DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( CNN ) -- Just stepping into the stadium you can feel the electric atmosphere . Die-hard rugby fan or not , it is thrilling . Tens of thousands of people who have journeyed into the desert to see history being made are in full voice . Rugby fans get into the party spirit by dressing up - this time as smurfs . Last week 's IRB Rugby Sevens World Cup in Dubai lived up to the sport 's unpredictable reputation , with surprises and upsets at every turn . The 78,000 people who ignored the global credit crunch to attend were well rewarded , with Wales lifting the Melrose Cup for the first time . They had never reached a final in any Sevens international rugby tournament but the young squad , who have only been together for two years , can now add their names to the list of English , New Zealand and Fijian stars who have won the world cup in the shortened version of the game . But Sevens , which is bidding for inclusion in the 2016 Olympics , is as much about the spectacle as the play . Dubai did not disappoint . Rugby Sevens has seven players per side compared to the standard 15 in traditional rugby , and is played over two halves of seven minutes apiece as opposed to 40 minutes per half in traditional matches . As a result a Sevens tournament can be played in just a few days , while traditional rugby tournaments may last a month . The result is a fast-paced game that witnesses frequent upsets and a sport that prides itself on creating a party atmosphere . In Dubai , fans dressed as Smurfs , British guards , cavemen and Umpa Lumpas -- the little orange men from `` Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . '' Standing by the sidelines wearing my Hong Kong rugby shirt and euphorically cheering on my home team when they scored their only try against England was an amazing experience . `` Sevens rugby is a sport in which any country can become good at , any country can play against the big boys such as New Zealand , England , '' said Hong Kong player John Gbenda-Charles . `` Playing in a Sevens World Cup is a dream come true . '' The spectacular opening ceremony came to life with dancers , acrobats , balloons and , yes , camels . The stadium 's design -- with its wide walkway between the stands and pitch -- gave the tournament a relaxed feel , allowing people to stand on the sidelines as opposed to being kept at a distance in the stands . Fans were so close they could almost touch the players . The informal atmosphere also led many families to bring along their children to enjoy the event . Every upset at last week 's tournament was ferociously cheered . Kenya shocked Fiji -- regularly winners on the Sevens circuit -- in the quarterfinals as the vocal crowd pushed them to hold on . Their own fans danced in T-shirts with the image of U.S. President Barack Obama . The event was broadcast to a record 200 hundred countries , with women 's teams included in the world cup for the first time . The women 's final featured a showdown between traditional rugby nations New Zealand and Australia . Overtime was needed for Australia to claim victory . It is the sport 's reputation for fun , entertainment and growing reach which supporters point to as they aspire for Olympic recognition . Sevens is competing against baseball , softball , golf , karate , squash and roller-sports for one of two new spots at the 2016 games , and IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset believes it has an edge . `` Having the likes of Thailand , Brazil , China and Uganda competing with New Zealand , England , Spain and France in a Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament is a very exciting development for the game , '' Lapasset said , according to a report to the international rugby board ( IRB ) . Zheng Hongjun , coach of the Chinese women 's side which won the bowl ( a secondary prize in the women 's competition ) , said their victory was a breakthrough for them and the sport . `` It is very important because rugby is not as popular as other sports such as table tennis and Olympic sports , '' Zheng said on the IRB 's Web site .
Rugby Sevens is bidding to be included in the 2016 Olympics . The recent world cup in Dubai proved just how popular the sport is becoming . Australia won their first major title , one of a number of upsets .