HSBC Sevens World Series 2014/14 - Round 5 - Las Vegas

[Hugh Jarse]

Great response. Do you think it could be a useful tool to engage the USA public (esp the Moms, kids and school teachers) and encourage a percentage of them to play "proper" rugby in either Rugby 7's or the 15 aside version, in large numbers?

Touch Rugby is big here in Australia, and IIRC it is "owned" by the NRL where, as the result of a fairly shrewd strategic manoeuvre a few years or back, NRL effectively brought out Touch Australia and now they are the brand owner of Touch in Australia.

Oz-Tag is another product that is played here, and sounds a bit like your flag football. The participants wear a belt with two velcro flags attached. A "touch" is made when an opponent rips one of the tags off the ball carriers belt, and the ball carrier must "play the ball" by passing the ball to one of their team mates from where the "touch" was made.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Vancouver confirmed as a venue from 2015/16:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_33162,00.html

Looks like the other 9 will be drip-fed over the next few weeks/ months. Can't imagine many changes other than maybe shift GC to somewhere in Aus where people might actually give a fuck & putting Wellywood on notice that a repeat of this year's pitiful attendance will result in that leg being moved to somewhere in NZ where people give a fuck (my money's on Dunners, but it would have to be timed for when the zoo I mean uni is in session).

 

[Ash]

Maybe moving back to Adelaide, or even Melbourne? Those would be two of my choices. I guess Brisbane might pull in a crowd, maybe. Don't think it'd get a big enough of a crowd in Sydney, and not a chance in Canberra.

 

[qwerty51]

The Zoo in Dunedin would be fantastic with the roof. That has to be considered surely. Maybe try to arrange the the schedule so it's during O-week.

It would go off at the SFS I reckon. 30k+ easily.

 

[Ash]

Sydney I could imagine a good crowd as a once off, but as a regular event I think it'd struggle. Same for Brisbane.

 

[qwerty51]

It's a good month after the NRL and AFL grand finals. It's after the TRC and a week before the 3rd Bledisloe which Sydney will never hold. There's nothing else on except A-league (which starts the same weekend so could be a clash with SFS if they kick-off it there) and domestic one-dayers which no one cares about. It seems a perfect slot for a weekend of great rugby.

 

[badabing59]

Vancouver is a great inclusion, particularly if it's either side of Las Vegas. Locals love sporting events-the Canucks (hockey) consistently selling out the Roger's Arena for example.
BC Place is also an excellent venue, close to the city and bars. Really looking forward to this as it's just down the road from me

 

[mxyzptlk]

Great response. Do you think it could be a useful tool to engage the USA public (esp the Moms, kids and school teachers) and encourage a percentage of them to play "proper" rugby in either Rugby 7's or the 15 aside version, in large numbers?

I do, and I don't think it'd be too difficult to introduce (but it'd have to be done right). When I was in middle school/high school, we always had a gym unit called "speedball," which was basically Gaelic football. Everyone looked forward to it, and we didn't even really know what it was; we just knew it was close enough to known sports like football and soccer, but was faster and with a few different rules.

So I think we're adaptable enough. People would pick up Oz-Tag right away, but Viva 7s has the benefit of not needing anything more than a pitch and a ball.

EDIT: Just wanted to be clear on the rules -- so 16 minutes a match, and just 16 minutes straight through, or two 8 minute halves? And there's 7 touches before the ball is turned over, and the ball carrier either does a ball place or has two steps to pass/offload once tagged, correct?