The Fijians defeated South Africa 26-24 in thrilling final in front of a full house of 40,000 fans in Hong Kong yesterday.

 

Lapasset, the president of the IRB, said: “Fiji’s victory is great for rugby and highlights the truly global competitiveness of sevens.

 

"There is no doubt that sevens provides more medal opportunities for smaller nations.

 

“Sevens rugby continues to go from strength to strength.

 

"Its unique blend of explosive action, world-class players and highly-competitive format packaged in matches of 14 minutes, has proven successful in reaching out to new young audiences, sponsors and broadcasters around the world.”

 

“The resounding success of the 2008/09 Series, coupled with Rugby World Cup Sevens, further highlights sevens’ compelling case for Olympic Games re-inclusion."

 

Jacques Rogge (pictured), the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was able to soak up first-hand the impact of Fiji's victory as he arrived in Wellington to attend the Oceania Olympic Committee general assembly in Queenstown later this week.

 

It was no surprise in rugby-crazy New Zealand that the chances of the sport being reintroduced into the Olympics in 2016 for the first time since 1924 was top of the agenda.

 

Rogge, a former Belgium international, backed rugby's claims.

 

He said: "Let me say very clearly I do not vote.

 

"I have a lot of sympathy, but I have no vote."

 

Rogge even claimed that he preferred rugby to sailing, a sport he twice competed in at the Olympics in 1968 and 1972.

 

He said: "I did that [sailing] as well as I could, but I never found the joy in sailing that I found in rugby.

 

"Rugby is a great sport, there is no doubt about that."

 

Fiji player Emosi Vucago spoke for his team-mates about how excited they would be to take part in the Olympics, an event that the country made its debut in at Melbourne in 1956 but is still waiting to win its first medal.

 

He said: “Competing at the Olympic Games is the pinnacle of sporting achievement.

 

"In Fiji we would be extremely proud to call ourselves Olympians and would welcome the opportunity to represent our country at the Games and compete for an Olympic medal.

 

"That would be an awesome achievement."

 

Rugby is one of seven sports hoping to be admitted onto the programme for 2016.

 

The others are baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, squash and softball.

 

The IOC revealed last week that the ruling Executive Board will choose two sports on August 13 to recommend to the full membership that should be included in the Olympics.