Rugby: Players join in bid for Olympics

All Black fullback Mils Muliaina said competing at an Olympics would be the ultimate achievement. Photo / Brett Phibbs

High profile New Zealand rugby players have joined the call for the International Olympic Committee to readmit rugby to the Olympics for the first time since 1924.

The IOC executive board meets in Berlin later today to consider and recommend two new sports for inclusion in the Olympics from 2016. The recommendation then goes forward for IOC members consideration at their meeting in Copenhagen in October.

New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens, who coached New Zealand to consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals in 1998, 2002 and 2006, said it would be an enormous honour to see rugby sevens added to the Olympic programme.

"To have rugby contested at the Olympic level would be the ultimate for rugby athletes around the world," he said.

"I hope the IOC recognises our athletes and the power and excitement of the sevens game when they consider rugby's application."

New Zealand sevens captain DJ Forbes said one of the huge attractions of the sevens game has been the diversity of teams taking part.

"Every year we face the challenge of new teams stepping up and winning tournaments," he said.

"All the historically strong sevens nations like ourselves, Fiji, England and Samoa, have been toppled in the past years by new teams coming through such as Kenya, Portugal and, in particular, the current world champions Wales."

All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina, who captained the All Blacks in three test matches in June, said he could think of few honours in rugby greater than being able to compete at the Olympic Games.

"For our future rugby players to be able to aim at the Olympic Games in 2016 and beyond would be an awesome opportunity."

Current All Blacks second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu credits the New Zealand sevens setup for helping him develop his game.

"I loved playing sevens - and it was huge for helping me with my fitness, form and confidence," he said.

"I know nearly every rugby player would give it everything to get into a Games team, and I know fans from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands would love to see their teams playing at the Olympics."

- NZPA