Sevens will be the hottest ticket in town for Rio 2016 - Soon

Having helped rugby to secure a place on the Olympic Games programme, former Australia captain Cheryl Soon simply can’t wait for the players to take the field and put on a great show at Rio 2016.

Cheryl Soon knew, when the International Olympic Committee voted overwhelmingly to include rugby sevens on the programme for Rio 2016, that it would come too late for her to be part of the historic occasion as a player.However, that didn’t stop the Australian from “speaking from the heart” during her turn in rugby’s presentation to the IOC in Copenhagen back in 2009, knowing that it would create a legacy for the future for players and spectators around the world.“For me it was just about speaking from the heart and just thinking about all the other players, the future and the past players, and just doing it for everyone in the rugby community,” Soon told World Rugby recently.

“That was what I was thinking when I was making my speech in particular which was pretty special.

“To know that you are doing something for everyone who has played rugby, or everyone who is about to play rugby, the athletes who are going to be at the Olympics, knowing that I had a big part in that is pretty special.

WOW FACTOR

“I think about it all the time. I am definitely glad of the opportunity that I was given to be able to have rugby sevens introduced to the Olympics like that, for me it doing the great thing not just for rugby players and athletes who will be competing, but for the spectators as well.

“It is such a spectator sport and it is proven that it is such a successful sport as well. I am pretty chuffed with myself that I took a part in it, I was very honoured and I am very proud and I love the fact that I was involved in that … I was very fortunate.”

Soon had led Australia to the first ever Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens title in March 2009 and joined the likes of Jonah Lomu, Humphrey Kayange, Agustin Pichot and Anastassiya Khamova on rugby’s team of seven who presented to the IOC seven months later.

World Rugby Sevens on Twitter

Happy #IWD2016! The world’s leading women’s rugby stars set to make history when #rugby7s heads to @Rio2016_en pic.twitter.com/AozaUKiaDi

Little did the scrum-half know then the impact that Olympic Games inclusion would have on the sport she loves and, in particular, on women’s sevens.

“It has been an amazing journey to see where it started and where it is now. I never, never in my wildest dreams thought it would be where it is today, so knowing that it is truly amazing. I know I have said that a lot but I am kind of like, wow!

A DIFFERENT BREED

“It is really cool and amazing that these girls get to go to Rio, to stay in the Olympic village and to experience what it is like to be an Olympian, I am sure that would be just the best feeling ever and there is nothing that compares to it.

“They are very, very fortunate to be competing and to call themselves Olympians.

“I wish I was 10 years younger when I was actually on the panel because I knew back then, I was like if I was 10 years younger I could be going to the Olympics, now I will be going as a spectator, not quite as I wanted but you know when I see them play today it has changed.

“They are a different breed, it has changed drastically. They are just phenomenal, fit, strong, fast and skilful athletes. It is great to watch and I try to watch as many games as I can with the time difference, I’m often setting my alarm at two or three o’clock in the morning but it is worth it.”

Soon will be wearing her Australian jersey with pride whether she is in Rio de Janeiro or watching at home in San Francisco, but what message does she hope sevens can showcase on its Olympic Games debut?

A WONDERFUL GAME TO WATCH

“I hope they get to experience what an entertaining sport sevens is, not only from a players’ perspective but a spectators’ perspective.

“When you go to a sevens game it is just like a huge party, everyone is having fun, everyone is enjoying watching rugby, it is such an entertaining, fast-paced, skilful game and I think that the Olympic family will see that it was a great decision to include sevens in the Olympics and that it has been very successful.

“I have no doubt that it will because it is great watching not only the men, but the women too as they put on a really great show and showcase their skills and show fans that they can play just as well as the men.

“I just hope they get to see that it was a good decision to include rugby sevens because it is such an entertaining and fast-paced and a wonderful game to watch.

“Everyone is going to be peaking at the right time so it is going to be very, very interesting to see how it pans out in Rio.”

For more information on tickets for the Olympic Games, visit www.rio2016.com.