IRB Sevens Circuit- Murrayfield Leg

[Seaton]

Well New Zealand have already been crowned the Champions for this season, but doesn't mean that this tournament is a dead rubber.

Some of the 'Core Teams' (teams that are garuanteed participation in every tournament in the circuit) are under threat from the likes of Portugal, Russia, France (suddenly), the USA and Canada, who will be looking to usurp the poorer performing Core nations (see Scotland and Kenya). So there is definitely something other than the tournament ***les to play for.

England should be smarting after being fairly humiliated on their own turf, especially considering that the less talented bunch from north of the border finished 'higher' than them in winning the Bowl, whilst the English only managed the Shield ***le.

The likes of New Zealand, Fiji, South Africa, and Samoa will all be keen on ending the season on a high note, and should consider anything less than a Cup semi a failure. Whilst Wales, Argentina and Australia will be looking to be there or there abouts.

Here are the groups:

Pool A

New Zealand
Argentina
France
Russia

Pool B

England
Wales
Portugal
Spain

Pool C

South Africa
Australia
Kenya
Canada

Pool D

Fiji
Samoa
Scotland
United States of America

C'mon Scotland!!! Lets get our name etched on the Cup ***le, hoping for a Scotland vs. England final, with the men in blue having to beat the likes of Fiji and Samoa just in their group, never mind the knock-out stages!!!

Pool B has some tasty neighbour match-ups, with England vs. Wales and Spain vs. Portugal

 

[Seaton]

I know its early, but the crowd is really poor so far, more people on the field than in the stands

Apart from the logos/ crests, I can't tell the difference between Russia's jersey and Scotland's

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Russia just torn a new one,
Shame, I quite like Russia, but it was always going to happen against NZ
43 - 0





Terrible terrible hands in the France/Argentina match, can't string more than two passes together before dropping it or knocking on

 

[Seaton]

Heh? It was like 12-0 1 minute before half-time, I switched to the Stormers game, but Russia looked like they were going to make a game of it

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Argentina miss a DG penalty from a good position and lose 5 - 7 to France - looks really windy, in Argentinas defence
Scrappy game

England vs Portugal next




England 5 - 5 Portugal at halftime
England playing like crap again - Portugal doing very well at the breakdown, disrupting a lot of ball and getting a fair few turnovers
Almost find myself routing for them


England win 24 - 5, but very unconvincingly





Spain are pushing Wales close, it's 0 - 0 at halftime, with the Spain being held up over the line just before time
7 - 5 to Wales at fulltime - very close!

 

[best_fullback]

Ouch one of the SA players just broke his leg. Looks like a bad one.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Argentina miss a DG penalty from a good position and lose 5 - 7 to France - looks really windy, in Argentinas defence
Scrappy game

England vs Portugal next




England 5 - 5 Portugal at halftime
England playing like crap again - Portugal doing very well at the breakdown, disrupting a lot of ball and getting a fair few turnovers
Almost find myself routing for them


England win 24 - 5, but very unconvincingly





Spain are pushing Wales close, it's 0 - 0 at halftime, with the Spain being held up over the line just before time
7 - 5 to Wales at fulltime - very close!

Wales game was terribly officiated, must countless knock ons on the floor and it seemed one rule for Spain at the breakdown and one for Wales.

Great try saving tackle by Ifan Evans mind.

 

[Seaton]

Is my phone telling me right?

Did Scotland really beat Fiji 14-12?

Just in case, YYYYYYYYyYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS ** catches breath ** YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't believe I missed it, luckily have it recorded

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Yep Scotland won.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

'Wales defeated England in a fast and open game ...'

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Thought they would - England gone to pots the past two weeks, scraped past Spain and Portugal earlier, despite what the scorelines say

 

[Draggs]

Cuthbert is a big lad isn't he?
6'6" according to WRU and Cardiff RFC.
Cardiff RFC should have a good wing pairing next year with Cuthbert and Harry Robinson.

Ifan Evans seems to be a tidy player as well. Wonder if the Scarlets will give him a shot. Bound to be better than Ajuwa!

 

[Seaton]

Scotland missed out on qualifying for the quaterfinals by a conversion, went all out to destroy the US 45-7

Gutted, absolutely gutted

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Cuthbert is a big lad isn't he?
6'6" according to WRU and Cardiff RFC.
Cardiff RFC should have a good wing pairing next year with Cuthbert and Harry Robinson.

Ifan Evans seems to be a tidy player as well. Wonder if the Scarlets will give him a shot. Bound to be better than Ajuwa!

Ifan was given a shot of appearances for the Scarlets in 2006 during his Wales U21 days ... he warmed the bench of I think 3 occasions and never got on. A player I have always felt could play for the Scarlets, maybe not a starter but a good rotational player.

 

[Draggs]

Ifan was given a shot of appearances for the Scarlets in 2006 during his Wales U21 days ... he warmed the bench of I think 3 occasions and never got on. A player I have always felt could play for the Scarlets, maybe not a starter but a good rotational player.

With Stoddart, North, and Lamont heading down to NZ, he could see a bit of time in the Scarlets jersey.
Depends on Andy Fenby's injury and Lee Williams' form.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

With Stoddart, North, and Lamont heading down to NZ, he could see a bit of time in the Scarlets jersey.
Depends on Andy Fenby's injury and Lee Williams' form.

Have it on good word that Ifan has signed for Newport RFC next season. Bit of a possible loss for the Scarlets.

 

[Draggs]

Have it on good word that Ifan has signed for Newport RFC next season. Bit of a possible loss for the Scarlets.

Not a bad move. Perhaps we'll see him appear for us a few times, with Harries out and Hughes bound for outside centre.

 

[Nielsch]

Why is Edinburgh even in the Sevens Series? Almost nobody shows up to Murrayfield to watch the tournament.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

England knocked out of the cup by NZ so face Fiji in the plate semi

New Zealand vs Australia in one cup semi and South Africa will play one of Wales or France (should be Wales, going on how France have played this weekend, but France are up 7 - 0 atm)

 

[Seaton]

Can't believe we lost the Bowl like that, a simple pass and we would have won.

Good effort from the boys, still gutted that it could well have been us in the Cup if we got one more or conceded one less conversion

Scotland need the likes of Colin Gregor to be a permanent Sevens player, he brings so much structure to our game...