Oh and another thing………
Well here we are, suffering from Olympic hangover. However you measure it, Great Britain’s performance at the Rio games was outstanding. Not only in terms of medals one but also the range of sports from Taekwondo to Trampolining, as well as the usual suspects Cycling, Rowing etc.

But for once we in the Rugby community also had the opportunity to participate with the Rugby Sevens. This form of the game has long been a somewhat poor relation but in reality, its format has always been the way for the non-rugby population around the World to at least comprehend how our game works.

The 15’s game is notoriously complex and it’s probably true that unless you have actually played the game, you will never understand it completely. So the Rio Games have given a whole new audience an insight into what our game is all about. Sevens is short in length per game, rewards athleticism and speed and is pretty simple (though most Rugby folk will have been a little bemused by the interpretation of the high tackle law.) It is the equivalent of the football park game with jerseys, easy to set up and start a game.

Time will tell whether it has a lasting impact but judging by comments from those unfamiliar with our game, its excitement, speed and (for the Americans) physicality have clearly struck a chord. Indeed part of the joy on the Olympics is the discovery of sports you probably didn’t know existed and if Rio has opened the door to our wonderful game for a new audience, then all the better.

In addition, who could have possibly denied Fiji their first ever Gold medal? At last their wonderful athleticism, skills, strength and speed have been displayed to rest of the World. Team GB did well to get to the final but were, to be honest, pretty workmanlike and in the Gold medal game were put to the sword by the Fijians. If they just had the resources to retain their players and be able to organise and prepare their 15 a side team, then they would certainly be a world power in that form of the game.

Let’s also reflect on New Zealand. For as long as much of us can remember they have set the benchmark for world rugby and continue to do so at 15’s. Equally for many years their sevens programme has also produced outstanding players and usually a winning result. This has largely been down to one man, an outstanding coach (Sir) Gordon Tietjens who has coached the New Zealand sevens team for over 20 years. Tietjens has coached 44 players who have gone on to become All Blacks in the 15-a-side game and he is the only remaining active international coach from the amateur era. Olympic Gold would have been his ultimate achievement but alas it was not to be. One suspects we might be seeing the sunset of his career so let’s doff our cap to one of Rugby’s greatest coaches.
Tokyo is the next Olympic venue and we all know how the Japanese love their Rugby. Can’t wait.