Boots and all | Brilliant spectacle, but is the repêchage really the best way to determine qualifiers for the Olympics?
Spain secured a trip to Rio with a surprise win last weekend in Monaco meaning World Series teams Samoa, Russia and Canada missed out
The repêchage has drama, intrigue and plenty of action, but is it really the best way to decide who should have the final spot in the Olympics?
There is no doubt that last weekend’s men’s event was a brilliant spectacle and Spain’s effort was remarkable.
But their victory – and the fact HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series teams Samoa, Russia and Canada went home empty handed – makes one wonder if the set-up is flawed.
The most important thing is that the best teams are in the Olympics, but this is not always the case due to the nature of the regional qualifying and that the host nation is ensured of a spot.
The qualifying format – which saw the top four teams from the 2014-15 world series guaranteed of a berth - seems to work pretty well on the whole, with 11 of the top 12 men’s team on this year’s world series represented in Rio.
The women’s numbers are a little less, with only nine of the top 12 heading to Rio, but with the repechage still to come.
