantastic form of the game for Rugby players, it is also an enjoyable sport for spectators – those who have knowledge of Rugby and those new to the game as well. It has a great ability to attract new audiences. ”

Rugby Sevens was given a massive boost for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games after the highly successful three-day Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai in March. Twenty-four teams competed in the men’s competition with Wales defeating Argentina in the final to be crowned champions, while Australia beat rivals New Zealand in the inaugural women’s competition played alongside the men’s.

Former Australian coach and technical advisor to Jake White, Eddie Jones recently shared his views on the possible inclusion of Sevens Rugby in the Olympic Programme.  I must admit, I was one of the people who (put mildly) frowned on Jake White’s decision to appoint “one of the enemy” to his management team.  But hindsight is a wonderful thing and Mister Jones has proven his worth as a rugby-brain of note no matter who the pay-master.  Here’s our Eddie’s 2 cents on the possibility of Sevens’ inclusion in the Olympic Games:

LONDON 2012 and beyond… Good to Rugby Sevens?

Singapore 2005… The International Olympic Commitee (IOC) votes Baseball & Softball OUT of the Olympics.  Unfortunately the “Keepers of the Olympic Rings” also vote NOT to replace these two sporting codes in the Olympic programme.  That means that the total number of sports come London 2012 will be reduced from 28 to 26.

In the process, golf, squash, karate, roller sports and of course RUGBY SEVENS all lose out on possible inclusion on the medal-roster for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The only way Sevens Rugby may feature at any Olympic Games in the near future Read the full story