OLYMPIC GOLDEN GIRL WELCOMES RUGBY 7S TO THE GOLD COAST

November 5: International Rugby Sevens - the latest addition to the 2016 Olympic Games  - was today officially welcomed onto the Gold Coast and who better to roll out the white sands than local Olympic golden girl Emma Snowsill.

Snowsill, fully recovered from a hip injury which ruled her out of this year's World Triathlon Championship decider, rubbed shoulders with members of the visiting Samoan Virgin Blue Islanders at Nobbys Beach.

The Samoans, along with Michael O'Connor's Aussie Spirit, are the first to arrive for this weekend's inaugural Hyperion Gold Coast International 7's tournament at Albert Park, Surfers Paradise.

And the Samoans have made it clear they are here to provide as much entertainment for the local crowd and as much support as they can to the victims of the recent tsunami which caused so much devastation and loss of life in Samoa.

They announced that any prizemoney they win (and it is $20,000 to the winner) will be donated to the Tsunami Appeal.

The two-day Rugby extravaganza has attracted 16 men's teams from around Australia and the Pacific Islands and five women's teams - just a month after Rugby 7s was anointed as the newest Olympic sport.

And the Samoans have already left a lasting impression on Snowsill - who at 49kg is less than half the weight of hefty Samoan legend Brian Lima, who hoisted the little whippet into the air like a rag doll.

"They're big boys aren't they?" commented Snowsill, who returned from Beijing last year with Australia's first gold medal in Olympic triathlon.

"It's great to see sports like Rugby Sevens added to the Olympic program and to have some of the best players in the world here is fantastic.

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"I remember when triathlon first came into the Olympics in Sydney 2000 and just how exciting it was and even three Olympics in and we still feel like we're the new kids on the block.

"The Rugby boys being in a team situation will be fantastic - I bet they can't wait. They will be so excited I'm sure and 2016 may sound like a long way off but it will come around pretty quick.

"It was lovely to meet them and talk about the differences in our sports and I wish them all the best for this weekend's tournament and as they prepare for 2016."

Snowsill, a great ambassador for the Gold Coast, triathlon and the Olympic movement, swapped stories with one of Samoa's greats in Lima - a five-time Samoan World Cup legend and English Sevens maestro Ben Gollings, rising Samoan star Morgan Salesa and coach Etu Tusitala.

Gollings, who has played for England in the IRB Sevens over the last decade, has been one of the driving forces behind getting the tournament to the Gold Coast.

"The Gold Coast has everything Sevens represents - it's a fun place, it's sport loving, it's got fantastic beaches and it's a destination people want to come to," said Gollings.

"And to have the Samoan boys here thanks to Virgin Blue is very special indeed - they love their rugby and each and every one of them have in some way been affected by the tragedy of the tsunami.

"The prizemoney they win will all go to the tsunami appeal which is a great gesture but one that is very close to their hearts."

Gollings said anyone coming to Albert Park this weekend will not be disappointed - they will be in for a great two days of champagne rugby.

"It is going to be a lot of fun - Rugby 7s is a game based on speed and agility and to be able to showcase the game on the Gold Coast so soon after it has been added to the Olympics is fantastic," said Gollings.

And the teams to beat?

"In the men I think you have to look out for the Samoan Virgin Blue Islanders, the Australian boys at home, the South Sea Island Drifters and even Papua New Guinea with "the wizard" Waisale Serevi in charge of their preparation," said Gollings.

"The women's tournament will see the star studded Sydney Women start favourite with Wallaroos combination of captain Cheryl Soon, IRB Player of the Year Debby Hodgkinson and recent addition Kristy Giteau, sister of Wallaby Matt in their team."

The tournament kicks off on Saturday at 9am with pool games played through the day with the finals kicking off at 3pm on Sunday and featuring the Cup final at 5.30pm.