Whilst there'll be no change next year, moves are underway to clean up the Wellington Sevens now that it's an Olympic sport.
The New Zealand leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series has gained a reputation as being a non-stop party.
And according to reports, drunken fans at the event have left the IRB unimpressed - prompting calls for the Sevens spectacle at Westpac Stadium to become booze-free.
General manager Steve Walters says they've been surveying the rugby community as to whether they think limiting alcohol, or introducing a 'dry zone' for part of the first day, is a good idea.
"Some people said that's a great idea, some people said no they want to be able to see all the rugby - so we've taken that into consideration and we'll review that further and may consider that for 2014," he said.
"We've run this tournament for 13 years and it's been hugely successful. It's that small few that do spoil it for others.
"We had 14 arrests out of just under 70,000 people for 2012 so it's a very small amount of people. But obviously those are the people that make it worse.
"So our role is to make sure that we let people know in advance about expectations of that behaviour and coming up with an attitude to enjoying themselves and not spoil it for others.''
Comments
sandal says...
Far as I can tell the Wellington Sevens is an opportunity for girls of either sex to drink themselves silly. Why encourage that kind of binge drinking?
Posted 01:58 25th September 2012
melkiwi says...
So no other sport in the Olympics don't have fans that get crazy drunk? Football seems to do fine with all their hooligans and drunken fans. IRB need to worry about attracting people not deterring them. There are tens of thousands of people getting drunk at the wellington 7¿s but its only a few that take it too far. Please don¿t let the actions of a few ruin the fun for everyone else.
Posted 07:26 21st September 2012
kiwilad says...
It will be a great tournament with no one in the stands.
pathetic
Posted 02:50 21st September 2012
LeftRightOut says...
I went to the HK 7's once, but I can't remember the final day very well due to three jugs of vodka-redbull, on the back of a very hefty Day 1 beer-a-thon. Of the snippets of memory I have left, I remember the crowd getting VERY loose (and for the record I was not arrested). Will this be an international ban then IRB? Or is it just kiwis you don't like drinking? Perhaps I should report back after I go to the Gold Coast 7's next month (although admittedly the crowd will also be full of kiwis). This is rediculous
Posted 23:55 20th September 2012
melkdave says...
OMG the nanny state is everywhere,i could understand the IRB being worred if there where massed fights on the terraces ,and pitch invasions ect.But wanting it booze frre because fans get a little rowdy ,is pathetic .Some job worths killjoy im sure came up with this.
Posted 12:28 20th September 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
the olympics is in brazil not wellington. there's no connection so leave wellington alone.
let brazil decide if their own drinking policy for all the olympic sports not just rugby. the link is tenuous so lets not ruin a fun day out for everyone likes to watch the rugby with a pint in one hand and a pie in the other. Kiwis love their pies! I love NZ. HAVE FUN and stop trying to ban christmas.
Posted 12:10 20th September 2012