Graham, Torrance Refining Company; Sean Graham and Aram Chaparyan, Torrance City Manager.
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which took place at Dignity Health Sports Park. Rugby sevens is a variant of rugby in which teams are made up of seven players playing seven-minute halves, instead of the usual 15 players playing 40-minute halves. Teams from 16 countries competed.
It was the first time I had seen rugby played. It was fun, it was exciting, and it was educational. Rugby is a combination of football and soccer. The first thing I had to learn is the terminology since it was different than any sport I had ever seen. Five points are scored when a player scores a touchdown, called a try. Two points are scored when kicking the points after the touchdown. The ball that they play with has an odd shape and players pass sideways or backwards, not forward.
In addition to watching the games, I enjoyed visiting with those cheering on their teams, looking at the clothes that supported the teams of the different countries and celebrating the diversity among the crowd.
“Discover Torrance, the official Visitors Bureau for Torrance, was thrilled to team with AEG Rugby Sevens to help coordinate all the behind-the-scenes connections – from where to shop, dine, play, and stay in Torrance!
In celebration, Discover Torrance worked with the city to declare the week of August 22nd – 28th, 2022, ‘Rugby Week.’ They teamed with CitiCABLE and other media to garner press; made introductions to local connections to enhance the experience – such as introducing Absolution Brewery, who created a special rugby beer (Ruck & Roll) for this event, to the AEG Rugby coordinators; collaborated with our hotels for Special Rugby Rates, and much more.
Special events like this, in particular, provide Torrance the opportunity to roll out the red carpet for visitors and really show off what our friendly city has to offer. Our goal is to keep ‘em coming back for more,” stated Debbie Hays, Discover Torrance.