The chance to make history fell to Caroline Crossley after just 51 seconds at Robina Stadium. The Canadian forward burst over the line and touched down to become the first woman to score a try in a Commonwealth Games rugby sevens match.
“It was definitely special,” Crossley, 19, said after her effort set up a 29-0 rout of South Africa. “It’s so awesome that women’s rugby is now in the Commonwealth Games and I’m super happy to be here.”
Friday night heralded the start of the women’s competition, one of the most eagerly anticipated events of these Games – not just for the new ground being broken, but also because, unlike some other competitions, Commonwealth countries produce some of the best teams in the world.
The quality is sure to be high. Australia, New Zealand and Canada are one-two-three in the World Series standings and the same trio won medals at the 2012 Olympics in Rio, in the same order, as women’s sevens took its bow in the Olympic arena.
All three were imperious in their opening games on the Gold Coast on a boisterous night, fittingly reserved for the women – their male counterparts don’t start until a marathon day of fixtures on Saturday.
“It’s a monumental moment, just like Rio was,” the former Australia player Tiana Penitani says. “It means a lot. I don’t think people realise how much. The Commonwealth Games has held six events for the men’s sevens but this is the inaugural one for women. It just goes to show how much the game has grown over the past five years. To be part of it is pretty special.”
The appeal of sevens lies thus: it’s fast-paced and high-scoring, games are short and plentiful, and it’s fan-friendly. If the World Series can at times veer towards the feel of a out-of-control stag or hen party in places like Sydney and Vegas, the opening night on the Gold Coast – itself normally no stranger to drunken debauchery – feels family friendly, safe and inclusive.
There is the usual crowd-pleasing music, lots of it, a kiss cam and on-field challenges for eager participants during the many breaks in the course of the evening. At one point, an elderly gentleman in a pink shirt and a sailor’s cap appears on the big screen playing air guitar to Sweet Child O’ Mine. There are Mexican waves. T20 cricket is a ratings winner for a reason, and sevens people are on to it.
Robina Stadium, a rugby league ground that usually plays host to the NRL’s Gold Coast Titans, is an inspired choice to host the sevens tournament. Its architecture, with all four sides of the rectangular stadium closed off, creates a cauldron of noise. The stadium isn’t even full on opening night.
Yet for all the noise, the colour and the gimmicks, the product has to stand up on the pitch. On Friday night’s evidence, at least in terms of entertainment, if not quite competitiveness, it did.
Australia’s status as tournament favourites was emphasised in a crushing 34-5 victory over Wales before they were tested by an England side who took a surprise 12-5 lead in the first half, only for an Ellia Green masterclass of pacy, aggressive running to bring back parity on the stroke of half-time. Cue a mass singalong of a John Farnham classic. “We’re not going to sit in silence.” Indeed.
Australia upped a gear after the break and posted what was an ultimately comfortable 29-12 win, while in Pool A, a rampant New Zealand registered huge wins, 45-0 over Kenya and 41-0 over South Africa, and Canada backed up their opening victory over South Africa with a comfortable 24-12 win over Kenya. It would be no surprise to see all three stand on the podium come Sunday’s denouement.
Emma Tonegato, one of Australia’s Rio gold medallists and displaying fine form, scored Australia’s first try against Wales and grabbed another against England. Afterwards she acknowledged the demographic of the crowd and how important appealing to a younger audience is to the game’s future.
“When you have time to take it in it is such a big thing to have all these girls here,” she said. “I just hope we’re doing the right thing and can be role models.”
Penitani, who is on the Gold Coast working for the host broadcaster Channel Seven, retired from playing last year. She’s still just 22 herself but is hopeful that the next generation will be inspired by what they see at the Games as the seemingly inexorable rise of sevens continues.
“Participation rates of rugby sevens all across the world have skyrocketed after Rio and hopefully the Commonwealth Games will have the same effect and get everyone involved in the game,” she says.
“The best players in New Zealand, Australia, Canada are now household names. Young girls and young boys are looking up to these players as superstars whereas five years ago no one knew what sevens was.”
