HSBC Sevens - Round 8, Singapore

[waiopehu oldboy]

Thought your blokes were gonna do us a huge favour series standing-wise but Fiji somehow conjure up the match-winner. Probably see you in the Plate SF.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Yup, SA 12-7 NZ.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Cup SF: Fiji v South Africa & Argentina v Kenya
Plate SF: Australia v New Zealand & Samoa v France
Bowl SF: England v Scotland & Portugal v USA
Shield SF: Wales v Canada & Japan v Russia

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Just getting my first look at USA's Nate Ebner who's been released by the New England Patriots to have a crack at 7's. Looks like he could be a handy player down the track & must surely have played at least 15's pre-NFL, no-one could pick it up so quickly otherwise.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Bowl SF1: Scots 19-14 Sassenachs. Party at H35's house! SF2: USA 26-0 Portugal.

Shield SF1: Wales 24-22 Canada. SF2: Russia 17-15 Japan who IMO will make a better fist of being a Core team next year than Portugal have this year.

Plate SF in ~25min.

 

[Highlander35]

Bowl SF1: Scots 19-14 Sassenachs. Party at H35's house!

We're so crap. Wish that Glasgow and Edinburgh hadn't had so many injury concerns.

We beat England, but on the basis of the last 3 tournaments, that's nowhere near enough. Hope Hoyland and Jones at least get dropped into the European tournaments, ideally SHC gets a run too if Gavin Lowe (who has been my pick of the 7s boys this year) doesn't get up from his Hong Kong injury.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Plate SF1: NZ 31-7 Straya. Ouch. SF2: Samoa 21-7 France.

 

[wamberal]

Plate SF1: NZ 31-7 Straya. Ouch. SF2: Samoa 21-7 France.

We were lucky to finish second.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Collins Injera has landed a 40m penalty drop-kick on the hooter to put Kenya into the Cup Final.

Cup SF1: Fiji 26-21 SA, SF2: Kenya 15-12 Argentina.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Shield Final: Russia 24-7 Wales. Already six clear of Portugal going into this Leg, it's hard to imagine Russia not retaining their Core team status.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

We're so crap. Wish that Glasgow and Edinburgh hadn't had so many injury concerns.

We beat England, but on the basis of the last 3 tournaments, that's nowhere near enough. Hope Hoyland and Jones at least get dropped into the European tournaments, ideally SHC gets a run too if Gavin Lowe (who has been my pick of the 7s boys this year) doesn't get up from his Hong Kong injury.

HT in the Bowl Final, Scotland 14-0 USA.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Bowl Final: Scotland 14-10 USA.

 

[Highlander35]

HT in the Bowl Final, Scotland 14-0 USA.

Bowl Final: Scotland 14-10 USA.

Good individual results are nice, but consistency is required above all else. 1 top half appearance from 8 tournaments compared to 6 from 9 last season including a 4th place in Wellington is rubbish.

This tournament has been better than most, but still poor.

I'd make 4 changes for Paris. With Edinburgh's season finished, bring in Hoyland, SHC and Watson for Fleming, McClennan and Lyle, and if Lowe isn't fit, get Glasgow to swap Jones for Bryce.

Squad lacks genuine talent (pace, power & passing) and those three would add a bit of each.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Plate Final: Samoa 26-21 NZ & any slim chance we had of taking out the Series just went down the shitter, methinks.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

3rd-place playoff SA 28-0 Argentina.

Fiji win the Final, which they really should & comfortably, that should be the Series in the bag for them.

 

[Highlander35]

Take a bow Kenya. 6 tries to 1, 30-7. Enthralling on A & D. Fabulous result.

 

[Troy]

Fantastic final, well done Kenya. Really enjoyed the semi between SA & Fiji as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Fiji win the Final, which they really should & comfortably, that should be the Series in the bag for them.

Well at least I was half right: smoked in the Final but now have an almost unassailable Series lead, they'd have to crash & burn in both remaining Legs to not win it from here:

147 Fiji
139 South Africa
135 New Zealand
115 Australia

Full listing:

http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/standings

 

[galumay]

I have Kiwi & Japanese friends staying with us at the moment, so its been a pretty intense weekend with the Super Rugby & the Sevens!

One thing we were in unison on was cheering the underdogs, Kenya, on against the flying Fijians - so we were all rapt to see the Kenyans out Fiji, Fiji with a wonderful performance for their first cup victory! Another fantastic tournament.

 

[Omar Comin']

What a great result. Kenya are inconsistent but are one of the few teams that can match Fiji for size and athleticism and they really dominated physically in that final. The Kenyan President even tweeted that he will host the team upon their return home!