I think we're going to see alot more parity in the coming years on the 7's circuit, especially as the Olympics inch closer and closer. Repeat championships on the IRB Series are going to become more and more rare. Which is a great thing for the game and something that 15's wished they had right now.
If Samoa can keep their squad together, then they have to be favorites going into next season. They were amazing this season. I expect a bigger push from Australia this season and you can never discount the likes of England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Fiji. Argentina is always dangerous and capable of challenging the Top 4. I also won't be surprised to see teams like Kenya, USA, or Wales break into the Top 5-6 in the next few years. There are also a handful of teams that are going to push for core status in the coming years such as Russia, Portugal, Tunisia, and Japan.
Teams like France and Scotland will remain wildcards as no one knows if they are on their way out in the world of 7's or if they will reapply themselves and mount a comeback. France looks to be out as a core team for 2010/2011 with Canada taking their place. Scotland loaded up their internationals at the last two tournament for second straight year to get enough points to stay a core team. If they keep up that strategy, they'll be out as a core member within a couple of years.
With so many teams raising the bar, I'd like to see a couple more stops added to the IRB Series to give some of the up and coming teams more opportunities to get points.
