Rugby at the Olympics: Failed bids, past winners and the sevens format
Split between Australia Women's Sevens and Fiji Men's Sevens at 2016 Olympics.
The Olympic Games in Paris is rapidly approaching, and with that comes the battle for Rugby Sevens glory for both Men and Women who will be looking to win a medal in their nation’s honour.
Ahead of the unique event, we take a closer look at the history of Rugby Sevens at the Olympic Games.
Previous bids
There were three bids in total in trying to get Rugby Sevens to the Games, beginning all the way back in 1932 when a Canadian-based Scotsman by the name of Hastie Cochrane tried to get the sport included in the Los Angeles Games that year. However, the bid failed due to American Football and Lacrosse being selected instead.
The next attempt to get the sport at the Olympics came in the next century when there was a push to have Sevens introduced at the 2012 Games in London but once again it failed, losing out to squash and karate on this occasion.
That did not stop another effort this time ramped up with big names such as Jonah Lomu and Lawrence Dallaglio named as ambassadors. Ultimately a crucial aspect of the bid finally getting the green light was the success of the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens which was attended by Olympic delegates. The sport then was introduced for the Rio Games in 2016 and remains in the set-up to this day.
Hugo Keenan discovers Olympic Games fate as Team Ireland name squads
Past winners
The first playing of Sevens in the Games led to a massive moment in history as in the Men’s championship Fiji claimed Gold in what was the country’s first medal of any description across all the sports in their history. Great Britain bagged the Silver with South Africa claiming the Bronze despite being one of the favourites going into the tournament.
In the Women’s tournament at the 2016 Games Australia emerged with the Gold as an early sign of the dominance in sport that would come years later. New Zealand won Silver that year with Canada emerging with Bronze after beating Great Britain to it.
The 2020 Games saw a similar trend in the Men’s category as Fiji went back-to-back with Golds, beating New Zealand in the final, who bagged Silver, while a rising Argentina side won Bronze in a shootout with Great Britain.
The Women’s event had a different winner that year with New Zealand upgrading their Silver from last time out to a Gold beating Silver medalists France in the final. Fiji came in third claiming the Bronze ahead of Great Britain once again.
Format
There are 12 teams in each of the men’s and women’s competitions, with the hosts automatic qualifiers, the top four from the SVNS series, six teams from winning their respective continental championships and the final spot to the inter-continental champion.
The teams are split into three pools of four teams where every side plays other members of the same pool once. The top two from each pool plus the two best-placed teams that finish third advance to the quarter-finals pushing all the way through to the final where Gold and Silver are won with Bronze being contested by the two losing semi-finalists.
The remaining four teams compete in the consolation bracket beginning with semi-finals and then a final.
READ MORE: Paris 2024: All the fixtures for Rugby Sevens at the Olympic Games for Men’s and Women’s