IRFU target spring for club sevens tournaments

RUGBY:THE IRFU have settled on a window between next April and June to schedule a domestic sevens competition in which four new, provincial club sevens tournaments will be played, followed by a national final. Both men's and women's clubs are expected to participate.

The new format comes in the wake of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deciding last year that sevens would become part of the Olympic programme for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

An elite sevens programme is not yet in place in Ireland, but, according to an IRFU official, a final decision can be expected early next year.

“Within the next six months a plan for the sevens in 2016 will be made,” said the official.

The IRFU backed the concept of having rugby in the Olympics, but so far have made no real public move towards establishing a team or structures that could compete at Olympic level in six years.

“It is important to recognise that the athletes that will participate in 2016 are six years away and in all probability will be just 16 to 18 years old now. They are still at school,” said Stephen Hilditch, the chairman of the domestic game committee.

That view may not be shared by everyone. Another holds that players who are 20 or older, who are already in the game, could be prepared for an Olympic event in six years without any hint of being ill prepared or too old.

“Twelve months ago the decision was made by the IOC,” Hilditch said. “Over the last 10 months we have had a working group chaired by Frank Sowman. We’ve been working with coaches, referees, commercial, and it’s now at the completion phase.”

The IRFU emphasised that sevens should add to the 15-man game, and “not cannibalise” it.