With the eyes of the world currently on Beijing, it makes one wonder just what kind of exposure and growth could be achieved if Rugby were on display. Having the top players of your country having a crack at Gold would be fantastic. The IRB are calling out to all players and supporters to spread the message that Rugby needs to be re-included in the Olympic movement, with Sevens being perfectly suited to it.

While there has been an abundance of criticism for the IRB of late, namely around the ELV discussions, this Olympic drive is sure to get the support of every rugby fan, with the mutual love of the game being the driving factor behind us contributing to getting Rugby on a greater world stage.

Sevens is the fastest growing form of the game, with 32 National Teams taking place in the IRB Sevens World Series this year, 2008. All you have to do is watch one leg of the World Series and you will be amazed at the teams that are on display, and the quality they provide. It's the game for all, and is the ultimate stepping stone towards accelerated growth and popularity of truly global proportions.

Since 1924, when the USA won the Gold Medal, we haven't seen Rugby in the Olympics. Now is the time to change all that, as the IOC are committed to having 28 sports in the 2016 Olympics. Rugby is on a shortlist that includes softball, karate, golf and roller sports. Rugby's merits for inclusion in terms of its Olympic history and its reach as a global sport are obvious.

Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle for Fifteens. Olympic inclusion would mean that Sevens ultimate stage would be the Olympic Games.

The IOC will vote on which sports to include in the Olympic Games in Copenhagen, Denmark in October 2009. To assist in the IRB’s ambition of getting Sevens back in the Olympics by 2016, you can go to http://www.2009congress.olympic.org and Register there to give your feedback. For more information about the drive, and if you have trouble registering on the IOC site, the IRB has provided instructions here.

This emotive video gets the message across perfectly, showing us that Rugby is indeed deserving of a spot on the Olympic roster. Please leave a comment to let us know your thoughts. Let's make a difference. Lets get Rugby in the Olympics.

Video:

Source: http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2008/08/lets-get-rugby-in-olympics.html

Fact! If it is ever included in the olympics then the rugby gods will only give the gold medal to 1 team!

Fiji to win their first ever gold medal lol

= The best game ever 1990 Hongkong Seven final

Edited once, 14/8/08 - 10:29am.

is prob the best game ever.

DA is g4y!! Aus2domm

Problem with rugby is you can't really have it in the olympics, it's one of the most physically brutal games on the planet, given the short time over which the olympics are held you really can't expect any decent tournament to take place.

I do however agree that 7s would be pretty good and certainly more viable.

As much of a rugby fan as I am, 7s is a pretty horrible mutilation of the game. There's no continuity, too much dancing around...I'd love to see rugby in there, but would ******* hate it if there were 7s.

Agree with Conman that 7's isn't the ideal form of the sport; to me it seems quite chancy and inconsistent. But at the same time it'd be easier for the world to supply teams for 7's as it is a simpler sport. So being a fan of the 15's (hadn't ever heard it referred to that way before now haha) and union in general I'm all for rugby at the olympics.

USA being reigning champs is a joke though.

there are alot of sports in there that i swear only 50 people in the world would actually pay to watch. (ie. equestrian aka prancing around on a horse) i wouldnt watch 7s either.

dude that showjumping final was off da hook the other night. where's your aussie spirit?

actually u will find a SHIT LOAD of people watch equestrian i personally love watching it and iv never even ridden a horse

yeah but your gay.

i agree with garandhero, there is a lot of countries that play rugby union and a 15's olympic tournament would drag on and be too much on the players. playing rugby internationally brings pain and brutality to a whole new level and we cant expect the players to play games of that physicality once every 3-5 days there would be too many injuries!

i think 7's is great because you get to see the exciting running rugby that we dont always get to see in 15's and that is what the people love to see

oh dear god....

Rugby will have to be more global with a longer sporting history in various nations before making appearance in the Olympics.
Olympic Team sports also require women teams as well, and there wont be many women keen on playing rugby lol
Baseball (or some other sport similar) is getting dumped from next olympics due to little number of support/participants. rugby wud need much more participants if it doesnt wanna get axed in the first year.
but if i had to pick a new team for the olympics, it wud hav to be rugby. people who think cricket shud is just ridiculous.
First thing IRB needs to attempt is to get rugby into the 'big' sporting nations like Russia, China, Germany, Spain, Brazil etc.

Edited 4 times, last edited 14/8/08 - 3:35pm.

you know how i know youre gay?

you watch men on horses prance around for hours.