Stephen Jones remains unconvinced by the lure of Sevens in The Times.
"On the subject of Sevens you may remember that I had to issue a retraction recently. I had become tired of the endless media handouts (written by people from exotic locations) declaring that Sevens was a fantastic way of developing top-class professional players when it palpably is not. Mathew Tait is just one player we tend to overrate because he has scored some sensational tries in Sevens when space was massive and lack of power did not count for much. There are other examples.
"Yet as I then graciously admitted, Sevens tournaments - and particularly the really exotic ones - are brilliant in themselves, as you lap up the whole atmosphere, glamour, friendship and spectacle of them. My first trip to the Hong Kong Sevens lives with me to this day.
"Sevens are also a brilliant promotional vehicle for the sport. It is vital to remember, in this era when the International Rugby Board are promoting the game all over the world, that at one time the Hong Kong Sevens was the prime vehicle for global promotion, the greatest meeting place for the burgeoning world game and for the minnows. Back then, the IRB sat, stupefied, on the sidelines. I can still recall the sense of wonder I felt at watching Papua New Guinea play, and play brilliantly."
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