World Rugby Aims to Revamp Calendar After Olympic Sevens Triumph

World Rugby is poised to overhaul its international calendar to facilitate smoother transitions for players between sevens and 15s formats. Alan Gilpin, CEO of World Rugby, emphasized the need for these adjustments following France’s stellar performance in the men’s rugby sevens, where Antoine Dupont shone brightly, leading his team to their first gold medal by defeating the two-time champions, Fiji.

Gilpin highlighted the unprecedented success of the event, which exceeded all expectations. “It’s everything we could have hoped for,” he told AFP. “We always said this was a coming-of-age moment. We sold eight sessions out of 550,000 tickets. Incredible.” The packed Stade de France, hosting 69,000 fervent fans, underscored the growing appeal of rugby sevens on the Olympic stage.

The overwhelming response to the event has prompted World Rugby to consider significant changes. “Rugby sevens is great for the Games, and the Games is great for rugby sevens, and that’s absolutely what we want,” Gilpin remarked. The three-day women’s tournament, commencing shortly after the men’s final, was also anticipated to set new attendance records, with 69,000 spectators expected, marking it as the most well-attended women’s rugby event in history.

The decision to host the sevens at the Stade de France was initially met with skepticism but ultimately proved to be a bold and successful move. Gilpin revealed that discussions with the organizers of the next two Olympics, in Los Angeles (2028) and Brisbane (2032), have already commenced to explore potential stadium capacities and further elevate the sport’s profile.

A significant challenge, however, lies in the congested men’s rugby calendar. While the crossover between sevens and 15s is more prevalent in women’s rugby, it remains a complex issue for the men’s game. “When we rewind to the Rugby World Cup here last year, the South Africans had six players in their squad that had played sevens. So they’ve found a way to make that pathway work,” Gilpin noted.

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To address this, World Rugby is considering a “de-confliction” strategy, particularly focusing on the sevens calendar and ensuring it aligns more effectively with the four-year Olympic cycle. The aim is to create a flexible calendar that allows players like Dupont to seamlessly switch between formats. “Can we create a view of the calendar that allows a player like Dupont… to say, ‘Right, I’m going to play a year of 15s, but I’m going to pick these moments to build to Olympic Games and sevens because it’s the stage, it’s the platform that I otherwise wouldn’t have’?” Gilpin pondered.

Historically, the issue has been compounded by the need to release players from their clubs and scheduling conflicts, given the sevens series currently spans a seven-month international season. Gilpin acknowledged France’s success with Dupont, who managed to dip in and out of sevens, but questioned the feasibility of this model for other unions. “If we think forward to the Six Nations or the Rugby Championships that precede the 2028 Los Angeles Games, how can those players be playing in that, but also have the opportunities in that year in advance to prepare?” he asked.

The post-Paris strategy will involve negotiations with federations over the next four years to integrate sevens more meaningfully into international rugby. Gilpin emphasized the potential for sevens to expand the sport’s reach in markets where 15s may not immediately thrive, such as China and Brazil.

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In conclusion, World Rugby’s ambitious plans to recalibrate its calendar signal a commitment to fostering the growth of rugby sevens, leveraging its Olympic success to elevate the sport globally. By addressing scheduling conflicts and enhancing player mobility, the federation aims to create a more dynamic and inclusive future for rugby.