The International Rugby Board was one of seven world governing bodies to present to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Programme Commission in Lausanne on Friday.
The presentation is part of Rugby's ongoing bid for re-inclusion into the Olympic Games programme for 2016, alongside squash, karate, golf, roller sports, baseball and softball, and current IRB Player of the Year Bryan Habana was part of the team addressing the IOC.
"Like many of the world's top rugby players, I started my career on the IRB Sevens circuit," South Africa wing Habana said.
"It gave us an experience of test rugby at its highest level and some wonderful memories. Sevens is a fast and exciting game. It requires speed, skill and lots of strength, it delivers excitement, great games and an incredible atmosphere."
Of course winning the Rugby World Cup last year has been the highlight of Habana's career to date, but since the Springboks success in France the speedster has come to realise the true extent of Rugby's appeal.
The global appeal of Rugby
"In South Africa we became heroes to a new generation, but our victory was global and I've received messages from all over the world," he said.
"There's only one that's missing for us now - the Olympic Games. The Rugby World Cup provides us with a platform, but it lacks the unique status of the Olympic Games, the cameraderie of being part of a national team with athletes from many different sports, of being part of the world's greatest sporting event.
"I've spoken with many of my fellow players and everyone agrees that playing at the Olympics would be an amazing experience. We would all be there, we'd be proud to be able to call ourselves Olympians."
It is understood that the IOC Programme Commission will now make recommendations to the IOC Executive Board, which may then make further recommendations to the IOC Congress next October. Following those deliberations, up to two sports may or may not be admitted to the Games programme.
A good story to tell
"We have a good story to tell," said IRB Chief Executive Mike Miller. "Rugby Sevens is fast and exciting, it has a young and demographically upmarket fan base and the fans travel so there's no question that we'd be able to fill a stadium over two or three days.
LISTEN TO MIKE MILLER ON TOTAL RUGBY >>
"The top athletes have said that they would be there. At the Commonwealth Games we sold out the stadium, it's in the Asian Games, it's now in the Pan-American Games and is going to be in the All-African Games and we think it will work very well in the Olympic Games as well.
"It's a long process and there's a lot involved. There are six other sports who think that they have just as good a story as us, so we'll see."
