Gold Coast Sevens, 25-26 November 2011, Sevens World Series

[Seaton]

The first leg of the IRB Sevens World Series gets under way in just two weeks time, at the aptly named Skilled Stadium on Australia's infamous Gold Coast.

Reigning champions New Zealand are the favourites for the tournament, which has moved/ replaced the Adelaide leg of the tournament, as well as moving forward a few months to be the first round of the Series. South Africa won the last tournament in Adelaide, as well as the final leg of the last season at Murrayfield, thus go in as second seeds and still second favourites.

So, lets look at the pools which have thrown up a few tasty surprises:

Pool A

New Zealand
Fiji
Kenya
Niue

Pool B

South Africa
Australia
United States of America
Japan

Pool C

Samoa
Argentina
France
Paupau New Guinea

Pool D

England
Wales
Scotland
Tonga


Call me biased, but Pool D is a cracking group, where all four teams are more than capable of beating each other, should they pitch up of course. Wales world champions, England one of the few teams challenging New Zealand and Tonga are an Island team, so we all know what to expect. To be heard, I think Scotland will finish bottom of the group, we have finally got a dedicated Sevens team with contracted players, most of whom are young and a couple still in their teens, so this season will be all about development, however Wales seem to have been in a fairly similar state for an eon, yet look at what they have achieved.

Pool A has got the clash between New Zealand and Fiji, whilst Pool B sees the hosts against the Blizbokke. The first seeds in those pools should win their pools, but if they don't it wouldn't be a shock. Samoa should comfortably win their pool, but the Pumas are coming back after a poor period, and the French appear to be taking Sevens seriously now.

All in all, we can expect a cracking tournament at a new venue. I think New Zealand will win, with Aus, SA and Wales making up the semi spots.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aye - that's not a bad group at all, group D. Hard to say who'll go through in top place, all have the potential to top the group, while (at the end of last series) all were underperforming pretty badly

Will be interesting to see how it goes

 

[ranger]

Picking PNG to roll France. They looked awesome last hit out, better than Tonga at the very least

 

[Seaton]

A question WRT to the laws:


If a player wants to play for his/ her Sevens team or even Junior team, are clubs obliged to release him/ her?

 

[Wally]

I'll be there. Any suggestions for costume ideas?

 

[ranger]

I'll be there. Any suggestions for costume ideas?

The best idea is to go with a massive group of people in a costume that renders everyone almost indistinguishable. Like blue bodypainting up and going as smurfs. That way you can hit on and strike out with as many girls and you want, pick fights, try to sneak in beers, commit crimes thug life etc and just run away and swear it wasn't you, it was one of the 30 other identical guys.

Its like a mischief shield

 

[formerlyfastwing]

The best idea is to go with a massive group of people in a costume that renders everyone almost indistinguishable. Like blue bodypainting up and going as smurfs. That way you can hit on and strike out with as many girls and you want, pick fights, try to sneak in beers, commit crimes thug life etc and just run away and swear it wasn't you, it was one of the 30 other identical guys.

Its like a mischief shield

or get your mates to all go in these, perfect for the event:

 

[Seaton]

I'll be there. Any suggestions for costume ideas?

Go as an Aussie, it will be a right laugh.

 

[Darwin]

Looking forward to watching some sevens again.
I expect New Zealand will again go into this season as favourites: as always they have lost a couple of players to Super Rugby (O'Donnell, Raikuna) but I'd imagine they will still be a able to build a strong team around a core of Raikabula, Cama, Mikkelson, King etc.

Fijian coach Alifereti Dere has promised to bring back the traditional flair in the Fijian game, which will be great to see if this is true - at their best there is no better sevens team to watch than Fiji.

 

[LomuLegend]

Cannot wait for this! Flights, accommodation and tickets all sorted - cheers Quantas, Rugby Gold Coast! Going to be great. All I need now is for the Welsh team to find their World Championship winning form from 2009. Absolutely love the unpredictability of 7s though it's such a shame that it gets such low coverage in the UK. Would that be because the games are shorter and so there is less chance for marketing and therefore money for the tv folk? Or is it because there is just less public interest in the sport? Hopefully with its inclusion at the olympicswe'll heat/see more about it in the mainstream!

 

[Seaton]

Cannot wait for this! Flights, accommodation and tickets all sorted! Going to be great. All I need know is for the Welsh team to find this kind of form. Absolutely love the unpredictability of 7s though it's such a shame that it gets such low coverage in the UK. Would that be because the games are shorter and so there is less chance for marketing and therefore money for the tv folk? Or is it because there is just less public interest in the sport? Hopefully with it's inclusion at the olympics we'll heat/see more about it in the mainstream!

If I were the skeptical type, I'd say you are one of the more subtle, and definitely one of the better marketing agents around.

Have a good one, must be a fantastic outing to go on. Pity about the country tbh.

I know where I'll be come the Twickenham and Murrayfield legs next year. B)

 

[Darwin]

New Zealand Sevens squad: Toby Arnold, Tomasi Cama, Scott Curry, DJ Forbes, Frank Halai, Solomon King, Tim Mikkelson, James Marshall, Charles Piutau, Lote Raikabula, Glen Robertson, Joe Webber

Four new caps (Marshall, Robertson, Webber, Piutau), but plenty of experience too in the likes of Forbes, Cama, Arnold, Mikkelson, Raikabula. Looking forward to watching Piutau in the sevens, as he is very dangerous (I think he should have gotten a Super Rugby contract), and interested to see how Webber goes, as I understand he is still at high school.

 

[ranger]

New Zealand Sevens squad: Toby Arnold, Tomasi Cama, Scott Curry, DJ Forbes, Frank Halai, Solomon King, Tim Mikkelson, James Marshall, Charles Piutau, Lote Raikabula, Glen Robertson, Joe Webber

Four new caps (Marshall, Robertson, Webber, Piutau), but plenty of experience too in the likes of Forbes, Cama, Arnold, Mikkelson, Raikabula. Looking forward to watching Piutau in the sevens, as he is very dangerous (I think he should have gotten a Super Rugby contract), and interested to see how Webber goes, as I understand he is still at high school.

Squad looks aaverage.

 

[Seaton]

Squad looks aaverage.

Do you know how depressing it is for others when you call a squad fielding Tomasi Cama, DJ Forbes, Tim Mikkleson, Solomon King and James Marshall 'aaverage'.

Have a look at our stellar squad the:

Adam Ashe, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Struan Dewar, James Eddie, Michael Fedo, James Fleming, Colin Gregor, Peter Horne, Sean Kennedy, Ross Miller, Scott Riddell, Andrew Turnbull

Oh yeah, I can just imagine your eyes wet with envy...

 

[ranger]

Do you know how depressing it is for others when you call a squad fielding Tomasi Cama, DJ Forbes, Tim Mikkleson, Solomon King and James Marshall 'aaverage'.

Have a look at our stellar squad the:

Adam Ashe, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Struan Dewar, James Eddie, Michael Fedo, James Fleming, Colin Gregor, Peter Horne, Sean Kennedy, Ross Miller, Scott Riddell, Andrew Turnbull

Oh yeah, I can just imagine your eyes wet with envy...

No Gillies Kaka, Jackson Ormond, Cody Rei, Ben Souness, Gareth Evans or Buxton Popoali'i. Boo. Those guys are all great players; they are all mistake free, good decision making, hard working guys. but from a spectators point of view it just looks a tad safe and boring.

And ahh i'm sure the boys will do alright! you just need to get Johnny Weston back in the mix

 

[nickdnz]

I agree that Ormond, Popoali'i and Gillies Kaka should have made the squad. I'm pleased to see Charles Piutau get selected though (if for no other reason than he's commited to NZ). Popoali'i is magic, probably the most exciting playmaker in NZ in terms of 7's.

I agree that it's certainly starting to look very stale now. Also, why no Save Tokula? I'd have thought with him missing out on a Super Rugby contract he'd be a shoe in for the 7's team.

 

[Seaton]

No Gillies Kaka, Jackson Ormond, Cody Rei, Ben Souness, Gareth Evans or Buxton Popoali'i. Boo. Those guys are all great players; they are all mistake free, good decision making, hard working guys. but from a spectators point of view it just looks a tad safe and boring.

And ahh i'm sure the boys will do alright! you just need to get Johnny Weston back in the mix

Well if you think the guys that made it are boring, I'd hate to hear what you think of the other teams play!


Nah, I get where you are going, if anything though it still makes it harder for the rest, because when they play with barely even a handful of errors in 2-3 games, there is no team, not even the Samoan, Blitzbokke or Fijian teams that won in '07 can live itch them.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I saw Webber play for Hamilton Boys a couple of times - he was incredible. I didn't realise it was the same guy until I read an article. He's definitely one to watch for the future.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Wales Squad:

• Richie Pugh- Scarlets
• Rhys Shellard- Cardiff RFC
• Will Price- Ospreys
• Owen Williams- Pontypridd
• Richard Smith- Cardiff RFC
• Tom Haberfield- Ospreys
• Alex Walker- Cardiff RFC
• Rhys Patchell- Blues
• Owen Williams- Blues
• Ifan Evans- NewportRFC
• Harry Robinson- Blues
• Tom Prydie- Ospreys

 

[Me 1]

Will like to see how Prydie and Robinson will play especially.