‘Offside test’ no longer a reliable instrument of rugby knowledge
Kenny shares some insights gained from his travels around Hong Kong Stadium on the final day of the Sevens
My colleague Tim Noonan averred on Sunday that the attraction of rugby for many female spectators is in large part to do with watching physically fit men run about.
His thesis was supported by comments from one interviewee, a girl named Jessica (not her real name), who referred in glowing to terms to the "specimens" on show.
It is hoped none of the players read the column - the objectification of men is a serious issue and can be very damaging to male self-esteem.
It got me thinking about the levels of actual rugby fandom at the Sevens, though. My own observations tell me that sections of the audience have little interest in rugby and come primarily to ogle each other.
With this in mind, it seemed to me the best way to further probe these very pressing questions would be via what was referred to as the offside test: asking women to explain how the offside rule works.
It is widely accepted that offside in football is quite beyond female comprehension.