Yesterday at Twickenham was a welcome relief - an uplifting day out and a palpable contrast with that maiden experience, writes Andrew Alderson.

The New Zealand women's sevens side took a crucial step in pursuit of Olympic glory by becoming the first team, outside automatic host qualifiers Brazil, to register a spot at next year's Games.

The All Blacks Sevens are heading to the Rio Olympics next year.

The All Blacks Sevens side has qualified for next year's Rio Olympics after finishing runner-up to Fiji in the final of the Glasgow Sevens.

The New Zealand women's sevens side has virtually sealed Olympic qualification after dispatching Russia 29-10 in yesterday's Canada 7s Cup final in Langford to clinch their fourth consecutive event....

Think about a sevens wish-list for next year's Olympics... Is there is room for a raid of All Black talent in a 12-man team for Rio?

In the very heartland of football, Premiership Rugby and the British Council are introducing the oval-ball game.

There is a logjam at the top of the Sevens World Series log after Fiji gave another rousing display to dispatch the All Blacks Sevens in the Hong Kong Cup final.

The two forms have drifted apart in the past five years to the extent there's little commonality between them.

When Lavinia Gould wakes, her eyes concentrate on the message on her bedroom wall. Under the Olympic rings 2016 she has written "black jersey" on a piece of A3 paper.

The All Blacks Sevens are closing the gap on World Series leaders South Africa, but Gordon Tietjens' men will be licking their wounds after defeat to Fiji in yesterday's Las Vegas Cup final.

Speedster Portia Woodman broke a tense final deadlock and Australia's resistance as the New Zealand women won the latest sevens tournament in Brazil.

New Zealand have been dealt a tough pool for this weekend's Sevens World Series tournament in Las Vegas.

NZ defended their Sevens Wellington crown and jumped to second in the overall standings on the world series after beating England in last night's final.

Police say a booze clampdown, good-natured party-goers and lower crowd numbers have made for a hassle-free Sevens so far.

They came for the costumes, the crowds and the carnival-like atmosphere - but not all, it seems, came to watch the rugby.