Rio 2016: Rugby sevens announces its Olympic arrival in style to prove it belongs as Team GB make winning start

Great Britain defeated hosts Brazil 29-3 as sevens fever sweep Rio to offer a fun and energetic version to the 15-a-side game

Joanne Watmore sidestepped her Brazilian opponent with a neat piece of footwork, accelerated away and scored under the posts. There were boos from the home crowd – but more in jest than anger. Team GB had recorded their first points as rugby – in the shape of sevens – returned to the Olympic Games table after a 92-year absence here in Rio on Saturday. And very comfortable it looked too.

Whereas golf has sliced and hooked its way to Rio – with high-profile players pulling out left, right and centre with mixed messages for their reasoning – rugby has grasped the opportunity to be a part of the Olympic family and the small but passionate crowd at the Deodoro Stadium were suitably entertained on day one of the Games.

Team GB beat the hosts Brazil 29-3 in their first match, ran in five tries, and were delighted to give their sport a healthy dollop of exposure. Natasha Hunt, scorer of two touchdowns, was chuffed with the win but also to be a part of the Games.

“It’s incredible,” she said. “Honestly, the fact that it’s going out to so many different countries, the fact that it’s on accessible TV not just a live stream. People don’t [usually] see it because they don’t necessarily know about it. I think it’s going to do wonders for the sport. It is fantastic to have a great sport like sevens available to an entirely new audience.”

Her GB team-mate, Danielle Waterman, agreed. "This tournament is a massive moment for women's rugby, being at the Olympic Games. We are really honoured to be flying the flag,” she said.

Part of the appeal for the Olympic masses is how easy on the eye sevens is. All five of GB’s tries on Saturday were run in from distance, no one was bundled over the line. It may not please the aficionados but they were few and far between at the Deodoro. Whereas the 15-aside code can get bogged down in rules and restrictions, penalties and pushovers, the sevens code is fast, breathless and with plenty of ball on show. No rucks, mauls and collapsed scrums to slow proceedings down.

It feels fresh and young, like surfing and skateboarding which have been added to the next Olympics.

“It is amazing, yeah,” said Hunt. “It’s all the best bits of 15s piled into one really quick game where anything can happen. It’s a great game.”

Joanne Watmore scored Britain's first try in Olympic rugby sevens history (Getty)

In temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, Great Britain looked nervous at the outset and had to wait until the second half to put Brazil, who are relative newcomers to the sevens format, to the sword. The crowd enjoyed it, booing in good old English pantomime fashion whenever GB had the ball or floored a Brazilian flier, cheering like mad if a Brazilian was on the loose. The hosts had the footwork, but the visitors the power and stamina with Jasmine Joyce and Emily Scott adding to Watmore and Hunt’s tries.

Later, Team GB put 40 unanswered points past Japan to make it two out of two. So how did it feel to be the first rugby team to represent Great Britain for such a long time? “It was a really special moment,” Hunt said. “And luckily I’ve got my parents and sisters in the crowd, so they got to share it with me too.”

Team GB have been training together since 2014 with Rio in mind after the RFU decided to make the Games the priority, recognising that sevens can open the door for would-be rugby players for both codes. Sir Clive Woodward for one has been impressed with their ability and athleticism.

To win it they may have to get past Australia though. The favourites for the women’s title have also been focusing on Rio, tapping up talent from other sports in the build-up to the Games and will be tough to beat but great to watch.

Meanwhile, the fun factor is not lost on the GB team. Just being part of the Games is clearly a thrill. “This is like nothing else we’ve ever experienced,” Hunt said. “We were all quite overwhelmed by the pure size of it. We are used to having about 12 teams in one place – so this is phenomenal. The Athletes’ Village is cool, really cool… overwhelming but awesome.”

And can sevens grow in Brazil on the back of the Games? “Brazil have been on the [world] series for two years now, building up to this and they’ve grown,” Hunt said. “Hopefully they can keep building and can put some good stuff on for their crowd and get more people interested.”

Natasha Hunt scored two tries to inspire Britain to victory against Brazil (Getty)

The men come to the party on Sunday and will add further lustre to the sevens Olympic code with Super Bowl winner Nate Ebner playing for the United States and 15-aside legend Sonny Bill Williams playing for New Zealand. The whole Games experience is a chance for sevens to shed the tag of being 15s’ little brother. Much like T20 continues to muscle in on Test cricket’s patch so sevens can share the stage with 15s.

For now, it has the stage to itself. Sevens is guaranteed to appear in the Games in 2020 in Tokyo but must wait to see if it’s still on the menu in 2024. On Saturday’s evidence it will run to 2024 and beyond.