A Point Loma physician and artist was recently selected as a team doctor for the United States team in a sport that will make its first Olympic appearance at the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. Joseph Allen, who has an office on West Point Loma Boulevard, was screened and certified by the U.S. Olympic Committee before flying to Australia for a tournament of rugby sevens, also referred to as rugby 7s. Using only seven players compared to the usual 15, rugby 7s is played on the same size field. Games pass quickly, as there are two halves of only seven minutes each, with a one-minute halftime. “It’s a much faster game,” Allen said, “very athletic and higher-scoring. I saw many fans dressed in costumes having a really great time and making the event a true spectacle.” The Australia event was the first in a series of stops on the HSBC (Bank) Sevens World Series Tour. There were 16 teams entered in the tournament, with points given for overall performance accumulated toward the HSBC Sevens World Series trophy. One of the tour stops will be to Las Vegas from Feb. 10-12. Other tournaments will be held in Dubai, South Africa, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Scotland and England.  The U.S. team is in residence and training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista under head coach Al Caravelli. “This experience was a total blast,” Allen said. “Long days, but a really great experience. The Olympics in Rio is my ultimate goal.” Allen maintains a website of his artwork at www.joesworkshop.com. For more information, visit www.irbsevens.com.