Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens’ Post

Host Nation Performance at the Summer Games #Paris2024 is officially underway! The soccer and rugby tournaments start today, and the International Olympic Committee – IOC will take center stage for the next few weeks. It is often reported that host nations perform better at the Games. This has been the case in recent years: when comparing host nations to their performance at the previous Games, hosts get more medals: #London2012 - 51 UK medals in 2008, 65 UK medals in 2012 #Rio2016 - 17 Brazil medals in 2012, 19 Brazil medals in 2016 #Tokyo2020 - 41 Japan medals in 2016, 58 Japan medals in 2021 However, one metric is often overlooked: these host nations send more athletes. In fact, due to a rise in athlete counts, all three previous hosts saw their medal per athlete drop during their host year: #London2012 - 0.16 medals/Olympian in 2008, 0.12 medals/Olympian in 2012 #Rio2016 - 0.07 medals/Olympian in 2012, 0.04 medals/Olympian in 2016 #Tokyo2020 - 0.12 medals/Olympian in 2016, 0.10 medals/Olympian in 2021 After earning 33 medals in 2021, France will need 50 from their 573 current Olympians to outperform their Tokyo medal/athlete rate. Can they be the first hosts to outperform their pre-hosting medal rate in a generation?

Why the Rugby Championship faces an uncertain future New Zealand Rugby and South African Rugby Union (SA Rugby)had reached agreement for quadrennial bilateral tours beginning in 2026. And the impact on The Rugby Championship will be significant. There is no word yet, though, on how the Rugby Australia and Unión Argentina de Rugby will fill their August-September Test windows in those years (in 2026, 2028 and 2030). Should Fiji Rugby Union and Japan Rugby Football Union be included in the rejigged Rugby Championship? It might be more benefit to RA and the UAR on their own arrangements. The Japanese fans are going to turn up, they’re going to fill whatever stadium they get a chance to get to, and the same with Fiji. On the side, Fiji and Japan can become conditioned to tough tests, grow in stature and ultimately become genuine top-tier rugby nations. #sports #business #coaching #world #futuro

Juventus Football Club’s Allianz Stadium set to host historic major rugby spectacle November 23, 2024, will mark yet another day to remember for the Allianz Stadium, and this time football and Juventus have nothing to do with it. For the very first time, Juventus’ home will open its doors for a non-football even; the ball will be oval, there will be 30 players on the pitch instead of 22, and in battle, in place of the Bianconeri’s exploits, will be the Azzurri of Italian Rugby, ready for a high-profile encounter against three-time World Champions, the All Blacks. Kicking off at 21:10, Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy will face New Zealand Rugby in the third and final test-match of the Autumn Nations Series: a particularly special encounter because it will represent an unprecedented ‘première’ in the stadium, the result of an agreement signed between Juventus and the Italian Rugby Federation (Federazione Italiana Rugby / FIR). Francesco Calvo, Juventus’ Managing Director Revenue & Football Development, said: "We are proud to have reached this agreement with the Italian Rugby Federation, which will allow the doors of the Allianz Stadium to be opened to non-football events for the first time. The Allianz Stadium was the first stadium to be owned by a club in Italy, but since its opening we have never stopped, following the technological evolution of the sector, which allows us, today, to open up to new opportunities and support the Federation in this important event." Marzio Innocenti, President of the FIR, said: "The All Blacks are an icon of international sport, as is Juventus. To be able to welcome them once again to our country and to be able to do so in the best sporting facility in Italy adds a new element to the Federation that we are building, day by day. "I would like to thank Juventus for making this agreement possible by adapting the facility to our game and the local institutions, from the Region to the City Council, who have strongly supported the return of Italy to Turin. Italy versus the All Blacks at the Allianz Stadium will be an unforgettable event, not only for the rugby community, but for Italian sport as a whole." For the full story, go to: https://lnkd.in/e5nxXwkC Congratulations to Paolo Monguzzi and team, FIR and Six Nations Rugby. #rugbyunion #AutumnNationsSeries #AllianzStadium #Juventus #sportsbiz #sportsindustry #sportsvenuebusiness #sportsvenuebiz #svblive Sports Venue Business SVB LIVE The Sports Networker

We are still navigating the aftermath of Paris 2024 and we already have news for the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028: BREAKING, a debutant in Paris but which failed to stay in the Olympics, comes out, and SQUASH and FLAG FOOTBALL enter, a sport with many similarities with American Football in a more accessible version with less physical contact. Three more sports will be back: BASEBALL which was in Barcelona in 1992, SOFTBALL, a variant of Baseball played in a much smaller area and, finally, CRICKET which was only present in Paris 1900! The news continues, World Athletics and the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games have made a striking change to the first week's schedule, placing athletics at the forefront of the upcoming Olympic Games. This change is expected to further captivate the public and highlight the commitment to innovation in athletics. Now that we know all this and it won't be until 2028 that we have FUTSAL, considered the fourth most practiced sport in the world, and ROLLER HOCKEY, a sport much appreciated in Latin countries, only invited as an exhibition sport in Barcelona 1992, will Brisbane 2032 invite and establish these modalities in the Olympics? #Olympics #LA28 #Brisbane2032 #PROPLAYER #Sports

My new article for Total Rugby Analysis looks at Spain winger Martiniano Cian, who has recently starred for his nation in the 2024 Rugby Europe Championship. I've broken down his game and shown how he has fitted into Los Leones' tactics. Comments welcome as always. #sports #sport #sportsjournalism #sportsanalysis #rugbyunion #rugby #rugbyunionanalysis #rugbyanalysis #rugbyeuropechampionship #rugbyeuropechampionship2024 #spain #spainrugby #martinianocian #tactics #analysis #tacticalanalysis #teamanalysis #scoutreport #playeranalysis #rugbyunionjournalism #rugbyjournalism

Refresh your memory!👇 From its inception in 1960 to today, the UEFA EURO championships have been a celebration of passion, skill, and national pride. 🏆 In a preparation to this years’ games, let’s look at some of the most memorable moments of the past few decades: ⚽ In 2000 France won the tournament, becoming the first team to hold both the World Cup and European Championship titles simultaneously. ⚽ 2004 was a year for Greece where the country pulled off one of the biggest upsets in football history by winning the tournament, defeating hosts Portugal 1-0 in the final. ⚽ 2008 marked the beginning of Spain’s era of dominating the Euros as the winners. ⚽ In 2012 Spain became the first team to win consecutive European Championships and three consecutive major tournaments. ⚽ Portugal won their first major international trophy in 2016, defeating France 1-0 in the final, with a goal in extra time from Eder, despite losing Cristiano Ronaldo to injury early in the match. ⚽ And as for 2020… We all know what happened, but the players got back into the field in 2021 with Italy winning at the Wembley Stadium. Can’t wait to see what 2024 will add to the list! #FPRO

My new article for Total Rugby Analysis looks back at the weekend's Six Nations Rugby action and picks out three more talking points from the three games. Comments welcome as always. #sports #sport #sportsjournalism #sportsanalysis #rugbyunion #rugby #rugbyunionanalysis #rugbyanalysis #sixnations #sixnations2024 #scotland #scotlandrugby #france #francerugby #england #englandrugby #ireland #irelandrugby #tactics #analysis #tacticalanalysis #teamanalysis #scoutreport #playeranalysis #talkingpoints #rugbyunionjournalism #rugbyjournalism

Local support is growing for rugby league to become an Olympic sport at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We’re already supporting our Queensland rugby clubs though Activate! in the 2024-25 Queensland Budget, including: 🏉 $225,000 in 2024-25 out of a $250,000 total spend for Logan City Rugby League to upgrade lighting to support rugby league at Hammel Park. 🏉 $372,201 in 2024-25 out of a $413,557 total spend for council to install lighting at the rugby league field at Doomadgee, home of the Doomadgee Dragons. 🏉 $175,285 in 2024-25 out of a $282,717 total spend for Mount Isa Rugby League to install changerooms to support rugby league at Mount Isa. These upgrades ensure the next generation of Queensland rugby league superstars are ready for Olympic or Origin glory! #QldBudget #Brisbane2032 #AllezAus | Queensland Rugby League | Department of Tourism and Sport

To overcome such adversity is truly amazing

5 Facts About the Freedom Cup   5 Facts About the Freedom Cup The Freedom Cup is one of the most fiercely contested trophies in international rugby, fought between two of the sport's greatest teams: New Zealand and South Africa. The rivalry is steeped in history, with both teams having rich rugby traditions. Here are five key facts about the Freedom Cup: 1.Origins and Symbolism The Freedom Cup was introduced in 2004 to commemorate 10 years of democracy in South Africa, following the end of apartheid in 1994. The trophy symbolizes the shared history and mutual respect between South Africa and New Zealand, two nations deeply connected through their rugby heritage. It also acknowledges South Africa’s journey towards freedom and equality. 2.Contested Within the Rugby Championship The Freedom Cup is contested annually as part of the Rugby Championship (formerly the Tri-Nations). Whenever New Zealand’s All Blacks and South Africa’s Springboks face each other in this tournament, their matches also determine the winner of the Freedom Cup. The double significance of the fixture makes these encounters even more intense and competitive. 3.New Zealand's Dominance New Zealand has been the dominant team in the Freedom Cup’s history, winning it the majority of times since its inception. The All Blacks' consistent performance, both in terms of attacking prowess and defensive resilience, has seen them secure the trophy more often than South Africa, although the Springboks have had notable victories as well. 4.Rivalry Steeped in History The rugby rivalry between New Zealand and South Africa is one of the oldest and most passionate in the sport. Their encounters are known for their intensity, physicality, and mutual respect. The Freedom Cup adds another layer to this rivalry, making each match even more meaningful. 5.Memorable Clashes Over the years, the Freedom Cup has seen some legendary matches. From closely fought encounters to thrilling finishes, the contest between the Springboks and All Blacks never fails to deliver drama, cementing the Freedom Cup as one of the most coveted trophies in rugby. via Blogger https://ift.tt/Lc0Ggr4 September 08, 2024 at 01:48PM