This week we caught up with a Chinese rugby expert who also has the advantage of still having a lingering taste of the Olympics after the Beijing Games 2008.

Chinese sevens teams have been doing pretty well in recent years, the men's team is top 3 in Asia, and the women's team are Asian champions. The girls also won 9th place at the Dubai Sevens World Cup 2009.

Our expert Ma Xiaomeng who signed the petition as number 49090 works for a rugby website called chinarfl.com. The website is an important platform for Chinese rugby fans and players and provides them with up-to-date rugby news, and multimedia content.

China of course is very much a development country as far as rugby goes, but we all know what the proud nation is capable of when it comes to sports and Olympic achievements.

Olympic-rugby.org: How good do you think the chances are rugby will convince the Olympic decision makers?

Ma Xiaomeng : I think there is a great chance, more than 90% that rugby will enter Olympic Games. I am very sure about it. First of all, rugby is in accordance with the Olympic spirit, as rugby is a game where teamwork and bravery are crucial. Secondly, rugby’s inclusion in the Olympic Games, will be a win-win situation for everyone. As far as National Olympic Committees goes, rugby offers gold-medal chances to everyone, not only the traditional sport-superpowers.

And for the Olympic Games, rugby may bring in mass exposure and higher audience ratings worldwide, so the commercial interest of the IOC will be well-ensured. For the game of rugby, the return to the Olympics will be an excellent opportunity for future wordwide development, and it will definitely raise the popularity of the game.

OR: Where do you see rugby in say 2020, should it get included in the 2016 Olympics?

MX: I foresee a boom of rugby. If our sport makes its way into the Olympics, the popularity of the game should be raised, and there will be more teams to challenge the supremacy of rugby-strongholds like NZ, South Africa and Fiji. I also believe Asian teams will compete better in international matches, and the world rankings, which will all help improved the status of rugby in the Olympics.

OR: How do you think will rugby in China change should the Olympic bid be successful?

MX: As a minor sport in China, rugby is really far away from being popular. If the Olympic bid is successful, I think there will be a drastic turn in the current situation. China will put emphasis on rugby, both officially and non-officially. After rugby goes Olympic, the official side will definitely increase the funds of rugby-development in China, and the game will attract more and more youngsters. The athletes will also train hard to chase their Olympic dreams.

OR: Finally, with Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago bidding to host 2016, which of the cities would you most like to travel to, to watch Olympic rugby and why?

MX: It’s really hard for me to pick a favourite, but after the Beijing celebrations, I’d like to see the Olympics go back to Asia again. So I’ll choose Tokyo. It is much closer to China, I also think the broadcast audience-ratings will be much higher. I think it would be a good choice for the world-wide development of rugby as well.