Aussie 7s - a new journey.

[Rothschild]

Jason is a lot bigger in that clip than I remember but gee he has some skills. Obviously O'Connor believes the same.
I wouldn't expect Moraghan to play too much 's as i think he is now on a full time Reds contract.
Jonno Lance was never that fast, just agood steady flyhalf and 12.

I have heard that the Brumbies are entering a side in the Darwin 7's on 22/23rd January. They have some pretty handy backs and loosies there and could have an impact.

 

[Lee Grant]

As I see it, a major reason why the national Sevens selectors have been systematically raiding Sydney Uni's playing stocks for the past couple of years is because of their superior physical conditioning. Uni players have a fitness base which means they can very quickly adapt to a professional playing environment. Nick Phipps is obviously a case in point.

Not too long ago I would have laughed at this as being Uni propaganda but no longer. For the same reason a Uni lad could get precedence for a Super academy contract over a similar player from another Sydney club.

I'll say it again: if nothing else changes in Sydney club rugby, having a couple more Sydney Uni type clubs would be a good step. Having a university helps but it's not the only reason why young players go to the Sydney Uni club.

 

[TOCC]

So what are the other teams doing that we dont holding onto their squad?

Its moreso a case of the ARU targetting development/academy players, all the players have been identified as SuperRugby material, they might be just a year off from reaching that though.

Also South African and English players are on full contracts, Australia is not. Someone indicated Australian 7's players are on $20k/year, i think the minimum Super Rugby wage is closer to $70'000, so not much incentive to stay with the 7's circuit.

This will inevitably change in the future..

 

[observer]

This is how seriously NZ take their rugby sevens. Their coach Gordon Tietjens has beaten Graham Henry for the coach of the year. Despite Henry's good record in 2010 winning the TN and an undefeated tour to the UK it wasn't enough. Perhaps they want him to win a world cup? Lol - we know that won't happen!

Gordon Tietjens named NZ's coach of the year

New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has been named the New Zealand Rugby Union Coach of the Year.

Tietjens was recognised for guiding his team to a fourth consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal.

He headed off a field which included All Black coach Graham Henry, New Zealand Under 20s coach Dave Rennie, New Zealand Maori coach Jamie Joseph and Black Ferns coach Brian Evans.

Kieran Read was named the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year in New Zealand for the first time at the Steinlager Rugby Awards.

Read pipped two of his Crusaders and All Blacks team mates – 2010 IRB Player of the Year, Richie McCaw, and dual international Brad Thorn – to collect the award, which was presented by Pam Tremain and the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon John Key, in Auckland.

In another close contest, the Black Ferns emerged as the adidas Team of the Year after collecting their fourth successive IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup title in England in September.

It was the first time the team has won this prestigious award which was presented by the Minister for Rugby World Cup and Sport and Recreation, the Hon Murray McCully.

Try-scoring sensation Carla Hohepa took the Women’s Player of the Year reflecting her try-scoring exploits for the Black Ferns which had earlier earned her the IRB Women’s Personality of the Year award.

 

[en_force_er]

Observer, it must get boring giving Henry the award every year. It's probably as much mixing it up as anything else.