5. Sevens Has Another Four Years to Develop
Even in the last few years Sevens has came on leaps and bounds. An application to the Olympics was made in 2005 and rejected without too much issue. The next time around rugby was voted in with an overwhelming 81 votes to 8 (with one abstention). Many of the top Sevens players are on central contracts now rather than being borrowed from clubs where they are not quite yet first team material. This time and dedication means rather than coming together a week before a competition the players are with each other constantly developing a team spirit and understanding. It is not just on these fair shores that interest is growing. Following its inclusion as an Olympic sport many other countries have started playing or have boosted their current programme. Just last year the USA took the significant step of offering 23 full time contracts to aspiring Sevens players, a move with one eye firmly on 2016. The crowds too have being developing year on year, with more and more people flooding to watch the various events, with 103,000 flocking to the London Sevens this year, a new world record.