World rugby chiefs have declared the sport's reintroduction to the Olympics a success after fans at Deodoro Stadium made Thursday's final day of the Rio 2016 competition a noisy and colorful affair.
Rugby returned to the Olympics this week in its shortened sevens format after a 92-year absence, with the game's governing body hoping to introduce the sport to a wider global audience and tap into new markets.
Patchy crowds, strong winds and a tournament-ending injury to star attraction Sonny Bill Williams in New Zealand's opening game threatened to spoil the party, but World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper believes the positives have outweighed the negatives and hopes to capitalize on this week's gains.