Rugby officials touch base in Edmonton

Normally you do the site inspection first and then award the event.

But having already awarded Edmonton the former London stop on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tour, five officials are in town for the next three days to begin building the

Sept. 25-26 event featuring 12 of the top nations in the world.

World Rugby has already decided on a 12-team format instead of the normal 14-team slate because Great Britain combines into one team on Olympic years.

“We think it will be a great event in Edmonton — definitely unique. We believe there will be an appetite for a unique festivaltype environment major sports event here,” said Gareth Rees, Rugby Canada's point person for the event who is here heading up the delegation.

Rees is the only Canadian rugby player in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

He co-chaired the initial bid to secure a tour stop in Canada six years ago with John Furlong, head of the organizing committee of Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

At a Commonwealth or Olympic Games, Rugby Sevens has two to three draws per day, each separate ticket events. At a Rugby Tour stop there are only two types of tickets, single day or two-day. That's part of the appeal, he insisted.

“A ticket gives access for the entire day. There will be lots going on away from the pitch. That's half the fun at Sevens events. There generally are lots of costumes and lots of characters.

“Currently, the key nations are scheduled to play in the Olympics so we'd expect to have the medal-winning teams here.”

One of the items on the to-do list will be to determine different stadium location ticket prices. They'll likely go on sale in the next dozen days.

“The two-day passes will be reasonably priced,” he said.

Rees said the teams will not be announced until a later date but that he expects the core countries from the Olympics to compete in both Vancouver and Edmonton in back-to-back stops to relaunch the rugby series.

“This week, we've invited World Rugby officials and their partners to get up to speed with the facilities. There are obviously some time restraints because of the late Covid-affected announcement, but we're excited that we can deliver a first-class entertainment experience,” he said.