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Rugby at the Olympic Games

Rugby is played at the Olympics in the more exciting fast-paced Rugby 7s version of the game, with competitions for both men and women. Rugby was added to the Olympic program in 2016. Although Rugby has been part of the Olympics previously, it had not been on the program since 1924.

1908 Olympic Games Rugby Match (image source: State Library of NSW)

Past Olympics

Rugby was played at the Olympics in the years 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924. This major team sport had been waiting patiently for their chance to be a part of the world's greatest sporting spectacle again. More about the results of early rugby at the Olympics in the Discontinued Olympic Sports section.

Rio 2016

• The first-ever Rugby 7s gold medal was won by the Australian women's team, beating New Zealand in the final. In the men's competition, Fiji beat Great Britain in the final.
• US Rugby 7s player, and a New England Patriots defensive back, Nate Ebner became the first active NFL player to compete in a Summer Olympic Games.

Significant Player Performances

• The best all-time performing rugby player at the Olympic Games is Fijian Jerry Tuwai who was part of the gold medal winning Fiji rugby 7s team in 2016 and 2021. See more on the Greatest Rugby Players at the Olympics.
• Daniel Carroll won gold in rugby at the 1908 Summer Olympics playing for Australia and also gold while playing for the United States at the 1920 Summer Olympics. He later coached the gold-medal winning USA Rugby team at the 1924 Olympics. See more on the Greatest Rugby Players at the Olympics.

Trivia

• The world's only $7 banknote was released by Fiji to commemorate the rugby-loving nation's first Olympic medal, when its men's rugby sevens team won gold at the 2016 Rio Games.

Related Pages

• POLL: Should Rugby be a sport at the Olympics?
• Rugby, a discontinued Olympic sport
• See more on the Greatest Rugby Players at the Olympics.
• Wheelchair Rugby at the Paralympics
• About the Sport of Rugby

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