The Adelaide rugby sevens, or Australia sevens as it is also known, was added to the IRB World Sevens Series in 2007. Previous to that there had been one tournament held in 2003 based out of Brisbane.
Whilst the Australia Sevens tournament is new, Australia as a rugby nation are one of the traditional power houses of the sport and hold a long and proud tradition in both the sevens and fifteen aside games where the wallabies (as they are sometimes known) have been world champions twice, in 1991 and 1999.
The Australians are well known as obsessed sports fans, with a love of almost all competitions, from rugby (in both its union and league codes) to football, swimming and athletics. And sevens is no different, the atmosphere at tournaments is sensational and the average Aussie rugby fan knowledgeable and passionate. With the added benefit of some great weather it is easy to see why the IRB chose to include Australia in its list of sevens tournaments.
The tournament, as with the others in the IRB world sevens series (aside from Hong Kong) has 16 teams competing for the Cup, with those that lose slipped into various lesser competitions known as the Plater, the Bowl and the Shield respectively.
The competition is held in April and is part of the IRB's world sevens series. Based out of the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide the stadium is capable of holding 34,000 fans, more when temporary stands are erected. The stadium itself is originally a cricket stadium, which is still its primary use. It has a history with the game of cricket going back to its creation in 1871.
Adelaide, with its friendly people, amazing weather and stunning surroundings is proving to be a hit with rugby fans who like to travel to these sevens events. As a city, it offers a wide variety of things to do as well as watch rugby and drink. With everything from the Adelaide botanical gardens to a jam factory you can visit, you should never be bored in this Australian city.
With the Australian publics love of sport, especially rugby union, it comes as no surprise that the sevens tournaments hosted in the country have proven to be a big success with the fans. Australian fans are known the world over for their love of good rugby and beer, something sevens can provide by the bucket load! It really is a match made in heaven.
