Magnificent Sevens
Post categories: Rugby
| 16:44 UK time, Thursday, 24 May 2007
OK, here's your sporting starter for ten. How many Rugby World Cup winner's medals do Lawrence Dallaglio and Matt Dawson each have?
The answer is actually two each - not because they managed to smuggle a couple of extra gongs out of Australia in 2003 - but it is a bit of a trick question.
Back in 1993 a youthful Dallaglio and Dawson were both members of the England squad that won the inaugural played that year at Murrayfield.
The England team for the final was Dallaglio, Chris Sheasby, Tim Rodber, Dave Scully, Nick Beal, Ade Adebayo and the captain Andrew 'The Prince' Harriman. Dawson played through the three-day event but not in the final itself. They too beat Australia in the final, 21-17, and it was an Oz team containing David Campese, Michael Lynagh and Willie Ofahengaue.
And it was an event that for many people started the process of putting Sevens on the world rugby map. The sport was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in , provided the climax of the Games in and delighted the MCG spectators in .
The was launched in 1999/00 and this year for the first time ´óÏó´«Ã½ TV has coverage of . There were highlights of the first six tournaments, but coverage goes up a huge notch with extensive coverage over the next two weekends of the final two events from Twickenham and Murrayfield.
On ´óÏó´«Ã½i from 9am on Saturday and 11am on Sunday we are showing 17 hours of live coverage of EVERY match from Twickenham with Wales joining England in a group also containing South Africa and Portugal. Scotland, three-times quarter finalists this season, are in a tough group with new Zealand, Italy and this year's surprise package Kenya.
On the first day ´óÏó´«Ã½2 will be on the air at 5.25pm to wrap up the best of the day's action and bring live coverage of the vital group match between Ben Ryan's England and South Africa. On Sunday there will be a two-hour ´óÏó´«Ã½2 show from 5.30pm with coverage of the day's quarter and semi-finals leading to live coverage of the final shortly before 7pm.
England's successful coaches of recent years Joe Lydon and Mike Friday will join John Inverdale for these programmes.
As well as the All Blacks watch out for the Fiji side who mix the artistry of Sevens legends Waisale Serevi and William Ryder with some monstrous tackling. They lead the with two wins in the first six events from South Sea rivals Samoa, who have also won two tournaments this season.
It promises to be fast and furious. Go on hit that red button!
