By NICK THOMPSON
NOOSA’S place on the world rugby map has been firmly established with a leading international official describing the club’s Sevens Festival as “world class”.
Thousands of fans packed into the club’s Sunshine Beach home for three days last weekend and many more tuned in as live, high definition television pictures were streamed around the world.
Viewers in the United States, Europe, and even tiny Pacific islands like Niue were all kept up to speed as 19 men’s and women’s teams battled on the field to secure the crown as Oceania Sevens champions.
At one point it looked as though crowd favourites Australia might steal the show, having taken a 14-0 lead over rivals New Zealand in the semi-final but the All Blacks Sevens team came back strongly with 19 unanswered points and moved into the final.
Then it was their turn to feel the pain as a formidable Fijian team swept past to win 21-5 and send their fans wild as they were crowned 2014 Oceania champions.
Consolation for the many New Zealand fans in the crowd came when the women’s team comfortable outclassed and outpaced Australia 31-10 in their final.
Will Glenwright, regional general manager of the International Rugby Board, was delighted with the smooth running of the largest ever Oceania Sevens tournament and praised the local organisers and volunteers for putting on a “world class event”.
“Noosa showed its capabilities when it hosted the women’s Oceania Sevens for us in 2013,” he said at a post-final party for the teams.
“So it was an easy decision to bring both the men’s and women’s tournaments here this year.
“Sevens rugby has a massive following in this region and I’m delighted that Noosa has delivered a world class event appropriate to that.”
Event director Dene Brooks said several of the international teams had already lodged firm expressions of interest to come back next year, having discovered the facilities and infrastructure of Noosa and the Sunshine Coast were ideal for preparation, training and recuperation.
