The famous sands of Copacabana Beach are set to gain an added attraction this week. On Wednesday 24 June the beach will receive a brand new rugby pitch to join the already present volleyball, football and racquetball areas. The “H” shaped goal posts will be installed on the sand close to where Avenida Princesa Isabel meets Avenida Atlantica, and they will remain in place at least until the 2016 Games, which mark the return of rugby to the Olympic programme after 92 years.
 
The pitch will be officially opened at 9:30am with a friendly match between teams made up of men and women players from Brazil’s national rugby sevens teams. In the afternoon, players will offer rugby workshops for 500 children from schools in the Deodoro region – rugby’s headquarters for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The events mark the launch of World Rugby’s "Impact Beyond" project in Rio de Janeiro, which aims to bring rugby to 1,000 public and private schools in Rio, and reach close to 200,000 students. The Rio de Janeiro project is part of a global effort by rugby’s International Federation to promote the growth of the sport around the world.
 
World Rugby representatives Bernard Lapasset, chairman, and Brett Gosper, CEO, will attend the event, as well as the chairman and the CEO of the Brazilian Rugby Confederation, Sami Arap Sobrinho and Agustin Danza.