By Michael Burgess in Paris
New Zealand men’s rugby sevens coach Tomasi Cama hopes that some All Blacks and Super Rugby Pacific players can be enticed to compete in future Olympic campaigns.
While he admits it is a fine balance – as specialist sevens exponents need to be rewarded for their dedication over a cycle – Cama believes that overall there would be a net positive impact if some prominent names from the 15-a-side game could be introduced to the programme ahead of Los Angeles 2028.
It’s been an ongoing debate since sevens was introduced to the Games in 2016, with various theories about how much priority New Zealand Rugby (NZR) should put on pursuing Olympic success for the men. It was one of their main strategic goals ahead of Rio but seems to have been downgraded since, with the obvious emphasis on the All Blacks, who have become a cash cow for the organisation.
But the remarkable impact of Antoine Dupont, who galvanised the French team, helping them to achieve a spectacular triumph in Paris, puts a new lens on the subject and shows what is possible. Dupont’s switch was huge news in France – with his presence dominating media coverage in the lead-up to the Games – and climaxed on Saturday in probably the greatest sevens tournament (at least in terms of atmosphere) of all time.
His move to the shorter format wasn’t straightforward. It required a lot of co-operation between several stakeholders, notably the national federation, his club Stade Toulousain and France Sevens. There was also considerable sacrifice, as he missed the 2024 Six Nations campaign, and it wasn’t an easy road.
But no one who witnessed the scenes on Saturday in Paris would argue that it wasn’t worth it. Sure, Dupont was a unique situation – with France hosting the Olympics less than a year after the 2023 Rugby World Cup – but Cama believes there would still be benefits for future New Zealand teams, from a similar scenario.
“It would be good for the game,” Cama told the Herald following their fifth-place finish in Paris. “If All Blacks or Super Rugby [players] come and play sevens, it can inspire some other players that are thinking the only way to a Super Rugby [contract] or to the All Blacks is through playing 15s.”
“There is a pathway here. You can develop a lot of skills; with the skillsets here, you have to be good at all areas of the game. If those big names or players from the ABs came down and played, it would be inspiring for our programme as well, for those young ones coming through.”
Cama said NZR was aware of his views.
“I think so,” said Cama. “I generally make it clear.”
Cama agreed it was a conundrum, given the commitment required from fulltime sevens players on the circuit. He also emphasised that he had full faith in his current squad.
“With the way we performed last season we really believe in our Sevens boys,” said Cama. “We really believe in our programme and the people involved and we want to reward them as well for their hard work.”
That would make for a tricky equation if someone was supplanted by a non-specialist but the selection process, which Dupont also had to go through, might solve that.
There are other issues. One is financial compensation, with much greater rewards offered in the 15-a-side game. Then there are the different conditioning needs, though Cama argues that as sevens has evolved, there is more of an all-round skillset, with a greater physicality in the sport than there perhaps was in the peak of Sir Gordon Tietjens’ era, with his notorious athletic workouts in training.
Cama points out that it is not a one-way street, as sevens has also showcased plenty of future All Blacks, from Christian Cullen and Jonah Lomu in the 1990s to Akira and Rieko Ioane ahead of the Rio Olympics.
And there is also internal politics, along with Super contracts that don’t allow for too much flexibility. Rio was the high point for stars trying their hand at sevens. Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam featured in the black jersey, while Quade Cooper turned out for Australia. Bryan Habana made an unsuccessful attempt to make the cut for the South African team.
Overall, Cama said it would be beneficial in another iteration.
“It is always going to be good,” said Cama. “We need to assess that. I would love to see that happen. It is a matter to talk to the right people and hopefully, we can make it happen.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics’, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.