World Rugby 7s

The Luzhniki Stadium (where the 1980 Olympics were held) was not exactly full for the Rugby Sevens world championships. This was about 6.30 p.m. on the second of three days of the tournament. There were some spectators elsewhere, it is true (for example where I was, in the VIP stand where the drink was free!), but rugby is still not very popular in Russia, though it is growing.

I rather felt that the whole thing was misconceived. I prefer the intimacy of a local ground in the Borders for this sort of game. It is more fun sitting on a grass bank right beside the pitch at Hawick or Galashiels under grey skies than watching this sort of over-huge pseudo-spectacle in the blazing sunshine (it was 31C). Why must everything go giganticist these days?