Fans, festivities and Fiji: Rugby, in return to Olympics, is a smashing success

Gary Meenaghan writes from Rio that rugby proved a hit at the 2016 Olympics, a far cry from the ignominy with which it exited the Olympic Games 92 years ago.

A Fiji fan celebrates his country's gold medal victory in rugby sevens at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Robert F Bukaty / AP Photo / August 11, 2016

RIO DE JANEIRO // Earlier this week, 40 kilometres northwest of the famously thronged beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, men's rugby made its return to the Olympic Games programme for the first time in 92 years. And with it came an atmosphere usually seen in Rio only during Carnival — fancy dress, music and more tourists than a Caribbean cruise ship.

Such a raucous climate was surprising, but not unique. There was a memorable mood at the last Olympic rugby tournament too, although for very different reasons.

The 1924 Paris Olympics featured only three teams: Romania, United States and France. With Romania losing both their games, the US match against the home side was set up as a final.

An ugly dispute, prompted by the choice of referee, played out in the media and culminated in France failing to provide a practice field for their opponents. The visiting players claimed they were verbally abused and spat at on the street.

On match day, the band of bullish Americans, angry at having been robbed of their possessions the previous day, came out aggressively, quickly forcing the host’s whippet of a back, Adolphe Jauguery, off the pitch unconscious and bleeding.

When the final whistle sounded 90 (yes, 90) minutes later, marking a 17-3 triumph for the US, simmering French anger erupted from within the stands. An American reserve was knocked-out by an elderly man’s walking stick, the US national anthem was booed, and rugby disappeared from the Olympic roster never to be seen again.

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That was until this week, when fittingly it was France who, inside Rio’s 10,000-capacity Estadio de Deodoro and with the Olympic format adjusted from 15s to the quicker, simpler seven-a-side game, won Tuesday’s opening match 31-14 against Australia.

It must be taken as a sign of progress that the only thing waved passionately in the air by the defeated fans was an inflatable kangaroo.

“It’s a fantastic atmosphere,” said Jason Malouf from Brisbane, whose son Nick plays for Australia.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted, but it’s been great. I feel here is quite similar to Dubai actually in that the stadium is a little bit remote from the main city, but once you arrive the atmosphere is unforgettable.”

As anyone who has attended the Dubai Rugby Sevens can attest, the sevens format lends itself to high-speed action with high-spirited spectators.

Yet in Brazil, a country where rugby is almost as foreign to the local population as a Maori war cry, there were whispered fears regarding possible empty seats, especially given the location of the venue on the outskirts of the city and close to a favela.

Daniel Gregg, the technical manager of the Brazilian men's side, told The National before the start of the Olympics, that he hoped for a sold-out crowd but was remaining realistic.

"Of course, rugby cannot be compared to football or volleyball," he said. "The people here do not know the sport so much, but I think what we have in our favour is the people in Brazil, especially the cariocas, have a very good energy and support any sport in which we take part, even rugby.

“It would be amazing if some people dressed up like they do at other events such as Dubai or Hong Kong.”

The official Olympic Games Spectator Guide also drilled the locals on what to expect and how to get involved, advising that, traditionally at Sevens events, “fans usually watch matches wearing costumes, in a Carnival atmosphere that perfectly matches the Rio 2016 spirit”.

Some attendees clearly read the script: a group of Brazilian supporters in Fiji-blue afro wigs jokingly jeered the Argentina team, while someone dressed as the comic book character Wonder Woman paraded around scratching his beard and taking photos with anyone who asked.

Americans proved confident and boisterous with Zack Klass, a US fan from San Francisco, aiming high.

“It will be hard to defend our gold,” he said. “But the USA have overcome far greater odds in the history of the world.”

Many of the local fans, large in number and wearing football shirts or carrying domestic team flags, admittedly did not fully understand the rules.

But as Gregg intimated, with a love to party and a willingness to learn, the locals might yet take to the oval ball.

Monique Falcao, wearing a Brazil T-shirt and matching eye-makeup, shuffled excitedly in her seat as the hosts prepared to enter the field to face eventual champions Fiji.

“It’s my first time seeing the sport, but I’m learning today about the game from the people around me. If I don’t understand something, they help me,” she said.

“So far, I like it a lot. It’s a lot of fun. The people here are all very passionate and animated —and the players are very muscular!”

Garra is a word in Brazilian Portuguese that loosely translates as showing fight and determination; a willingness to wrestle for what you want with all your heart.

Rugby players have it in abundance, said Marcio Mello, a Brazilian visiting from Sao Paulo with wife Ana.

“We’ve watched some rugby on TV — although never sevens,” he said. “I like it because it’s very ... violent. The players give 100 per cent.

“I mean, there was a player just a minute ago who we think broke his leg. It’s a passionate sport.”

Team Fiji, the reigning World Series champions and consisting of several players who grew up using flip-flops or plastic bottles as a ball, eventually made history in claiming their first Olympic medal of any sort when they beat Team GB in Thursday’s final.

“It’s been awesome; everyone has enjoyed the carnival atmosphere and it’s even better when you win,” said Rajendra Kumar, who travelled for 24 hours from the Fijian capital, Suva.

“This was always our best chance, but it didn’t really matter who won. What was important was the tournament was a success.”

If you believe that, you will believe anything. Yet with tickets for the final day long sold-out, an atmosphere billed by some as the best at the Games and Fiji providing a rags-to-riches tale rarely seen in world sport, the return of rugby could hardly have gone better for organisers.

Ninety two years after its removal from the Olympic roster, the sport is back, and the ugly, unsporting chapter of 1924 can finally be laid to rest.

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