The adapted game boasts a fast-paced, continuous nature with referees replaced by ‘enjoyment managers’, who actively look to keep the game flowing.

Tackles are replaced by ‘tapples’, and by allowing players to offload after they have been touched VIVA7s creates an atmosphere perfect for building fitness, ball skills and combinations.

That’s what Emus trio Nick Hughes-Clapp, Rob Thorburn and Steve Fergus say anyway.

First graders Hughes-Clapp and Thorburn, along with 2015 recruit and former CSU Bathurst front-row phenom Fergus, are three of the greens who have taken to VIVA7s with aplomb, and they’re encouraging anyone to get involved.

“To be honest before the first week I was just watching Monty Python like I normally do on a Wednesday afternoon, and the boys called me about a ruckus at Endeavour [Oval],” said Hughes-Clapp, also Emus’ club captain.

“I thought I’d head down and see what the hubbub was about. Obviously it’s more for fun, and there is a big number of non-rugby people playing which is great, but it does give us extra work on a lot of elements we can use in the 15-man game.”

“Ball control, support play and working on combinations mainly,” Thorburn added.

“It’s great fun, but it also gives us a chance to work on maintaining depth and support play. It’s good fun too.”

“And it’s pretty good for the fitness too,” Fergus added.

While the men in green are using VIVA7s as extra training, Western NSW participation manager for NSW Rugby, Mark Debrincat, said that shouldn’t deter anyone else from joining the competition.

“With the family-friendly nature of the sport, we believe it will act as a great way to engage the general community in Orange in rugby that is played in a fun and safe environment,” he said.

Numbers have grown substantially from week one to week two, and the VIVA7s competition runs for three more weeks at Endeavour Oval from 6pm on Wednesday nights.

matt.findlay@fairfaxmedia.com.au