Louise Galvin: Why Women’s Sevens is now in vogue

A year ago, I contributed a column to this newspaper from the same venue as now, the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation in Narrabeen, prior to playing the Australian Women’s 7s rugby team in a set of exhibition games during the men’s leg of the HSBC world series.

Australia is synonymous with sporting achievement and it is clear why. Jet lag encouraged some unusually early morning rises for me this week and walking around the Academy of Sport at 6am, the venue is already a hive of activity, with rowers being put through their paces on the lake, kids in various summer camps, and all ages pounding the pavements or the tennis courts. That’s all before the professional rugby 7s and rugby league teams take to the pitches. Of course, it is a balmy 20 degrees at this time of year, a luxury we don’t experience in Ireland.

The Australian women’s 7s rugby team are the latest team to capture Wallaby hearts, their meteoric rise reflective of the game itself worldwide. The introduction of 7s rugby to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro after an absence of 100 years ensured the continued exponential growth of this fast and exhilarating sport. Audiences tuned in all around the globe to marvel as 12 teams in both genders vie for Olympic gold.