To continue the RWC theme, David Matthews borrows a piece written for the North of England Schools Sevens in March

ENGLAND’S  1993 WORLD CUP SEVENS WIN HAD TO BEGIN SOMEWHERE

David Matthews was on hand to witness a bit of history

For every Seven-a-Side Competition played in glorious sunshine under clear blue skies that you might have been lucky to attend, you will immediately recall another where the event became an endurance test for players and spectators. Following a proposal from the Scottish Rugby Union to the IRB (now World Rugby) the inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens took place at Murrayfield in 1993, teams competing for the Melrose Cup; played out in atrocious conditions over three days, in a half-reconstructed stadium, the decision to launch the event where the game of rugby ‘sevens’ first took place, whilst starting off as a very romantic notion, somehow didn’t seem quite as attractive.

But, apart from your writer having the honour of being the England referee representative in this first ever competition, the outstanding memory is that England beat Australia 22-17 in the Final. Just think, beating the Aussies, on Scottish soil and with what was not widely regarded as a first choice squad, all on the same afternoon!: Adebayo, Beal, Cassell, Dallaglio, Dawson, Harriman (Capt.), Hopley, Rodber, Sheasby, Scully, Dods (from Reserve pool); managed by Peter Rossborough, coached by Les Cusworth. Nowadays countries regularly employ ‘specialist’ sevens players to make up their teams but in 1993 it was definitely not the fashion. A few rugby connoisseurs ‘in the know’ before this event, however, did acknowledge that a deal of careful planning had actually gone into the selection. Talk about being ahead of your time. To younger readers, with the exception perhaps of Dallaglio and Dawson, most of the names may mean very little, but to older ones it will not be difficult to link some fond rugby memories to all of them.

Since 1993, at five different World venues, just three other teams have held the trophy: Fiji, Wales and current holders New Zealand. The compelling nature of the abbreviated form of the game has not become an end in itself, even if a country like Fiji is naturally suited to it; rather, it is regarded as a very competitive arena for potential international players to showcase their talents for full fifteen-a-side honours. Where there is a difference of opinion is that there more support for Sevens than the full game in some parts of the world. On the HSBC World Series Sevens circuit, not to be confused with the World Cup, huge attendances flock to mainly exotic venues (I don’t believe Scotland and Twickenham have yet qualified for this description), which have drawn the inevitable comparison between Test Match and Twenty 20 Cricket. Somewhere along the line I think there might be an argument that in both sports, though a very good player will adapt to the two forms, spectators will have a preference to watch one or the other.

To appear in World Cups there has to be a starting point and, without any research, it is certain that for the players named in the England winning squad of 1993 it all began in tournaments like the North of England Schools Sevens. There have been stirring deeds here at Birkenhead Park over twenty-six years. To begin proceedings at 10 o’clock on a crisp early spring morning and wind it all up with the final, under the floodlights, around 6pm provides distinctive memories. The competition has largely taken place in favourable conditions, fingers crossed for today; if there is an “endurance” element in playing or watching rugby for over seven hours, just treat it as preparation for a Final day at the World Cup Sevens!     

October 1st 2015