HSBC Sevens World Series
Sydney seeks three-day Sevens including women's tournament
Andy Withers
February 7, 2016
New Zealand break Aussie hearts

Sydney can look forward to bigger and better sevens rugby tournaments in the future, with plans afoot to stage a three-day carnival that features an integrated women's tournament after the Harbour City made an outstandingly successful debut on the HSBC Sevens World Series.

Allianz Stadium was packed out for both days of the tournament, after the announcement nine days before kick-off that general admission tickets had sold out, and fans were treated to a sevens spectacular that featured all the big guns - South Africa, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia - in top form while Australia's world No.1-rated women showed why they are strong favourites to win the first Olympic rugby sevens gold medal in Rio de Janeiro with three clinically skilful and athletic displays against Ireland.

Australia's women, the Pearls, acknowledged on Saturday, after the first of their trio of fixtures against Ireland, that they had enjoyed playing in front of a full house, with coach Tim Walsh saying "they've always played well in front of them so I think they use the adrenalin to their advantage". And Australian Rugby Union officials hope fervently now to give the Pearls further opportunities to play in front of a passionate home crowd, with Rob Clarke, ARU General Manager Professional Rugby, Marketing, Media/Comms and Operations, saying "we are hoping to work with World Rugby to expand the Sydney 7s into a three-day carnival that includes a women's tournament".

"Fans have seen the girls against Ireland, and they've seen they're fantastically skilled athletes," Clarke told ESPN. "They deserve the extra opportunities to play at home."

© Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Clarke, meanwhile, smiled when asked by ESPN to comment on Willie Lose's statement in television commentary on Saturday that "Sydney was the new Hong Kong", saying "we'd like to think" that organisers of sevens rugby's crown jewel "are looking in their rear-view mirror".

"I think we've got a way to go before we become the new Hong Kong but I'm quite happy with that comparison," Clarke said, noting that he was "absolutely delighted" by the success of the tournament staged in Sydney for the first time after failing previously on the Gold Coast to draw crowds. Sydney's spectators can also be fickle, especially on hot summer days and nights such as those that greeted the 7s, but Clarke said "Sydneysiders have turned out in force and it's great to see also people travelling interstate".

"I think we've got the mix right, the right city at the right time, with a fabulous product," Clarke told ESPN exclusively.

"Destination New South Wales have put a lot of effort and they know what works. We always had a belief that bringing an international tournament such as this to a major rugby market in a stadium such as [Allianz Stadium] was likely to be a big success. We were reasonably confident but you never know until you turn up on the weekend."

Henry Hutchison, one of the rising young stars of Australia's squad, described the crowd as "hostile, very loud ... it's pretty wild and you definitely realise the environment you're in because the crowd's so close to the pitch".

© Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

"There's a lot of Aussies but there's also a lot of Fijians, Kenyans, New Zealanders ... it's awesome to play in."

Clarke said the success of the tournament had been illustrated by the "broad appeal" displayed by the different make-up of the crowds on Saturday and Sunday.

"Saturday, quite a large percentage of the crowd was probably new to the rugby market, and I think they would have walked away thinking it's a fantastic event and something they want to be part of into the future."

Stripes
Stripes© Renee McKay/Getty Images

Clarke described the Sunday fans as "a more traditional rugby crowd who want to see the business end of the competition and it's nice to be able to cater to all types."

"It's our opportunity now to keep the new fans close to the game and to have them rusted on to the future."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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