Rugby 7s general chat

[southsider]

^^^

also think the growing professionalism in 7's isnt helping fiji either, back in the day they were big and strong compared to everyone else just through their genetics and their day to day living, coupled with their natural talent they were awesome

Now other teams have all fancy facilities, gyms etc and theyve caught up to fiji in the physical aspect and probably suparsed them and simply being talented isnt enough to do it anymore

 

[Braveheart81]

I'd guess that part of Fiji's problem is that now that the game is professional, a lot more of their top players are living in Europe playing in France etc. rather than living in Fiji and playing on the sevens circuit.

 

[wamberal]

I might add that I first went to the Middlesex Sevens in 1971, and of course the Border Sevens is also an institution.

 

[TOCC]

All this talk of 7's Gold might be a moot point if Australia doesn't qualify.. The top 4 teams from the IRB 7's circuit at the conclusion of the 2014-2015 will automatically qualify and then subsequently 1 team from each of the IRB regions will also qualify(Asia, Africa, Oceana, North America, South America Europe), there will also be a repechage system for the two remaining spots if Brazil doesn't feature.


Based on the rankings at the moment, New Zealand, South Africa, Great Britain and Fiji will qualify on the IRB 7's rankings.

which hypothetically means the top teams from the remaining regions will be:

Asia:
Japan is the clear favourite here, South Korea/China are the only real competition although unlikely to beat Japan.

Oceania:
Fiji and New Zealand are the top dogs and will likely automatically qualify leaving Samoa and Australia to fight it out for the regional spot with Tonga also in contention.

North America
United States and Canada are the two main candidates, US will probably trump on this one.

South America
Argentina are developing nicely in the 7's arena, no real competition here

Africa
Kenya and South Africa and the main players, if South Africa automatically qualify then Kenya will win the regional spot.

Europe
Great Britain will be competing at the Olympics so that opens the pool up for the remaining teams, France are the likely regional winners but Portugal and Spain could cause an upset.


So the top 10 will be:
New Zealand
South Africa
Great Britain
Fiji
Japan
Australia
United States
Portugal
Kenya
France

With a repechage tournament featuring Samoa, Tonga, Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada, Portugal, Spain for the remaining two spots.

 

[RugbyFuture]

that might also depend how the scottish referendum goes in 2014 and also if the irish start investing in 7's

 

[gel]

South America
Portugal are developing nicely in the 7's arena, no real competition here
.

Was there a really significant seismic disruption recently, or do they purposefully group Portugal with their colonies?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

All this talk of 7's Gold might be a moot point if Australia doesn't qualify.. The top 4 teams from the IRB 7's circuit at the conclusion of the 2014-2015 will automatically qualify and then subsequently 1 team from each of the IRB regions will also qualify(Asia, Africa, Oceana, North America, South America Europe), there will also be a repechage system for the two remaining spots if Brazil doesn't feature.


Based on the rankings at the moment, New Zealand, South Africa, Great Britain and Fiji will qualify on the IRB 7's rankings.

which hypothetically means the top teams from the remaining regions will be:

Asia:
Japan is the clear favourite here, South Korea/China are the only real competition although unlikely to beat Japan.

Hong Kong are the most likely to overcome Japan. They won the Asian Series last year and narrowly lost it to Japan this year. They have also recently professionalised their 7s set up.

Oceania:
Fiji and New Zealand are the top dogs and will likely automatically qualify leaving Samoa and Australia to fight it out for the regional spot with Tonga also in contention.

North America
United States and Canada are the two main candidates, US will probably trump on this one.

At present the Canadians are the better performed of the two and will likely be the representative unless the US can turn things around soon.

South America
Portugal are developing nicely in the 7's arena, no real competition here

I think you mean Argentina.

Africa
Kenya and South Africa and the main players, if South Africa automatically qualify then Kenya will win the regional spot.

Europe
Great Britain will be competing at the Olympics so that opens the pool up for the remaining teams, France are the likely regional winners but Portugal and Spain could cause an upset.

Yeah, hard to argue that.


So the top 10 will be:
New Zealand
South Africa
Great Britain
Fiji
Japan
Australia
United States
Portugal
Kenya
France

With a repechage tournament featuring Samoa, Tonga, Russia, Zimbabwe, USA, Portugal, Spain for the remaining two spots.

 

[SevensPhD]

I wonder what the ARU/state unions/Super Rugby Franchise policy will be in releasing players for the Olympics? Looks like the Chiefs will release SBW and others for the IRB Sevens Series in 2015/2016. Those 15s players making the switch to Sevens MUST have some time on the circuit and with the team in order to have realistic medal chances. Would Folau, who has stated Olympic desires, be allowed time away from Super Rugby for HK, Japan, London, Scotland, and Rio in 2016? The other Series stops do not interfere with Wallaby or Super Rugby.

"Should Williams choose to play sevens rugby, with the chance of winning a gold medal at the Rio Olympics, Rennie said he would have to play on the international sevens circuit.
"We wouldn't stop him either," Rennie said. "If that's what he wants to do, we'll support that. Likewise with other players who want to play in the Olympics. That's a rare opportunity for the players."


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/chiefs-happy-for-sbw-to-chase-olympic-glory-20131220-2zq7w.html#ixzz2o5JpNJPL

On another note, who else is EXCITED to watch the IRB Sevens Series with the top players in the World (or at least a 3-5 per team)?

 

[SevensPhD]

that might also depend how the scottish referendum goes in 2014 and also if the irish start investing in 7's

Scotland will be interesting to watch, and they could top France, Spain and Portugal (and eventually Russia, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, and Italy who have all significantly increased sevens rugby funding). I'd say watch out for Russia 7s in 3 years and Belgium 7s in about 5 years. The Euro 7s Grand Prix will soon be a very entertaining series.

The Irish have stated they will begin to invest in mens 7s beginning in the 2020 Olympic Games cycle, but may still enter a team in the 2016 qualifying just to get experience. The women may be medal contenders by 2016, but unlikely with so many other women's teams getting large investments.

 

[wamberal]

About time for a bit more idle speculation. There has been a bit of chatter in the media about the value of parachuting some Wallabies into the squad for the Olympic competition (assuming that we qualify).

For what it's worth, here's my strategy. Firstly, Snoz be given the option of choosing one player from each Super Rugby franchise for the 2016 Sevens season - subject to a veto from Link alone. The chosen players would also be given the option to decline the offer, and a second player, third if necessary, would be chosen from the particular franchise.

I hope he would be looking, firstly, at two or three tough, quick, skilful forwards like Quirk, and Colby F. Then we need a playmaker, maybe Bernard Foley. Then one or two of the very quick young outside backs (who knows who will be in that category in two years time?)

These players, together with the best of the current squad, should be good enough to get us to Rio. Then serious consideration should be given to parachuting two additional real stars into the squad. Folau, obviously, maybe Cooper (depending on how Foley has travelled as a playmaker), maybe Hooper.

The current squad has a handful of very good young Sevens players in it, Parahi, Fa'alava'au, Asquith, Jenkins, and probably Shannon Walker are worth persisting with. But we cannot beat the big four consistently with our current squad.

We need bigger, stronger, more mobile forwards and we need much more incisive (and quicker) ball runners in the backs. And we desperately need a playmaker who can kick. Goals and also out of hand. Conversions win matches.

 

[p.Tah]

I wonder how Alofa Alofa would go at sevens?

 

[wamberal]

I wonder how Alofa Alofa would go at sevens?

I reckon he and Volavola are two that are definitely worth looking at, and no doubt so does O'Connor.

 

[Brumby Runner]

We need bigger, stronger, more mobile forwards and we need much more incisive (and quicker) ball runners in the backs. And we desperately need a playmaker who can kick. Goals and also out of hand. Conversions win matches.

Couldn't agree more. Aus were bashed up by SA in Wellington on the weekend. Other than that, they were pretty impressive, but they desperately need a couple of bigger, stronger more mobile forwards if they are to make the grade.

I would also like to see the team strengthened from 2015 rather than wait for 2016 to try to make it work. Best outcome would be to qualify from a top four spot in 2015.

 

[wamberal]

I would also like to see the team strengthened from 2015 rather than wait for 2016 to try to make it work. Best outcome would be to qualify from a top four spot in 2015.

No doubt all involved with the Sevens programme would wholeheartedly agree with you. However, the reality is that we just do not have the critical mass of Sevens specialists, players who are good enough to be successful at 15s, but are happy to play Sevens. Maybe that is because we just do not have enough good players per se?

It is a real balancing act, the success of our Super Rugby franchises is probably more important than the success of our Sevens, in terms of the game overall - and the success of the Wallabies is of paramount importance. Even in an Olympic year.

 

[Nusadan]

Given JOC (James O'Connor)'s contract with Toulon perhaps precluding the possibility of him making the squad for RWC 2015, he could switch his sights to the Olympics instead? He'd be a sensation then plus having the coach with the same surname as him wouldn't hurt!

 

[p.Tah]

I've just read that O'Connor has quit as the men's coach

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/25/oconnor-quits-sevens-rugby-coach

 

[SevensPhD]

I've just read that O'Connor has quit as the men's coach

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/25/oconnor-quits-sevens-rugby-coach

Unfortunate for the Aussie 7s team, everyone holds O'Connor in high regard in terms of coaching. He does not have access to the top players and continually fields the youngest team on the Series.

What other 7s coaches are in Australia, aside from Walshy who is doing tremendously well with the women? Serious question, I really don't hear too many high profile 7s coaching names in Australia. Wonder if they would go external, and bring in Mike Friday?

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Based on the recently released qualification criteria, does anyone else feel that we have an uphill battle just to get to the Olympics?

 

[Jets]

Apparently moving to Sydney wasn't what O'Connor wanted to do. His family live on the Sunny Coast.

The timing couldn't be much worse. 2 years out from the Olympics and with no one of note to take over. I'm not keen on an outsider.

I guess you'd have to look at the Club teams that have been having success over the last few years. Northern Suburbs did well last season and Sunnybank have done well in the past. Elevating one of the coaches from these teams would hopefully work out.

I know Roy Saunders, former Sunnybank 7's coach, has done quite a bit of work with the Aussie 7's team in the past. He might be on the radar.

 

[SevensPhD]

Based on the recently released qualification criteria, does anyone else feel that we have an uphill battle just to get to the Olympics?

A tiny uphill battle. They sit 5th now, one place out of auto-qualifying with a young team.

They would most likely only have to beat Samoa in the Oceania qualifier (not an easy task, but they lead the series 39-31-2.) However, Samoa could finish top 4 with Fiji and NZ, making a win against Tonga or Cook Islands needed to qualify.

Then maybe USA or Portugal as the toughest match in the repecharge IF they fall that far.