USA Sevens, 10th-12th February 2012.

[Darwin]

The IRB Sevens series moves to Las Vegas this weekend. New Zealand's win last weekend gives them a very narrow lead over Fiji at the top the series table, though both England and South Africa are still well in contention:

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[TR]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: l"]1[/TD]
[TD="class: c img"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]NEW ZEALAND[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]19[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]73[/TD]
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[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]2[/TD]
[TD="class: c img, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]FIJI[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]19[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
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[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: l"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: c img"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]ENGLAND[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]64[/TD]
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[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: c img, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]SOUTH AFRICA[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]19[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
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[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]61[/TD]
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[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: l"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: c img"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]FRANCE[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]19[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]49[/TD]
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[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: c img, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]SAMOA[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]47[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: l"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: c img"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]AUSTRALIA[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]45[/TD]
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[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: c img, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]WALES[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]41[/TD]
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[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: l"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: c img"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]ARGENTINA[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]33[/TD]
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[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: c img, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]SCOTLAND[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]8[/TD]
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[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]CANADA[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]7[/TD]
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[TD="class: c"]0[/TD]
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[/TD]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]UNITED STATES[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]5[/TD]
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[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: l"]13[/TD]
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[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]TONGA[/TD]
[TD="class: c"]5[/TD]
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[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: c img, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]

[/TD]
[TD="class: l, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]KENYA[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]1[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]2[/TD]
[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]2[/TD]
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[TD="class: c, bgcolor: #E8E8E8"]13[/TD]
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[/TABLE]


The Pools have been drawn as follows:

Pool A: New Zealand, Samoa, Australia, Japan
Pool B: Fiji, Canada, Argentina, United States
Pool C: France, South Africa, Wales, Uruguay
Pool D: Kenya, England, Scotland, Brazil


New Zealand have been forced to make two changes to their squad from Wellington, with Waisake Naholo and Johnathan Malo replacing Hosea Gear (who has returned to the Highlanders) and Toby Arnold (who is injured). The full squad:
Tomasi Cama, DJ Forbes, Frank Halai, Bryce Heem, Mark Jackman, Solomon King, Johnathan Malo, Tim Mikkelson, Waisake Naholo, Charles Piutau, Lote Raikabula, Ardie Savea.

 

[Seaton]

US of A and Canada in the same pool

Hopefully we can put a score on Brazil, this is the 'easiest' group Scotland has had so far in terms of progressing to the Cup quarters.

I think England will beat Kenya, so Kenya vs Scotland should decide second place in the pool.

 

[Darwin]

US of A and Canada in the same pool

Hopefully we can put a score on Brazil, this is the 'easiest' group Scotland has had so far in terms of progressing to the Cup quarters.

I think England will beat Kenya, so Kenya vs Scotland should decide second place in the pool.

Should be a good match too: Kenya (who had easily their best tournament of the year in Wellington) narrowly beat Scotland last weekend 14-5. I felt Scotland played better than their results indicated on the first day too: they were leading New Zealand at half-time, and got very close to beating Samoa, and perhaps would have too if they hadn't had a player sent off early in the second half (while leading 14-7).

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's a cracking group for England.
No offence to any of the teams, but I'd rather them then Samoa and Australia or South Africa and Wales!

 

[Seaton]

Australia were pants last tournament mind.

 

[Darwin]

That's a cracking group for England.
No offence to any of the teams, but I'd rather them then Samoa and Australia or South Africa and Wales!

Not the hardest of groups for England, but you have to be careful with Kenya (as they looked much better in Wellington in the weekend), and Scotland look capable of causing an upset. As a NZ supporter I'm certainly not worried about having Australia in our group - they were pretty poor in the Wellington in the weekend - they drew with France, struggled to a win over Canada (14-12), and were beaten twice by Kenya (including a 35-10 thrashing on day 1.... a highlight for me ).

EDIT: Or this sums it up just as well:

Australia were pants last tournament mind.

 

[William18]

Pools A and C look a bit too tough to me.

 

[Mary7]

Gee NZ, Samoa and Australia in pool A, damn tough!!

 

[Darwin]

Gee NZ, Samoa and Australia in pool A, damn tough!!

see:

Australia were pants last tournament mind.

I see Pool C (with France, South Africa, and Wales) as arguably the toughest pool.

 

[Seaton]

By f*** I am bad with timezones.

You do Biology right? Can you work out what time and day this 'should' be shown 'live' in GMT?

 

[Seaton]

Aha! I am not the only one having problems!

If London is 8 hours ahead of Las Vegas, then 16:00 there would be midnight in London would it not?

 

[Darwin]

By f*** I am bad with timezones.

You do Biology right? Can you work out what time and day this 'should' be shown 'live' in GMT?

The USA Sevens is over three days, and starts at a different time each day (just to confuse things). Las Vegas is - 8 hours GMT hence I'd expect the live games to be on at the following times:

10/2 : 1st game 16.00 local time = 00.00 GMT (11/2)
11/2 : 1st game 12.00 local time = 20.00 GMT (11/2)
12/2 : 1st game 09.20 local time = 17.20 GMT (12/2)

EDIT:

Aha! I am not the only one having problems!

If London is 8 hours ahead of Las Vegas, then 16:00 there would be midnight in London would it not?

Got me! I thought I had deleted it before anyone would notice

 

[Seaton]

Saturday morning it is then! Thanks.

 

[LittleGuy]

A great start to the action so far, Argenitna nearly beat Fiji and the United States-Canada game was a hard fought affair with a rally from Canada winning 19-12.

 

[Darwin]

Wales have just beaten France too thanks to a late try. Great start to the tournament again!

 

[Seaton]

Once again I am left with no way to view this :/

 

[Mary7]

I set my alarm for 02.00, watched the first few matches, then woke up when it was all over...Luckily I know myself too well and taped it all!!!

 

[SportingNonsense]

Wales have just beaten France too thanks to a late try. Great start to the tournament again!

Important win for Wales. Hopefully able to get back into the Cup QFs with a win over Uruguay, make up for the New Zealand round

 

[Muzzy]

Looks like a bigger attendance for pool games in Las Vegas than there was at Wellington

 

[Darwin]

Only managed to catch a couple of matches on day 1, but there were some good matches again. Scotland will be pretty gutted after two narrow losses to Kenya and England (thanks to a last second try). South Africa and New Zealand looked relatively comfortable in their two games, but England was really challenged by Scotland, and Fiji weren't that impressive vs USA or Argentina.

Day 2 is already underway: Australia just snuck past Japan 10-7...