International Rugby Board looks at Delhi 2010 to reach out to Indian audience

NEW DELHI: The International Rugby Board says it expects Rugby Sevens to make a big impact on Indian audiences during the Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi this year.

“The Sevens tournament at the Commonwealth Games has consistently proven successful and this year we are particularly excited that the event is being held in India where Rugby is reaching out to new young audiences in a rapidly developing market for our sport,” IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset has been quoted as saying. “We are looking forward to what promises to be a memorable tournament for the Rugby family and sports fans alike.

“We firmly believe that the Sevens tournament at the Commonwealth Games plays an important role in the ongoing development and promotion of rugby around the world,” he said. “The event continues to attract some of the world’s top players, delivering exciting matches and attracting new fans thanks to the remarkable talent of all the international teams competing.

The Rugby Sevens competition will be held on October 11 and 12. The draw and schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

The recently-crowned world series champion Samoa will head a line-up of 16 nations competing in the competition at. Samoa captured its first Sevens World Series title by winning the season-ending Edinburgh tournament on May 30. It will be joined in the competition by reigning Commonwealth Games champion New Zealand, world champion Wales, host India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda, England, Scotland, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Canada and Guyana.

“With a record crowd of 50,000 at the final Rugby Sevens session in Melbourne in 2006, the Rugby Sevens tournament has become one of the most sought-after attractions at the Commonwealth Games, providing an excellent spectacle for both fans and television viewers,” Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive Mike Hooper said. “The inclusion of some of the world’s best Sevens teams and star players from every corner of the world continue to broaden the Games’ global appeal even further.”