Rugby Canada announces bid for 2016 IRB 7s Tournament

[elvis15]

RugbyCanada ‏@RugbyCanada

EXCITING NEWS! We have officially put in a bid to host @IRBSevens in #Vancouver @bcplace! Read about it here: http://goo.gl/IXvzWd

Rugby Canada and the Canada Sevens Bid Committee announced today a formal bid submission for Vancouver to host the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series, starting in 2016. This is the IRB’s premier Sevens event and is part of the build up to the IRB debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for both men’s and women’s Rugby Sevens. The Vancouver-based bid package was unveiled today by Rugby Canada, the Canada Sevens Bid Committee, dignitaries, corporate supporters and top Canadian rugby athletes.

The Canada Sevens brand positioning, “New Place, New Face, New Force”, reflects Canada’s ranking and growing presence in international Rugby Sevens. The bid package, to be couriered to the IRB Headquarters in Dublin Ireland, includes a detailed bid book, video and a specially hand painted, vintage rugby ball by internationally recognized First Nations and 2010 Olympic Games medals artist Corrine Hunt.

The proposed Canada Sevens event is a two-day indoor tournament proposed for BC Place stadium (a global first) and will feature 16 of the world’s top Men’s Rugby Sevens teams. The bid lays out a dynamic event platform that promises a celebration of sport, culture and community – reaching rugby loyalists and general sport and event fans alike. Sevens Rugby, a fast-paced, condensed version of traditional rugby with only seven players per side, attracts large audiences in markets as diverse as Hong Kong, Wellington, Dubai and London where the Sevens World Series is a must-attend event. The tour will be expanded through this bid process, from nine stops to ten major cities to be selected by the IRB. Competition is expected to be fierce between bidding countries.

The Vancouver bid, which is supported by the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia the City of Vancouver, and the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association builds on Vancouver’s established success in hosting world-class sport events, most notably the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The tournament and supporting activities offer opportunity for positive economic impact through local and national corporate partnerships, tourism and festival programming.

The Vancouver-based tournament would join a line-up of nine other Sevens World Series global tour stops where national Rugby Sevens Teams compete for World Series points. If successful, the initial Sevens World Series event in Vancouver will act as a key build up for Canada in their final preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where Canada hopes to debut in both men’s and women’s Sevens Rugby.

Canada has competed in every Sevens World Series season since its formation in 1999, finishing with an overall sixth place result in 2013-14. Both Canadian teams are seen as potential podium contenders for the Rio Olympics and are supported by Own the Podium.??The Dublin-based IRB is expected to select a shortlist of contenders in July and make its final decision in October 2014. Selection considerations include host market viability, rugby operations, infrastructure, and support for player welfare.

Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport) said: “We are very excited about this enormous opportunity for rugby in Canada. Providing Canadian athletes with a chance to compete against international competition on home soil is important to our Government.”

Premier Christy Clark of the Province of British Columbia said: "Rugby has a storied history and a great future in Vancouver and British Columbia, and we would be proud to host a tour stop for the Sevens World Series."?

Mayor Gregor Robertson of City of Vancouver said: “Vancouver is known worldwide as a world-class host city for major sports events, and hosting the Sevens World Series would be an exciting opportunity for our city and for rugby fans across Canada. I look forward to seeing Vancouver once again welcome the world to our vibrant city, and to supporting Canada’s rugby players on home turf!”

Pat Aldous, Chairman of Rugby Canada said: “There are over 30,000 rugby players across Canada, and an event of this caliber on home soil will undoubtedly inspire many more. An annual Canada Sevens tournament will be a game changer for Canadian Rugby, creating continued opportunities for investment in the development of the game.”

Gareth Rees, Canada Sevens Bid Committee Co-Chair and International Rugby Hall of Fame Inductee said: “Rugby in Canada has grown rapidly since I played and with this event I see us emerging now as a new international force. I am so excited to see Rugby Sevens showcased at the Olympic Games and hope the road to Rio 2016 for Canada runs right through Vancouver.”

Canada Sevens Bid Committee Co-Chair John Furlong said: “It’s been a great honor for me to co-lead the Canada Sevens World Series Bid and once again help elevate Vancouver, BC and Canada onto the world sporting stage. Sport unites and brings out the best in all of us and I know we will rise to the occasion to once again host an outstanding and unifying rugby event should we be chosen.”

Joann Pfeifer, Chair, Vancouver Hotel Destination Association said: “An event like the Rugby Sevens World Series will have a major impact on the Vancouver tourism industry. We are pleased to support the bid effort.”

There has been some talk of the 7s circuit expanding, as well as potential for existing stops changing location. One of the aims is to have pairings for stops, like to have the New Zealand and Australia stops one successive weeks, and having the Las Vegas sevens does give some credence to Canada also hosting an event.

One of the current roadblocks is the turf, recently installed in BC Place, doesn't meet IRB standards. It's close, but rugby requires slightly longer/deeper turf to accommodate scrums and other areas of rugby. the London Saracens currently use turf for their main playing field, and other turf fields are in use by other top teams. The cost of upgrading the turf would be ~$2M from early estimates, and it's a bit tough to hear Christy Clark announcing the government's support right in the middle of a teacher's strike.

But I'd be all for this as it's outstanding rugby to watch. Short games (14 minutes total, with 7 minutes to a half) with less players over a full sized field means plenty of very exciting action, and the frequency of new games help keep fan interest even over what's typically a two day event. To add the that, it's very popular from a fans perspective as the stands have a festival atmosphere with fans dressing up in costumes, singing songs and cheering on many other teams in a show of camaraderie.

Patrick Johnston ‏@risingaction

Gareth Rees confirms, this bid is for 2016. Will be called 'Canada Sevens'. 'A pinnacle event', he says.

Mayor Gregor Robertson says whole city's support is behind. 'We have been the tops bidding for these events.'

John Thomson, representing BC govt, says he and premier support this bid 100%

CEO Graham Brown want kids to see Cdn players at home.

We've been very fortunate to fill stadiums for the past three years on the east coast, we want to do that on west coast, Brown says

We have achieved a remarkable amount of work in six weeks - John Furlong (yes he's involved too)

'A giant leap forward' Furlong calls it. 'This changes everything.' 'The chance to be the best in the world.' Points to Olympic inclusion.

RC fully expected a conversation about the turf - Furlong

We believe the turf question is not that complex to solve, but it may have to be solved. - Furlong. (It's million dollar question btw)

'New face new place new force' is the brand for Canada Sevens

Playing the video, clear RC is banking on Vancouver's Olympic image in selling the bid.

Nathan Hirayama, Conor Trainor and Harry Jones here to represent the players...'it's a large portion of our lives.'

'To play in our backyards, it's something none of us imagined,' Hirayama says.

An interesting press conference. Rugby Canada have assembled an impressive list of names in support of the Canada Sevens bid.

[sharnhayre]

Glad Vancouver is trying to bring the world to us as much as they can when it comes to sports. We hosted the 2010 Olympics, we have the Womens World Cup next year and now trying to bring 7 man Rugby here too.

We have a beautiful city and it needs to be shown off.

[moz]

I'd definitely go and watch this if it happened and I still lived in Vancouver.

[elvis15]

Agreed, I'd buy tickets as well, and it'd open up BC Place to rugby events as well as the current soccer and football games. Women's rugby particularly would have interest in hosting events here as our women's side is among the world's best.

[Monteeun]

Its great knowing we can grow in other sports too.

[elvis15]

Absolutely, and we're actually a significant player in the 7s circuit. The men's team finished 6th overall in the world while the women's team was 3rd. The women are strong in 15 a side as well but the men's team has a much tougher climb and has dropped their last couple games by very close margins so are down in the rankings. But in 7s, both the men and women have a good chance to win a medal.

[pimpcurtly]

That was quite a run Canada had in the Glasgow 7s til the All Blacks spoiled all the fun. Glad we are putting a bid in and I will certainly support it if we win the bid. Was hoping the 7s success would translate to the 15s but that was a disappointing last 3 matches....work to be done before 2015.