The International Rugby Board believes that Women’s Rugby Sevens will be a hit when it debuts at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Confirmation by the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation, the Games organising committee, follows earlier approval by the Commonwealth Games Federation and fulfils the IRB’s objective to see Women’s Sevens showcased at the Games.
The women’s event will be run alongside the men’s at the Robina Stadium and plans are already underway to ensure a successful and thrilling debut.
Rugby Sevens has long been a major fan attraction at the Commonwealth Games with a world-record 171,000 fans attending one of the must-see events at Glasgow 2014, and comes at a time when Women’s Rugby Sevens is going from strength to strength across every continent as the sport counts down to its Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016.
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset welcomed the news: "The IRB has been a champion of the inclusion of Women’s Sevens in the Commonwealth Games and today’s decision is fantastic news for players and fans of what is one of the world’s fastest-growing team sports."
"Rugby Sevens is one of the must-see Commonwealth Games events with its winning blend of highly-competitive action, star players and festival atmosphere, reflected at Glasgow 2014 where a world-record crowd for Rugby Sevens of 171,000 were thrilled by an incredible two-day event."
"We can now also look forward with great excitement to an historic Gold Coast Sevens where Australia will welcome the top women’s players from Commonwealth nations alongside their male counterparts."
Women’s Rugby is one of the world’s fastest-growing team sports played by more than 1.5 million girls and women around the world with Olympic Games, other major multi-sport Games inclusion and the success of Women's Rugby World Cup playing a major role in reaching out and attracting new players and audiences around the world.
The flagship IRB Women’s Sevens World Series begins in Dubai in December, kicking off a six-event global tour that will double as Rio 2016 qualifying with the top four teams progressing to the Games. A further six teams will be determined via regional qualification events and one via a play-off, while Brazil’s women qualify automatically as hosts.
Further information:
Dominic Rumbles, IRB Head of Communications, email dominic.rumbles@irb.com +353868520826
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