22 left in the third quarter.She really came in and set the tone, Schaefer

Brian ODriscoll believes Olympics fever can eventually catapult Rugby Sevens onto a par with the 15-man game.Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions captain ODriscoll has tipped Sevens to one day sit alongside rugbys traditional format.Sevens will make its Olympic debut in the summers Rio Games and a new report highlighting rugbys future predicts rapid growth for the sports short format incarnation in the next 10 years. Banking giants HSBC and strategic planning consultancy The Futures Company have published The Future of Rugby, a report predicting the sports global participation to double in the next decade.With the market and the eyes that will see Sevens for the first time because of the Olympics, the sport has the potential for exponential growth, said ODriscoll.Sevens should grow into new areas, places in Asia like China, to grow far more in the United States as well.It can grow alongside the 15s game, I dont think it will replace it, but I definitely think it has the scope to be as big as the 15s game is currently. Simon Amor looks ahead to the Hong Kong stop of the HSBC World Sevens Series Global governing body World Rugby rates rugby unions current worldwide participation figures at 7.2 million. This new report projects that figure climbing to 15m by 2026.Women are also expected to account for 40 per cent of the worlds active rugby players in 10 years time.The coaching mastermind of Englands 2003 World Cup triumph Sir Clive Woodward has branded Sevens as rugbys sleeping giant in the report, while former dual-code star Jason Robinson predicted rugby league players may in future convert specifically to Sevens as opposed to simply rugby union.ODriscoll won 141 Test caps across 15 years with Ireland and the Lions but despite his numerous accolades he now admits pangs of jealousy seeing current top stars chasing the Olympic dream.The report claims Sevens could even boast franchise-based short tournaments in 10 years, creating rugbys answer to crickets Indian Premier League (IPL) or Australias Big Bash. Could Sevens become rugbys answer to Twenty20? ODriscoll believes Sevens must still prove its global appeal in Rio before realising such lofty aims, but admitted to excitement at the notion of a fast-growing discipline that could offer rugby an equivalent to crickets increasingly popular Twenty20 concept.Im not a cricket connoisseur by any stretch but its hard not to like Twenty20, its exciting and fast, said ODriscoll. Its exactly what Sevens rugby is delivering - its fast, its exciting and it creates a huge party atmosphere.I think theres definitely potential for that. We have to get by the first Olympics first though.Im very excited about seeing rugby in the Olympics, but we have to just allow it to evolve afterwards. Quade Cooper scored his first Sevens try against England in Las Vegas New Zealands World Cup-winning centre Sonny Bill Williams and Australia fly-half Quade Cooper are just two superstars from 15s bidding to make the Sevens switch in time for the Olympics.Assimilating into Sevens lung-busting fitness and tactical nuance have not proved plain sailing for the Test stars aiming to make the conversion, and ODriscoll believes that only underscores the formats strength.The carrot of an Olympic gold later this year, thats luring a number of players from the 15s game, said ODriscoll. Sonny Bill returns for NZ All Blacks star is fighting fit after a knee injury Sonny Bill is unique in trying to cover every sport and medal going. So you wouldnt bet against him being in the mix with the All Blacks come August.Not all of those players coming from 15s have slotted in seamlessly. Its a different type of athlete, fitness and skill set and understanding of how the game works.Probably a lot of Sevens players have had a wry smile on their faces when theyve seen some 15s players not having a seamless transition across. The big names arent certainties within their national squads because of the quality of players who are already there. And thats a great thing too.The profile of players coming from 15s is brilliant. But it puts in perspective just how good these Sevens players are.Watch the Hong Kong Sevens live on Sky Sports this weekend, starting on Friday at 5.50am on Sky Sports 2 HD.Also See:WATCH: Amor eyes Hong Kong successWilliams back for New ZealandEngland Womens travel blogRugby on SkyHONOLULU -- Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer used 13 players, and each of them scored. It was that kind of night for the Bulldogs.Jacaira Allen scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half, and No. 7 Mississippi State beat San Jose State 88-51 on Saturday in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown.Allen was 7 for 9 from the field in 15 minutes. The reserve also had two assists and two rebounds.I liked my bench tonight. I thought they came in and played really well, Schaefer said. It was a good win. I thought our athleticism and quickness really dominated the game defensively.The Bulldogs (6-0) never trailed and led by as many as 39 points. Teaira McCowan, a 6-foot-7 sophomore center, added nine points and 16 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.The Spartans (2-4) were held to their second-lowest scoring output of the season and shot just 37 percent from the field.San Jose State had 24 turnovers, leading to 35 points for Mississippi State.Thats what we try to do: disrupt you and not let you run what you want to run, Schaefer said.Jasmine Smith had nine points for San Jose State, which was outrebounded 58-28 by the Bulldogs.We wanted to compete against them and force them to make adjustments and, for the most part, and I thought we did that, San Jose State coach Jamie Craighead said. We knew we were going to give up size on our offensive end. It was really difficult. Our players had to battle a lot and it took its toll. We just looked really fatigued.BIG PICTUREMississippi State: One day after a 14-turnover game against Oregon, the Bulldogs took better care of the basketball.ddddddddddddThey committed 13 turnovers against San Jose State, but just three in the first half before emptying the bench in the third and fourth quarters.San Jose State: The Spartans first-quarter struggles continued against the Bulldogs. They were outscored 21-12 in the opening period Saturday and have been outscored 124-82 in the first quarter through their first six games.TURNING POINTHallie Gennetts deep 3-pointer from the right wing with 5:34 left in the second quarter cut Mississippi States lead to 26-20. The Bulldogs then closed out the half with a 12-2 run.ROLE PLAYERReserve guard Jazzmun Holmes spurred the Bulldogs second-half defensive effort. She had a pair of steals that led to transition layups that was part of a 6-0 run that stretched Mississippi States lead to 55-31 with 4:22 left in the third quarter.She really came in and set the tone, Schaefer said. Her energy is just really, really good and to see her come in and kind of energize my team was a big piece of what I thought allowed us to be successful in the second half.UP NEXTMississippi State will take on tournament host Hawaii on Sunday. It will mark the first time the Bulldogs and Rainbow Wahine have faced off.San Jose State returns to the court Sunday against Oregon, which has won 10 of 12 meetings against the Spartans. SJSU has lost five straight in the series since its last win over the Ducks, 68-62 on Feb. 14, 1986. ' ' '