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by The Oval ball by Y.C. Chang

There is no doubt that without the vision to establish such a circuit in the first place, and without the courage to outlay the huge monies to make it go ahead, the IRB sevens series in 2000, 2001 and 2002 could not have happened at all. But to reward the time and effort, the sevens appeared have gone beyond the original plan, evolving into a spectacular Formula 1 Grand Prix, with its own heroes, dramas and attractions. Paradoxically it's newfound identity, of speed, skill and space distribution is having an influence on the main game. And for all that it is the players who deserve the highest admiration, so Keith Quin of 'The World of Rugby' writes and continues:-

It is the hundreds of players from the many countries who have played in the two years of the IRB's Worlds Sevens Grand Prix, who collectively deserve the rugby game's highest awards of valour. In the last two years those young men have taken the message of sevens rugby to many new places in rugby's ever expanding world. And by their deeds of changing the games previous style they have advanced significantly the cause of what was always an honourable version of the game but one which lacked guidance and direction.

To expand on that, it has to be said firstly that the players have turned up in their droves to play and make the success happen. In their many colours and shades of brilliance and learning from every world wide race and creed they have come from such far-flung outposts as Paraguay and Brazil, China and Korea, Kenya and Nimibia, Germany and Georgia to mention a few. These teams have come with optimism and intent to pitch whatever their rugby wares are against the 'big boys' of New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, South Africa et al. And sometimes at considerable odds they succeed - Kenya beat France, US Eagles downing mighty Fiji, Georgia defeating Wales Zimbabwe and Morocco upstaging France and Australia: genuine feast of unpredictable talent and vitality.

The crowds, the punters, the fans, all generously respond to this display of tradition and new rugby rivalries. They truly love the tournaments and the very competitive format of the series. And its audience of acceptance is growing. From the daily 35-40,000 who pack the Hong Kong Stadium to cheer outrageously over the three days of action, through the 30,000 plus who dance the weekend away at the Wellington event, to the banner-waving fans in the sweltering cauldron of the S. American tournaments, and even down to the tiny attendances of Shanghai in China last year the people who have come to watch have come away beaming with satisfaction. Sevens rugby does that to you. That is ultimately the thing.

From the challenge offered to all nations by the IRB, the players and visionary coaches of all nations deserve high acclaim. Of their own accord, and in a matter of only a few years they themselves have changed sevens rugby to grab new fans and keep them cheering.

With no disrespect to the Middlesex sevens and the early days of the HongKong sevens, the short game of the 'early years' was of a slowish game of rugby chess, a game of outplaying and outwitting your opponent, sometimes by slow back passing and steady buildup. There was a place for lumbering forwards. When, and if, a gap might be probed, then by golly, the call was "let's go for it chaps." Afterwards everybody might go and have a pint of bitters. Sevens were a past time, not a sport, a game that did not appeal to a worldwide group of support.

That was fine in time; but not any more. The players of modern era of sevens rugby, as shown by the best on the IRB Grand Prix, have exploded a new version of the game to watch and behold. It is rugby made for bursting speed-merchant types who are dynamically fit and able to race for the gaps that have been there but have not been previously exploited. These speedsters today run to make space for their flying teammates. They all complete at an outrageously high level, racing against the ticking clock of mini seconds left to play.

Fiji set the standards for this type of approach. The modern version comes naturally to their long legged runners and form the childhood evenings of playing village games against the setting sun, where the rules are not kept, there is no kicking and running with the ball is the total joy. New Zealand has caught up and now surpassed Fiji in a well structured, disciplined version of the fresh approach. Australia, South Africa, and Samoa cannot be discounted at any fixture. On any given day, they have all beaten the best by playing their own version of the modern game.

What these sevens teams are declaring to the world most of all is that sevens today is its own NEW game-one that is vastly different to what used to be seen in the past. Just as fifteens rugby is hardly recognisable from its often 3-nil drudge of years gone by. Sevens is alive and invading its future with a new optimism and style. And it is the sevens players who have achieved so much for themselves. Now the players are holding the ball close to their collective hearts and running forward, sidestepping each previous obstacle. As each tournament unfolds this year, it looks for a continuation of the new wave of admirers cheering and dancing with them like never before.

Against this backdrop, how will our team fare? Can it create an upset? One can never know - it has happened before. Young Rupesinghe who is the manager is quite content to keep the KIWI's at bay within 50 points against us. Then what about the other two, Scotland and Portugal? How much will Scotland and Portugal score? As already said before teams have improved and it would be presumptuous on us to write Sri Lanka off, after having had steaks and other nutritious foods and bedded on the soft GOH mattresses. Asanga Seneviratne the coach might have that little extra to get us into the bowls competition. Then what ? May I in closing whilst wishing the teams an enjoyable weekend also quote the Olympic motto in conciliatory fashion "it's not how we win or lose but how we play the game".

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