15-man rugby not likely to be Olympic sport

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge dismissed suggestions 15-man rugby union could feature at the games one day.

Rugby will be back on the Olympic programme in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the first time it has featured since 1924, but it will be sevens rather than 15-a-side.

Rugby was played at the 1900 (Paris), 1908 (London), 1920 (Antwerp) and 1924 (Paris) Games and the US are the reigning Olympic champions.

Failed attempts were made to get it back on the programme in the 1930s, 1960s and 1980s but in 2009 it was reinstated for 2016 in the sevens format.

Rogge didn't think it was realistic for 15-man rugby to be on the programme of the modern Olympics.

"At the moment it just doesn't seem feasible," said Rogge, who is in New Zealand for the final stages of the Rugby World Cup. "We can't ask a team to play four or five games in 16 days. That is just not feasible."

But the IOC president, who competed in three Olympics in yachting and played rugby for Belgium, envisaged top players from the 15-man code would play at the Olympics in the abbreviated version of the sport.

"I think that will come in time," he said. "I'm sure that eventually big international players will be tempted to go to the Olympics as sevens players.

"But it is not easy to switch from the 15-a-side game to sevens. They are vastly different games that require differing skills."

Rogge and International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lappassat spoke at a press conference to celebrate the centenary of the New Zealand Olympic Committee and Lappassat was thrilled to see sevens included in the biggest sports event in the world.

"It is an honour to have rugby sevens featuring at the Olympic Games," he said. "Sevens is so important for the growth of our game. Rugby is now played in places where there was never rugby before, like Russia and China.

"There are now more than 30,000 registered players in Brazil in preparation for the Games in Rio for 2016."

Lappassat was full of admiration for New Zealand and the way the country had successfully hosted the Rugby World Cup, despite the huge setback the country suffered during the Christchurch earthquakes.

"This World Cup has strengthened the image of New Zealand as a young, dynamic country," the IRB chief said. "New Zealand has shown its ability to stage an extraordinary tournament. We have seen this during the pre-match ceremonies with the heritage, culture and traditions on show.

"Thanks to this tournament in New Zealand, we have further strengthened the image of rugby on the world stage.

"It was heartbreaking to make the decision to exclude Christchurch from staging games at this tournament, but this great city will flourish again and host great events again in the future."

New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley echoed those sentiments and congratulated World Cup bosses for the way they have organised the tournament.

"Rugby was one of the six sports that founded the Olympic movement a long time ago," Stanley said. "I must congratulate Martin Snedden and the World Cup committee for a wonderful event.

"While we have much to celebrate about our past, we have much to celebrate about our future. We're very pleased that rugby sevens will be in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Both men's and women's teams will compete and we hope that New Zealand will have a very successful tournament in Brazil."