The Scottish Rugby Union has announced that the Scottish leg of the IRB World Sevens Series will be moved from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Much to the despair of the Murrayfield hotel which will now face less business, officials are moving the event away from Murrayfield.

The reason why Glasgow is being chosen as the new destination is because many think that the series should be hosted there ahead of the Commonwealth games which will be hosted in the city in 2014. Organisers and council members are now working together to make it happen, especially after the Legacy Sevens Series recently finished in the Glasgow City Sevens at Cartha Queen’s Park. Murrayfield has always been ‘the place’ for rugby events in Scotland these past few years, many feel that the sevens circuit needs a new lease of life as crowds have dwindled and many are no longer interested in it anymore. As many even now consider whether it should be an Olympic sport or not, there will be no moving it from its own birthplace and so now the aim is to try and improve it rather than remove it. With there being two great stands and room for 15,000 people which is enough, rather than the 70,000 that Murrayfield holds, it simply makes sense.

Furthermore, Glasgow and Edinburgh already have huge rivalry so this could be a great factor in increasing interest in the sport again. Many argue if Edinburgh or Glasgow is Scotland’s true first city so this is sure to fuel the debate even more. The union has always talked about wanting to spread the game so Ian believes that this would be the perfect way to do it. If the move is successful, then it may occur next year and the city will be the host for three years of major Sevens Competition before the Games where the sevens may even take place there then too. Ibrox may stage the sevens competition but there is some concern about the possibility of a clash with the Europa League qualifiers. Either way it may look like the luxury Edinburgh hotel  could be out of the pocket. The sevens are heading to Glasgow it seems!