Wellngton 7's: 28 & 29 January

[waiopehu oldboy]

Unnecessary NZ pass goes astray, Argentina score: FT Argentina 19-12 NZ.

 

[zer0]

You can tell they're really scraping the bottom of the talent barrel with most of the NZ Sevens squad. Convincing one player from each of the franchises to join the programme would be a good way of quickly alleviating the problem, were the NZRU ever to take the programme seriously.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

HT Scotland 14-12 Canada: hang in there H35, Glory awaits!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Fleming with the match-winner, Scotland 28-22 Canada.

 

[Highlander35]

Is this love that I'm feeling!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Lutumailagi burns Senatla for the opening try, Fiji go a man down for a really, really dumb dangerous tackle & Senatla makes them pay: HT SA 7-5 Fiji.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

SA score twice straight after HT then Nel removes what little doubt remained:
FT SA 26-5 Fiji.

 

[I like to watch]

Australia played crap yesterday, but it doesn't help when pooled against Fiji and South Africa the two best teams in the tournament this weekend..

A lot gets made about the passing and support play skills by the Australians, but i reckon their defence is one do the weakest aspects, I'd love to see the number of tackles missed and their tackle success rate.

Compared to South Africa, their defence is their best attack, they defend like demons, force turnovers and counter attack effectively.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I agree, except don't compare them to SA compare them to Canada.
That's the game he seems to be imitating.
We are a fair way from doing it as well as the Canadians.

 

[Rebels3]

Not to mention the fact that China already hosts a leg. It's called "Hong Kong".

I think you'll find that Hong Kong is an autonomous territory under the rule of China, similar to how Scotland and Wales are part of the greater U.K. Add to that world rugby formally recognizes both china and Hong Kong as seperate entities.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Standings & series points heading to Sydney next week:

1. South Africa 63
2. Fiji 51
3. England 49
4. Scotland 44
5. New Zealand 39
6. Wales 30
7. France 28
8= Australia 25
8= Argentina 25
8= Kenya 25

 

[Highlander35]

Yay

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ you're top seed in Pool C for Sydney, alongside NZ, Straya & PNG.

Women's competition - 3 & 4 February

Standings & points:

1. New Zealand 20
2. Australia 18
3. Russia 16
4. England 14
5. Fiji 12
6. Canada 10

Full standings:

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

Pools:

Pool A: New Zealand, Canada, France, Papua New Guinea
Pool B: Australia, Fiji, Ireland, Brazil
Pool C: Russia, England, Spain, USA

Draw:

http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series/stage/1720/fixtures

Men's competition - 4 & 5 February

Standings & points:

1. South Africa 63
2. Fiji 51
3. England 49
4. Scotland 44
5. New Zealand 39
6. Wales 30

Full standings:

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

Pools:

Pool A: South Africa, England, Kenya, Japan
Pool B: Fiji, France, Wales, Samoa
Pool C: Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea
Pool D: Canada, Argentina, USA, Russia

Draw:

http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/stage/1687/fixtures

Note that I'm in SEQ so if you live South of the Tweed my "Your Time" is an hour behind your "Your Time". Hopefully they'll fix it as they did for the women's comp.

 

[Highlander35]

I would like a top 6 series finish, and in an ideal world, another 1st place.

But AFAIK, Wellington is now our 2nd best result ever too, so we're pretty good on that side. Hope Shug gets fit soon, and maybe Jones can get a run after the 6 Nations, just to continue building the squad.

 

[wamberal]

I think you'll find that Hong Kong is an autonomous territory under the rule of China, similar to how Scotland and Wales are part of the greater U.K. Add to that world rugby formally recognizes both china and Hong Kong as seperate entities.

Maybe they do now, but are you aware that in 2047 Hong Kong's "special" status changes. Frankly, what World Rugby thinks does not matter. What China thinks is what matters. And my guess is that the PRC would probably not be too happy were Hong Kong to be seen as other than an integral part of the nation.

 

[Rebels3]

Maybe they do now, but are you aware that in 2047 Hong Kong's "special" status changes. Frankly, what World Rugby thinks does not matter. What China thinks is what matters. And my guess is that the PRC would probably not be too happy were Hong Kong to be seen as other than an integral part of the nation.

That's 30 years away. A lot can happen it that time. 30 years ago the Soviet Union was still around, apartheid was in South Africa leading to their exclusion from the sporting world, Germany was split East and West and Italy had a bigger economy than China. A lot can and will happen between now and then.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Organisers sticking to their story of "about 20K" attendance over the two days (ain't it funny how they can tell EXACTLY how many turned up for an AB Test or a Super Rugby match but can only estimate a 7's crowd?). The corporate boxes must've been absolutely jam-packed & there must've also been thousands of other people at any given time out of camera shot: toilets, food & beverage lines, on the concourse having a smoke, maybe over the road or down Queens Wharf having a triple caramel latte etc etc...........

I'd say they'd be lucky to have had 5K in the stands & maybe another 1,000-1,500 in the boxes etc on each day, say 12-15K total. 20K is just fantasy IMO.

The usual noises are being made about conducting a review in the next 2-3 weeks, talking to partners & stakeholders, blah blah fuckin' blah, results out in March. If no other NZ centre is willing to take it on next year, take it offshore 'cos it's dead in the water & frankly an embarrassment to NZ Rugby.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The crowd that I saw in the stands, both days, would comfortably fit in my 30 sq m back yard.

 

[I like to watch]

You can tell they're really scraping the bottom of the talent barrel with most of the NZ Sevens squad. Convincing one player from each of the franchises to join the programme would be a good way of quickly alleviating the problem, were the NZRU ever to take the programme seriously.

That's the same barrel Tietjens was recruiting from.

Yes, you need talent, but you need someone with a clue to identify,then foster that talent.
Welcome to our world of pain.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

You can tell they're really scraping the bottom of the talent barrel with most of the NZ Sevens squad. Convincing one player from each of the franchises to join the programme would be a good way of quickly alleviating the problem, were the NZRU ever to take the programme seriously.

The only problem with that is it requires either the players to take a significant pay cut, or you've gotta pay every one the 20-odd contracted players a Super Rugby salary.

I doubt NZRU has the spare cash for that right now, but if the Lions tour brings in the predicted revenue & they can somehow get some extra leverage out of the increased interest in the game now it's an Olympic sport, it may be possible in the next 2-3 years.

You're right, tho, if we're gunna be a top-three team consistently we need access to better players & we just have to have a full-time, centralised training facility such as SGT advocated & the new guy is now talking about.

 

[zer0]

That's the same barrel Tietjens was recruiting from.

Yes, you need talent, but you need someone with a clue to identify,then foster that talent.
Welcome to our world of pain.

We have plenty of people to identify and foster talent. But they're all working for the franchises and now gobble up players straight out of high school. Used to be that Tietjens would get these guys for a few years before the franchises, as they would recruit based largely on NPC performances.

The only problem with that is it requires either the players to take a significant pay cut, or you've gotta pay every one the 20-odd contracted players a Super Rugby salary.

I doubt NZRU has the spare cash for that right now, but if the Lions tour brings in the predicted revenue & they can somehow get some extra leverage out of the increased interest in the game now it's an Olympic sport, it may be possible in the next 2-3 years.

You're right, tho, if we're gunna be a top-three team consistently we need access to better players & we just have to have a full-time, centralised training facility such as SGT advocated & the new guy is now talking about.

I think the NZRU will find the money. I never agreed with it, but they've extended the All Blacks brand to the Sevens team. So if they continue to fail, then it will reflect badly on the brand as a whole. The NZRU won't like that, so will magic up the money and will centralise the programme.