Rugby Sevens World Championship provides testing ground for L.A. 2028 Olympics

Los Angeles Times

05-05-2025

On the Dignity Health Sports Park concourse, a group of men sat with drinks in hand, laughing and soaking in the final day of the Rugby Sevens World Championship. Their trip from Cornwall, in southwest England, to Carson spanned 5,408 miles, all for the sole purpose of cheering on Britain.
Donning custom button-up shirts with matching shorts, they proudly pointed out the emblems pressed onto their kits — symbols of home. Their outfits featured a Union Jack, a classic Cornish mining engine house and scones topped with jam first, then cream — the only proper way, they insisted, while chastising anyone who did it differently, much like their intolerable cousins from the neighboring county of Devon.
The getaway to L.A. wasn't so much a planned excursion as it was a series of phone calls between seven childhood friends, all contingent on getting approval from their wives. Unfortunately, the group was greeted with back-to-back dreary, overcast afternoons instead of the trademark California sunshine. Still, the weather didn't dampen the fun.
'That's what we like about sevens — it goes all day,' said Jason Penprase, referring to the raucous atmosphere and rapid pace. 'It's good that we actually get to see nations that you wouldn't necessarily associate with rugby. ... You get to see other nations come forward and play. ... It's got to be good [for the games]. You're trying to make it a worldwide sport.'
At its core, rugby sevens combines the vibe of a European music festival and Halloween, with the high-impact, frenzied energy of an NFL Sunday. As matches ran concurrently, fans from places as far away as New Zealand flocked to the 27,000-seat stadium in Carson. The result was a vibrant melting pot of cultures, with the two-day tournament providing a preview of what to expect when rugby takes the spotlight at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
This year's tournament, which featured New Zealand winning the women's title and South Africa the men's crown, marked the first time the championship was held on American soil. The event served not only as an Olympic preview for fans, but also as an experience for the players.
For U.S. women's national player Nia Toliver, who grew up just miles from Carson in South Central L.A., the opportunity to compete for a bronze medal near her hometown allowed her mother, siblings and friends to witness her journey up close.
'I played rugby in Japan for a couple of years, and they weren't able to come in and see me play out there, so to have them finally come to a game, and the world championship at that, just means so much,' Toliver said.
Toliver and her teammates are at the forefront of rugby sevens' growing national exposure in the U.S., building on the momentum from the national team's captivating bronze-medal run at the Olympic Games in Paris. Having witnessed the sport's growth since beginning in high school over a decade ago, Toliver was excited by the weekend turnout and the potential for even larger crowds in 2028.
'I'm imagining you'll be like this for, like, 100 fold,' Toliver said with a smile. 'Because when people showed up in Paris, it was ridiculous. So I'm imagining L.A. just spilling out. ... It's so easy to fall in love with, it's like there's no reason for you not to watch.'
Fighting for a bronze against Canada, the U.S. fell short in a 27-7 loss, leaving Toliver deflated. She remains determined, however, to compete for a medal in the Olympics. She was named rookie of the year after the season-ending tournament, and she could be in line to lead the national team in three years.
'Once in a lifetime, it'll be full circle for me,' Toliver said of the prospect of playing in the Olympics.
Much like the Olympic Games, simply being present meant everything for some countries, and nowhere was that more apparent than with Kenya and its fans. Hundreds of supporters, equipped with African drums and miniature flags adorned in black, red and green, claimed a section of the lower bowl, becoming the tournament's most boisterous group. Their chants of 'Let's go Kenya!' and 'Kenya, aye!' in Kiswahili filled the stadium with vibrant energy.
'It's not about winning or losing, it's just about that happiness,' said Ng'ang'a Njenga, who traveled from Seattle. 'We come straight from third-world countries, and when we come and gather like this, have fun, enjoy.'
Armed with a drum by his side, Njenga was dressed in a leopard-print Kenyan garb, with a mohawk painted half white and half black, in honor of Lwanda Magere, a Kenyan folk hero whose powers lay in the shadows.
Njenga was among the many who led the drum section, spilling out from the stands, joined by men's national players Denis Abukuse and Vincent Onyala. Together, they led the charge, dancing in circles to the rhythm of the drums.
'We love this,' Njenga added. 'That emotion, like life, can be good. Let's be happy. It's not about winning or losing in life.'
Players mingling along the walkway, enjoying the festivities, were a common sight. Fans asked Kenya women's captain Grace Adhiambo Okulu for selfies and autographs as she cheered on the men's national team.
'We really work hard to come into L.A. and the experience you're getting from everyone. It's a blessing,' Okulu said. 'Rugby would be fine if the Kenyans were not here. It's an amazing thing that the Kenyans are here, and definitely they're not only supporting Kenya, but any team that is playing.'
The event was not without criticism from fans like Penprase, who stayed in Long Beach with his mates. He pointed out the difficulty of getting around L.A., with constant Uber rides required due to the city's limited public transit options.
Additionally, some U.S. fans took issue with the setup, which featured two pitches — one inside the stadium and another on its outskirts. Fans noted that they missed a men's matchup on the second pitch because of the setup. Multiple pitches are expected to be used during the Olympics, in contrast to the single-stadium setup at Stade de France last year.
Despite a few kinks that might need ironing out, just over 27,000 fans visited over the weekend, according to officials. With growing excitement among attendees, many are already looking ahead to the 2028 Games.
After attending the Paris Games, the Cornishmen are potentially eyeing a return flight to LAX in three years, pending the approval of their better halves, of course.
'Never say never — you never know,' Penprase said, hopeful that the next trip would bring more sunshine.