Rugby sevens: Sevens more its own game

With rugby so desperate to grow its footprint, the arrival of Kenya as a genuine sevens force should have been met with excitement.

But it's all a bit ho-hum. Kenya can beat New Zealand in the abbreviated game. They'd go down by more than 100 in the real thing.

And this is becoming an issue rugby bosses have to acknowledge. In the past, sevens was viewed as a stepping stone - a means to plant the rugby bug in nations with limited playing heritage, then stand back and watch it spread.

Sevens was not supposed to become a global game in its own right. It was a means to an end rather than an end itself.

But sevens has branched off and divorced itself from the 15-a-side game. Increasing numbers of players are happy to be sevens specialists, travel the world and make a decent living from the short game.

With the world series now well established, there are players who have become celebrities on that circuit who would barely be known if they tried to make it in 15s.

Look at Waisale Serevi - a genius at one form, a virtual waste of space in the other. In New Zealand, too, there have been several sevens stars that have only ever been that. Amasio Valence, Craig de Goldi, Karl Te Nana - legends at sevens but barely able to make provincial sides.

That scenario is unlikely to change in the near future. National sevens coach Gordon Tietjens is back of the queue when it comes to selection priority. He picks from those who miss Super 14 contracts.

With New Zealand's depth so severely tested at the moment, he's working largely with players who are, with the best will in the world, unlikely ever to make the grade in 15s.

That encourages players to specialise in sevens, to not set a graduation date into the real code.

Former New Zealand sevens coach and All Black selector Peter Thorburn believes the skills fostered in sevens remain relevant to 15s. "But there just isn't room any more for the top players to play sevens," he said.

"When I was coaching in America, I said that the first step for players was to play touch; then to play sevens as that gets them used to running and passing and brings in a defensive component. And then from there, play 15s.

"The skills in sevens are still relevant and it remains a good stepping stone. But we don't have the resources of other countries so by the time you pick players for Super 14, we are going to struggle at sevens on the world stage."

If you have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to make up the national sevens team, is there any point in New Zealand remaining committed to the short game? If sevens is unlikely to unearth any gems for the 15-a-side game, should it receive such strong financial support?

The same question has to be put to the IRB, who are confident sevens will feature at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The IRB has long argued Olympic inclusion would be the catalyst to grow the game globally, as it will open government funding in nations that could become rugby heavyweights.

But, as we have seen with Kenya, it doesn't follow that success at sevens will transfer to the 15-man code.

Introducing sevens to the Olympics is likely to see many countries become very good at the game.

It is adding more weight to the idea of sevens as a game in its own right.

Players from Kenya and Canada will be able to see winning an Olympic medal at sevens as a realistic goal. What will they ever win playing 15-a-side?

It's great that the popularity of sevens is growing and that countries with limited rugby tradition are making their mark on that scene.

It's time to stop pretending, however, that this growth has any knock-on effect for real rugby.