By Frankie Deges
Rugby in the Americas begins a new era this weekend when Sevens is played, for the first time, in the continental Pan American Games. This multi-sport event, which takes place every four years in the year preceding the Olympic Games, has embraced rugby and opened new avenues for the game in both CONSUR and NACRA, the IRB Regional Associations in the Americas.
While the Pan American Games have been played since 1951, rugby has never been on their ticket, although a tournament involving Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile was held in Buenos Aires, in 1951, to “honour” the Games in that city.
The Mexican city of Guadalajara will host eight rugby nations at the Tlaquepaque Stadium in one of the last events of the two-week Games. Although Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games – starting in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro – will feature both men’s and women’s and female competitions, the Pan American Games of 2011 has only men’s teams in action.
Rugby Sevens is one of 42 medal disciplines, for which 5,996 athletes will have competed in. The Guadalajara Games are the 26th edition of games that are similar in importance to the Commonwealth, Asian, African or Oceania Games, and in many sports act as qualifiers for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
“It is a great honour to be involved in the Pan American Games,” admitted experienced USA Sevens coach Al Caravelli, who is taking his team to Mexico after a gruelling week-long camp in Chula Vista, the USA Olympic facilities in California.
“It is another validation of our great sport of rugby and of Rugby Sevens. With the inclusion of Rugby Sevens at the Pan American Games most multi-sport Games now have Rugby Sevens, with the pinnacle being the Olympic Games.
Loving the Games
“As for my country, it is the first multi-sport medal opportunity that we will play in since the 1924 Olympics (when USA won the 15-a-side gold medal in Paris). We are new to the USOC family. We want to do well for USA Rugby, the USOC and our country.”
Canada, just like the other seven teams in action, have grasped the importance of the Pan American Games, with coach Geraint John admitting that “while at the tournament we are also conscious of the need to support the whole Canadian effort and get out to cheer on as many other Canadian athletes as possible throughout the course of the week. It’s part and parcel with the tournament.”
The highest ranked of the eight teams and a strong contender for the gold medal is Argentina, who have had a week-long camp in South Africa followed by a mini tournament with fellow Pan American Games competitors Brazil, Uruguay and Chile and a further week in Mexico, training in similar altitude to those 1,536 metres above sea level of Guadalajara.
“Walking into the Games’ Village gives you an idea of how big these Games are, and the importance of performing really well for your country,” admitted coach Nicolás Fernández Lobbe.
Javier Ortega Dessio, a regular on the HSBC Sevens World Series, was clear of Argentina’s goal in Mexico. “We want to win the gold medal. This is all new to us, and we are loving it here.”
Argentina will face Uruguay, Guyana and hosts Mexico in Pool A with USA, Canada, Brazil and Chile making up Pool B. The pool stages take place on Saturday with the top two progressing to the semi-finals on Sunday, with Sevens the last event before the closing ceremony.
