MUNICH – Munich’s world-famous beer festival ‘Oktoberfest’ and sevens collide in the Bavarian capital on Saturday as Germany hosts the knock-out stages of its first major international rugby tournament.
The hope behind the inaugural ‘Oktoberfest 7s’ is that Germany will eventually be awarded a leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series.
Hosts Germany, a rising force on the Sevens scene, pulled off a shock win by beating England 21-14 on Friday to finish top of their group and will meet the English again in Saturday’s quarter-finals.
The last eight line-up in Munich is impressive with world champions South Africa facing Ireland, Olympic champions Fiji playing Argentina, while Australia will take on France.
Australia threw down a marker for Saturday’s final by beating Fiji 28-14 in their pool, while the ‘Blitzbokke’ South Africa won all three pool games including a 31-14 win over France.
“With South Africa, we have currently the strongest sevens side in the world competing in Munich – the Oktoberfest Sevens roster already boasts a number of strong contenders, which is a real test for our ever improving Sevens side,” said the German Rugby Union’s sporting director Manuel Wilhelm.
The tournament coincides with Oktoberfest and the organisers are hoping to attract 45 000 rugby fans over the two-day competition at Munich’s Olympic Stadium, the former home of Bayern Munich.
Rugby is on the rise in Germany, where football is king.
The national men’s XV team plays in the Rugby Europe Championship, the level below the Six Nations.
They took a famous scalp by beating Romania in February and host the USA, Chile and Brazil in their own Autumn International Series in November.
Dr Hans-Peter Wild, the owner of Capri Sun drinks company and current chairman of French Top 14 club Stade Francais, has set up the ‘Wild Rugby Academy’ in Heidelberg which provides Germany with the high-level facilities top rugby nations take for granted.
Germany’s sevens team, coached by New Zealand’s Chad Shepherd, just missed out on a place at the men’s Olympic tournament in Rio de Janeiro. Now they want to reach the next level.
The Oktoberfest 7s is a chance for the Germans to prove themselves as hosts both on and off the pitch.
“Germany hasn’t seen a rugby event of this scale,” added Wilhelm.
“The significance of the Oktoberfest 7s for German rugby is extraordinary.
“Very often when we talk to potential backers, we are asked when they would get an opportunity to see the sport of Sevens in Germany?
“Now that opportunity exists.”
Germany’s sports public are curious about rugby.
More than four million Germans watched Fiji win the men’s sevens final of the Rio Olympics – despite a kick-off after midnight here.
After missing out on a place in Rio, the goal is to win a place on the World Sevens Series – and the Oktoberfest is a chance to prove they can host a leg.
“Munich and Germany will have to prove that they can put together a good tournament, draw a crowd and then it is absolutely possible for them to go for a spot on the World Series,” World Rugby’s CEO Brett Gosper has said. – Nampa-AFP
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