Dublin – Ireland, June 19, 2013: Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be out of this world in more ways than one. The tournament, which takes place from June 28-30 at the famous Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, is set to deliver superb entertainment on and off the field, blending the best men’s and women’s Rugby Sevens on the planet with international bands as part of a cultural festival that is already taking the Russian capital by storm.
The theme of ‘New Frontiers’, the RWC Sevens 2013 festival is set to take the Game to fresh pastures, looking to the future while also embracing Rugby’s rich heritage.
Headlining the music festival will be French electronica band Space, which has been a popular visitor to Moscow since the late 1970s. As part of the show, there will be a number of surprise elements consistent with the theme and embracing Russia’s proud tradition of space exploration and cosmonautics.
“Moscow’s sports fans are in for a real treat during RWC Sevens 2013. Not only do they get to watch the world’s greatest Rugby Sevens players perform on the global stage but they will also have the chance to experience a unique international music and cultural festival at a truly iconic venue,” said RWCL Chairman Bernard Lapasset.
“Never before have we taken such a high-profile tournament to a new territory such as Russia. It is a demonstration of our commitment to grow the Game beyond its usual heartlands and it is exciting for Rugby that Sevens is growing so rapidly in popularity that places such as Moscow are realistic hosts for our major events,” he said.
The festival continues with a host of Rugby Sevens tournaments running parallel to the main event and several of the outside pitches at the Luzhniki complex will host competitive Rugby involving elite men, elite women, youths, students and veterans. It will be a memorable event for all involved and one that will provide a lasting legacy of participation for players and spectators alike.
In total there will be 11 tournaments taking place around the RWC Sevens involving 130 teams from all over Russia and further afield with more than 2,000 players of all ages, shapes and sizes taking part.
A Rugby village will be in place at Luzhniki also with food tents, innovative fan interaction stands and plenty of entertainment for all the family.
It is a special occasion for Space, too, who will be avidly watching the Rugby action during the three-day tournament.
Space frontman Didier Marouani said: “This is a great honour for me. I am proud to be invited to the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 for different reasons. I love all sports and Rugby in particular so it will be great to see the best teams in the world taking part in what will be a closely fought and very intense tournament.”
“June 29 will be a very important anniversary for me and my band as it will be 30 years to the day since we last appeared at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. That was a great tour for us in 1983, where we played 21 concerts in front of more than 600,000 in Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev in what was then the USSR.”
“For this anniversary concert on June 29 at Luzhniki there will be a lot of surprises with a world premiere, some spectacular special effects and a new show laser. I invite everyone who likes our music to come and celebrate this special day with us at this world-class Rugby tournament.
“I know already through my Facebook pages than a lot of people from Russia and other nearby republics will come to our concert. I believe that sport and music fit very well together and I am looking forward to seeing you all in Moscow.”
In addition to Space, a number of popular Russian bands have also been booked to play at the festival, giving spectators a unique chance to experience a sporting and cultural extravaganza.
About RWC Sevens:
Three years out from Rugby Sevens’ Olympic Games debut in Rio de Janeiro, this showcase event will provide a compelling indication of form for the world’s top Rugby Sevens nations and underscore the ever-increasing global competitiveness in both men’s and women’s Sevens.
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby Sevens competition contested by the men’s and women’s national sevens teams every four years.
The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the birthplace of Rugby Sevens, and the 2013 edition will be the sixth in the tournament’s history.
Wales are the current men’s world champions having won the tournament in Dubai in 2009 with Australia taking the inaugural women’s title at that event.
Fiji has won the men’s tournament twice with New Zealand and England also having won the title. The men’s winner is awarded the Melrose Cup, named after the Scottish town where Rugby Sevens was first played.
This year, there will be 24 men’s teams and 16 women’s competing across three days in two venues at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex in the Russian capital.
About Space:
Space is an electronic music band from the city of Marseille in France. Founded in 1977 by Didier Marouani, Roland Romanelli, and Jannick Top, their first three albums, Magic Fly, Deliverance and Just Blue, sold more than 12 million copies. They are considered one of the most notable artists of the space disco music scene, and early pioneers of notable post-disco subgenres of electronica. They have influenced such artists as Jean-Michel Jarre, De La Soul and Daft Punk.
In 2010, Space released their latest album, From Earth to Mars, and was part of a reunion for the band. The last track of this album, Message of Peace From Earth To Mars, features recorded samples of Yuri Gagarin’s 1961 journey into space and is itself a tribute to 50 years of human space exploration. —- IRB
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