London Sevens hit by killjoy RFU

THE RFU have taken the extraordinary decision to vastly reduce the crowd — and bar opening times — at next year’s London Sevens, just when the Rugby World Cup is promising to make the game even more popular.

Twickenham residents received letters from RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie this week informing them that the attendance at next year’s sevens will be capped at 35,000 a day — down from the 113,000 at this year’s two-day event and a decrease of 40 per cent. Stadium bars will have reduced opening hours and fancy dress will be banned.

The draconian measures decided by the RFU, Richmond Council and the Met Police follow complaints from NIMBY residents about raucous drunken behaviour inside and outside the ground at this year’s tournament

Richmond councillor Pamela Fleming said: ‘A new approach is being put in place that will ensure the emphasis of next year’s London Sevens is about rugby and family entertainment.’

But announcing the changes during a World Cup whose legacy will be to grow the game is bizarre in the extreme, especially as the London Sevens already delivers the younger audience that the sport is desperate to attract over the next six weeks.

An RFU spokesman said: ‘We are responding to the concerns of the local community to which we have a responsibility. It was felt there was need to make the London Sevens more about rugby than an excuse to party.’