Perth to host Rugby Sevens event next January, as new ‘short-term’ home of developing sport

Perth will again host the Rugby Sevens tournament next summer after the success of the first event held in January drew crowds of almost 50,000. Announcing the tournament’s return next January, Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said the event, now known as the HSBC SVNS, had been a huge success. “We see its growing popularity, because of the speed, because the ability of many countries who may not have been that successful in the traditional form, now being able to be very successful in this shorter form,” she said. “So we are very excited for the West Australian government to be working to secure this event, we do believe it again will provide yet another event for Western Australian community to get behind again. “Last time it was very much a carnival atmosphere. It was very much well supported by the community.” But, Ms Saffioti refused to detail the cost to taxpayers, instead saying the Government would reveal its return on investment on a range of sponsored major events “soon”. Former Western Force player Matt Hodgson said after the success of the games in Sydney and in Asia, Perth was now the “short-term” home of the shortened format. The alternative rugby union format involves seven players playing in seven-minute halves across a tournament format with round robin and knockout matches over three days. “We need to continue to build not only what we’re doing for Aussie Sevens here, but for the rugby in general — growing the game here, the activations within the community, and how we’re building it for both male and female, and the access we’re seeing both at sevens and fifteen,” Hodgson said. Tickets for the tournament, to be held between January 24 and 26 next year, go on sale on August 13.