International Rugby Board’s sevens general manager Avan Lee on mission to increase popularity of sport

Avan Lee, the IRB’s general manager of sevens, believes the Twenty20 of rugby will continue its rapid growth because of Olympic inclusion Photo: IRB / MARTIN SERES LIMA

Avan Lee is a man on a mission. His task, to improve the popularity of sevens, has been aided considerably by the decision to include the sport in the Rio Olympics. And less than two years from those Games interest in the abridged version of rugby has been on a steep upward curve.
New Zealander Lee was appointed the IRB’s general manager of sevens last year, after the governing body recognised the need for such a role, given the sport’s ever-rising status.
Last season’s sevens world series, sponsored by HSBC, was watched by hundreds of millions of people, and the matches were beamed to 145 countries around the globe. Further, at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the sevens events sold out quicker than every other sport……… see more at :- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/sevens-world-series/11148795/International-Rugby-Boards-sevens-general-manager-Avam-Lee-predicts-sport-will-eclipse-15-a-side-rugby.html