Dubai 7s

[Juggernaut]

Starts this weekend.

SA are the top seeds along with NZ & Fiji (usual suspects).

William Ryder & Lepani Nabuliwaqa are back in the Fiji squad so should be some exhilarating show from Dubai.

 

[Nickdnz]

Hmm, looked over New Zealand's 7 team and it isn't a vintage year.

http://www.allblacks.com/news/11737/New-Ze...ns-squad-named-

NZ players who are very good are

-DJ Forbes
-Tomasi Cama
-Zar Lawrence
-Lote Raikabula
-Kurt Baker

I believe those are out best, while the others I don't believe to be as good. We are missing several players due to injury/Super 14 that are pretty important.

 

[Olyy]

Just had a look at the fixtures, and our group seems a tad easy compared to everyone elses:

Pool A South Africa Australia Wales Arabian Gulf
Pool B Fiji Samoa Scotland Zimbabwe
Pool C England Kenya USA Russia
Pool D New Zealand Argentina Portugal France

It'll probably be England NZ in the quarters (first of C V first of D), which doesn't help our chances
For some reason the RFU site doesn't have the team we're sending out on. Hopefully Ben Gollings is playing, the guys a sevens machine (got the record for most and tries/most points ever)

EDIT: Just saw the team for dubai/SA on wikipedia, not a bad looking side, hopefully we can do well in those two tournaments/overall this/next year

 

[Juggernaut]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Dec 2 2009, 11:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Just had a look at the fixtures, and our group seems a tad easy compared to everyone elses:

Pool A South Africa Australia Wales Arabian Gulf
Pool B Fiji Samoa Scotland Zimbabwe
Pool C England Kenya USA Russia
Pool D New Zealand Argentina Portugal France[/b]

Really???

I think your group could be a 3-way fight. Kenya is one of the major underdogs and could very well be in the running for a semi spot while USA are no pushover.

 

[darwin_23]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Dec 2 2009, 09:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hmm, looked over New Zealand's 7 team and it isn't a vintage year.

http://www.allblacks.com/news/11737/New-Ze...ns-squad-named-

NZ players who are very good are

-DJ Forbes
-Tomasi Cama
-Zar Lawrence
-Lote Raikabula
-Kurt Baker

I believe those are out best, while the others I don't believe to be as good. We are missing several players due to injury/Super 14 that are pretty important.[/b]

I actually think that the NZ squad looks quite solid. Onosai Auva’a is back in the squad, and though he struggles at the 15 man game he is an exceptional sevens player. There are a couple of potential stars in the squad in Stowers and Popoalii - both exceptionally quick, elusive players. They will likely step up to super 14 level within the next couple of years.

 

[Juggernaut]

young Waikato centre Save Tokula is also in the squad. Had an excellent season in the NPC and is back for his second 7s season, this time more experienced and ready to rumble.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Dec 3 2009, 04:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Dec 2 2009, 11:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just had a look at the fixtures, and our group seems a tad easy compared to everyone elses:

Pool A South Africa Australia Wales Arabian Gulf
Pool B Fiji Samoa Scotland Zimbabwe
Pool C England Kenya USA Russia
Pool D New Zealand Argentina Portugal France[/b]

Really???

I think your group could be a 3-way fight. Kenya is one of the major underdogs and could very well be in the running for a semi spot while USA are no pushover.
[/b][/quote]
Maybe easy wasn't the right word, but i'd rather be in that group than in one with SA NZ and Fiji

 

[LydiatesGirl]

hmm ours looks tough
only had a quick glance at the squad and saw that Jevon's playing

 

[darwin_23]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Dec 3 2009, 06:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

young Waikato centre Save Tokula is also in the squad. Had an excellent season in the NPC and is back for his second 7s season, this time more experienced and ready to rumble.[/b]

Yeah Tokula was outstanding for the first half of the NPC (probably the form center in the whole competition for a number of rounds), and was talked up as a possible super 14 player. For whatever reason didn't seem to play a lot during the last few rounds (not sure whether it was due to injury or form). He did play a bit of sevens last year but to be honest I wasn't overly impressed with him as a sevens player, but as you say he will certainly have more experience now - if he could bring his form from the early rounds of the npc into the sevens game the opposition better watch out!

 

[GJ#1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 3 2009, 06:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

hmm ours looks tough
only had a quick glance at the squad and saw that Jevon's playing[/b]

All about Ifan Evans for Wales!

 

[Fa'atau82]

Mikaele Pesamino!

 

[Olyy]

SA got knocked out by Fiji and didn't make it to the semis,
The semis are:
Fiji v NZ
England v Samoa

Reckon we've got a good chance of making it to the final

 

[Fa'atau82]

Piffle! The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa, don't you know!

 

[stormer2010]

Some vintage stuff by Fiji. BTW, where is France?- always thought they'd be good at 7s if bothered.

SA is missing some 7s superstars who aren't setting the world alight in the 15 man code TBH; Ebersohn, Juries etc. Would have thought that with 7s being taken up in the Olympics greater funding and interest would have helped out already. Holding thumbs.

 

[stormer2010]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Dec 3 2009, 06:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Dec 2 2009, 11:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just had a look at the fixtures, and our group seems a tad easy compared to everyone elses:

Pool A South Africa Australia Wales Arabian Gulf
Pool B Fiji Samoa Scotland Zimbabwe
Pool C England Kenya USA Russia
Pool D New Zealand Argentina Portugal France[/b]

Really???

I think your group could be a 3-way fight. Kenya is one of the major underdogs and could very well be in the running for a semi spot while USA are no pushover.
[/b][/quote]

Current Olympic champions, don't ya know.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fa'atau82 @ Dec 5 2009, 10:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Piffle! The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa, don't you know![/b]

28 - 19 to samoa

 

[LydiatesGirl]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GJ#1 @ Dec 3 2009, 10:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 3 2009, 06:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hmm ours looks tough
only had a quick glance at the squad and saw that Jevon's playing[/b]

All about Ifan Evans for Wales!
[/b][/quote]

never seen him play so dont know what hes like - Jevon Groves' good though

 

[darwin_23]

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, New Zealand won the final 24-12 over Samoa - its New Zealand's first tournament victory in the World Series in 18 months!

 

[Candyman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (darwin_23 @ Dec 7 2009, 10:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, New Zealand won the final 24-12 over Samoa - its New Zealand's first tournament victory in the World Series in 18 months![/b]

Nice job to I say! loves 7's so entertaining!!

 

[Juggernaut]

That young Stowers guy was amazing... got some pace to burn.