NRC Sevens

[p.Tah]

The success of the BBL has surprised most and been discussed extensively, but when you boil it down it has done well because:
- fast and exciting
- It's easy to understand
- it's on every night on FTA TV
- the season is relatively short

There is a lot rugby can be learn from how well the tournament has been marketed which has been discussed elsewhere in the forum.

As much as I enjoy watching 15s, 7s is easier to follow and its speed and high scoring rates are characteristics that appeal to a wider audience. Unfortunately a typical 7s tournament over 2 full days has too much content for a FTA broadcaster and is not going to hold the interest of the general population.

Could a shortened 7s format played over 2.5 hours, 5 nights a week be rugby's answer to the fast paced excitement of T20? Stay with me for a moment.

10 males teams play one game per night. So that's 5 games per evening. The next night they play one more game against a different opposition the following night and so on. Over a period of 9 nights spread across two weeks they would play each team once. The tenth night would be finals. 9th vs 10th all the way up to 1st vs 2nd.

The 'season' could start on a Wednesday evening through to Sunday evening. Monday and Tuesday off then Wednesday through to Sunday evening again. I could be wrong but I don't feel that schedule would be too taxing, certainly less taxing than a full 2-day sevens tournament played on consecutive weekends.

We have 5 men's games per evening and we must include 1 female game per evening, providing 6 games per night. Adding intros, adverts and each game going for 15 mins, there is a 2.5 hour package per night. Start at 7pm finish at 9:30pm

The male teams could comprise of the current 9 NRC teams, supplemented by a SA rep team made up of local Sydney players, or a 'Pacific team' comprised of local Islanders/Kiwis not in the NRC teams.

Squad size 10 players, but 8 on a night (one reserve), so 80-100 male players.

To minimise costs, the games are played in NSW, Brisbane and Canberra. In the NSW week, one evening on Central Coast, then Nth Sydney Oval, Parramatta, Campbelltown and one other (just as an example). One of the great initiatives of the NRC was the food/beer fair on games days such as the one at Woollahra Oval. The NRC 7s evening should replicate this and support the local suppliers, so the experience at the Central Coast game is very different to the one at North Sydney.

The 2 week season could be held just after the NRC 15s season in November or just before the Super Rugby season starts (early Feb after IRB Sydney 7s and NRL 9s.

It's paramount that the games are on FTA TV and I believe the offering/content is strong enough to interest someone such as TEN. Being on FTA TV would promote the NRC brand and develop familiarity with the teams names and players which would benefit the NRC 15s competition.

Just an idea, but one I believe worth considering.

 

[TOCC]

I like it the idea in concept, I think it's inevitable that a semi-professional 7'a circuit will be established in Australia just not sure in what form.

Many of the tournaments are already offering sizeable prize money. I guess that my only opposition to such a proposal would be that there are already a number of established tournaments like the Central Coast Sevens who attract quality teams from around the world and I wouldn't want to see a new competition undermine the hard work which has already been done, I would prefer to see the ARU build on the existing tournaments.


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[p.Tah]

Good point, perhaps a broadcast NRC 7s game could be used to promote and increase awareness of those tournaments. For example if an NRC 7s leg was held on the Central Coast the commentators could promote the history and the success of the Central Coast 7s tournament.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I've long been a fan of a Sevens circuit but honestly I doubt it offers our opportunity to develop a BBL equivalent. Sevens operates better as a circuit and not a League in the sense that the BBL does. While having 4-5 games a night seems like a great idea imagine six weeks down the track when GSR are meeting the Spirit for the 5th or 6th time. Would begin to get a bit overly repetitious. If you were to use 7s the realistically it wouldn't run longer than a couple of weeks if you were looking to emulate the BBL with content every night. Hardly long enough a period to really engage an audience or build any commerical value.

It's an issue groups like United World Sports have tried to overcome with there Super 7s concept. They've effectively stretched a game of 7s over an hour with four 12 minute quarters. They've also looked to expand game day squads to 21 players and introduce unlimited interchange. Having seen there proof of concept game, while the first half is relativelt close as the second half progresses it loosens up dramatically and its value as a contest really wanes.

I'm not discounting that we could develop a BBL equivalent but just not with 7s. In my opinion 10s (or even 11 a side in order to introduce another back) would be more suited. I know many may have reservations. Citing that 7s is the Olympic game but we need to ask ourselves what are our true objectives in doing this. Is it to develop talent for the Olympics or is it to develop a viewing product from a commercial perspective. If its for the Olympics the honestly we'd be better off setting up a national talent id system and then using the World Series and say the Asian Sevens Series (development squads) as proving grounds for this talent. If its commercially driven then 10s (11s) with the current NRC variations played over four 12 minute quarters may be the better option.

 

[p.Tah]

The idea was that the comp is over in 2 weeks. Just a quick taste of rugby during a football less period.

 

[kiap]

The idea was that the comp is over in 2 weeks. Just a quick taste of rugby during a football less period.

Righto. Maybe run it alongside these existing events?

10-11 Oct Noosa Sevens
17-18 Oct Melbourne International 7s
23-25 Oct Central Coast Sevens

16 day span. Boom!

<edit> January might be better tho ... dunno

 

[TOCC]

Those dates overlap with the NRC.. Perhaps you could have it in January in the build up to the Sydney Sevens.

My idea for Sevens in Australia is to ultimately build on the back of whats already established, the ARU nominates 6-8 tournaments which are currently operating, these tournaments then become legs in a Australian Sevens Series, each leg accumulates points and a the end you have an Australian Sevens champion.

Its really nothing new, purely just the ARU placing an overall prize on top of all these individual tournaments, the new part would be packaging it and marketing in a way in which sponsors and broadcasters may be interested.

 

[kiap]

Those dates overlap with the NRC.. Perhaps you could have it in January in the build up to the Sydney Sevens.

My idea for Sevens in Australia is to ultimately build on the back of whats already established

Fine, but you can't have it both ways. Those are the dates those existing main 7s tournaments are on.

Sure there are a few others (e.g. Darwin Hottest Sevens) in the Jan-Feb part of the calendar but there's a big gap from mid-November to late January.

That's not suitable.

It would require either (some) existing tournaments being moved or new ones being hosted to have a proper window for a series. You can't have two months off. It's gotta be consecutive weekends.

 

[TOCC]

I've posted proposed tournament dates in previous threads, and I don't think it should be limited to NRC teams, who says these successfully running tournaments are happy to cater exclusively to NRC teams anyway.

Honesty, I like the idea of building Sevens, but i don't think exclusively using the NRC teams is the right vehicle to do this. There are already clubs in Australia who have invested significantly in the Sevens programs, this is what should be getting built on. Open the invite to NRC teams, but also any club in Australia/Oceania.


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[Dave Beat]

I think this would be a great initiative but could it become to messy and complex.
Albeit possibly in the wrong year with the RWC on Manly looked at doing something very similar in 2015. Contact was made with the NRC teams, a day was set aside, and allot of work was invested in it. With the completion of the club comps / NRC / RWC / sevens tournaments already in place and players wanting an off season it never went ahead.

The Central Coast sevens that even had international presence is an awesome model over 2 days. Ideas are the easy part, putting it together, sponsorship and all that sort of stuff is the hard - and Craig Morgan has done an awesome job with the CC7's.

Love the idea.

 

[Dave Beat]

I've posted proposed tournament dates in previous threads, and I don't think it should be limited to NRC teams, who says these successfully running tournaments are happy to cater exclusively to NRC teams anyway.

Honesty, I like the idea of building Sevens, but i don't think exclusively using the NRC teams is the right vehicle to do this. There are already clubs in Australia who have invested significantly in the Sevens programs, this is what should be getting built on. Open the invite to NRC teams, but also any club in Australia/Oceania.


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Yes as TOCC said above.

 

[Ozee316]

I also support the idea of NRC Sevens. New Zealand has Regional Sevens competitions culminating in a National Sevens competition. These tournaments are still in their development but include a Northern Region Sevens, Southern Region Sevens plus the upcoming National Sevens in Rotorua.

New Zealand Sevens Teams are all based off Mitre 10 Cup teams and include a Mens and Womens division. Getting the product to a broadcasting stage is not easy as I believe on the National Sevens in NZ is televised and it probably costs NZR money overall. It is more of a development competition.

The concept that should be targetted is to have Sevens tailing off the NRC season so NRC finishes in Early November and Sevens begins in Late November with a number of tournaments around the country culminating in a tournament around or before the date of the Sydney Sevens.

The tournament should be seen first and foremost as a way to prepare mens and womens players for the national team and provide great live action for people to watch. To keep costs low, not all teams travel to every tournament and you could invite international entries too. Broadcasting could be done cheaply or online until Fox or another broadcaster wants it.

Standings in previous tournaments determine pool seedings for the final tournament which determines the ultimate Sevens Champion for the year.

 

[Ozee316]

http://www.nationalsevens.co.nz/

Before the National Sevens New Zealand also has Club Sevens tournaments in each region before the Provincial Sevens are contested:

http://www.mooloocommunityrugby.co.nz/news/2015-waikato-club-sevens-results/
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11540957
http://www.crfu.co.nz/main/index.cfm/1,277,5644,html/2015-Spring-Sevens-Tournaments

This amateur structure leading in to a more high profile Summer league of Provincial Sevens Competitions hosted around the country could enable the NRC to run from August to January with exciting products and new faces meeting new fans.

 

[Dave Beat]

There are allot of weekend sevens comps already in place - some more prestigious than others. Like the thought but implementing is a whole other box and dice.

 

[Dave Beat]

http://www.nationalsevens.co.nz/

True but the national NZ 7's team that made the trip for the Central Coast Sevens this year didn't make the final - pointing this out to show that some of the existing comps are pretty strong.

http://centralcoastsevens.com.au/

As I said - like the idea, there are allot of existing comps that can be grown upon. Feb is chock full of weekends, as is Oct & November, it is a case of lifting the profile of the comps we already have in place.

 

[Ozee316]

Just one more thing: As a player you can see the obvious appeal. Those who are finished after the regular season and want a rest can do so. Those who miss out on the NRC or training squads get to try their hand in Club or Provincial Sevens and keep fit over Summer. There are more options for everyone.

 

[Dave Beat]

Just one more thing: As a player you can see the obvious appeal. Those who are finished after the regular season and want a rest can do so. Those who miss out on the NRC or training squads get to try their hand in Club or Provincial Sevens and keep fit over Summer. There are more options for everyone.

Yes and there are comps already in place for these people, it is a case of lifting there profile.

 

[Ozee316]

There are allot of weekend sevens comps already in place - some more prestigious than others. Like the thought but implementing is a whole other box and dice.

Fully agree. I believe the proposal made above is to:

1) get NRC teams to start entering these competitions
2) get these competitions to co-odinate with eachother in some way so fans could follow them somehow. I am not sure how that would be. It could be as simple as nominating the official and unofficial ones, or nominating which ones controbute points towards a national trophy etc. Then you have a series.

 

[TOCC]

Fully agree. I believe the proposal made above is to:

1) get NRC teams to start entering these competitions
2) get these competitions to co-odinate with eachother in some way so fans could follow them somehow. I am not sure how that would be. It could be as simple as nominating the official and unofficial ones, or nominating which ones controbute points towards a national trophy etc. Then you have a series.

1) yes, but again it shouldn't be exclusive to NRC Teams,
2) this is where the ARU needs to fill the void and offer something to the tournaments which will appeal to them to work together. This may be a financial or marketing incentive, maybe by providing logistical support. ARU needs to offer them something which will get them to sign on the dotted line and form a tournament together.


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[Dave Beat]

1) yes, but again it shouldn't be exclusive to NRC Teams,
2) this is where the ARU needs to fill the void and offer something to the tournaments which will appeal to them to work together. This may be a financial or marketing incentive, maybe by providing logistical support. ARU needs to offer them something which will get them to sign on the dotted line and form a tournament together.


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They've done a bit of this with the Sydney Sevens, a number of clubs are fielding teams on the same day to kick start the 7s season. I believe the ARU had considerable involvement in this. This weekend conflicted with Crescent Head which was often a great trip away to kick start the new season. The Shute clubs who make a great effort and push it are Marlins & Rats - they've had some titanic battles.