After the disappointment of the All Black Sevens (as they are officially called) at the Olympics this week, some rugby fans were suggesting they should lose that title. Some were also suggesting NZ Rugby does not need to be in the sevens. They should think again on both counts.
Rugby,like all sports, has worked hard to get into the Olympic Games for reasons that are mainly financial.
Rugby in this country, and a few others, might not need the public money that governments of most countries hand out to sport on the basis of success measured mainly at Olympic Games, but rugby in many countries assuredly does need it and stands to benefit from rugby's admission to the Games.
Sports such as golf and tennis have sought entry for the same reason.
For all sports, it is in their interest that as many of their participating countries as possible have some prospect of success at the Games. That may be why rugby is represented there by sevens rather the 15-man game.
Sevens, as we have seen this week, is a more open, unstructured form of the game which lasts only 20 minutes and matches are more likely to be decided by one exceptional player, a breakout or a lucky bounce.
NZ Rugby is acting in the best interest of the game when it participates in sevens and calls its team All Blacks. The rest of us might not do so unless they win.
