Mandela Bay sevens

I thought I would start a thread on this.

First big upset of the weekend.

Scotland just beat Fiji by 21-14 with a lst minute try, after they ran New Zealand close in their opening match.

I'll post more updates during the day.

Link for results

Pool A
France
South Africa
Samoa
Australia

Pool B
New zealand
Fiji
England
Scotland

Pool C
Wales
Kenya
Argentina
Spain

Pool D
Canada
Portugal
USA
Zimbabwe

Scotland to play England next, after a decent start hopefully we can win this and make it through to the knock out stages!!

Scotland first to score 7-0

Another try for Scotland 12-0

What's going on?! at the end of last season most supporters were calling for the scrapping of a scotland sevens team and reinvesting the money in the pro teams, bit of a turnaround today like! who scored the tries Biltong?

try for england

England comes back with 5 second half tries winning 33-12

Tramptastic wrote:What's going on?! at the end of last season most supporters were calling for the scrapping of a scotland sevens team and reinvesting the money in the pro teams, bit of a turnaround today like! who scored the tries Biltong?

Sorry mate, don't know the names but Turnbull was great during the pool games.

o dear that didnt go too well at the end of racing 12-0 into he lead

Portugal is humping Canada here, 21-0

28-0

This England team is probably the worst I've ever seen us put out, I try to watch some of the 7s each season and I've never seen us look so clueless in and defence, totally hopeless at times it seems like the players have never met.

I don't know what Ryan does with them all but the overall skill levels have dropped, the guys don't seem to have any confidence or vision for a gap the just run into contact and hope for the best.

I know he can't select Prem players but there must be better options in the academies and Championship.

yappysnap wrote:This England team is probably the worst I've ever seen us put out, I try to watch some of the 7s each season and I've never seen us look so clueless in and defence, totally hopeless at times it seems like the players have never met.

I don't know what Ryan does with them all but the overall skill levels have dropped, the guys don't seem to have any confidence or vision for a gap the just run into contact and hope for the best.

I know he can't select Prem players but there must be better options in the academies and Championship.

...... or maybe they are a good team but the other teams are better. It's always the case when England lose isn't it.

rainbow-warrior wrote:

yappysnap wrote:This England team is probably the worst I've ever seen us put out, I try to watch some of the 7s each season and I've never seen us look so clueless in and defence, totally hopeless at times it seems like the players have never met.

I don't know what Ryan does with them all but the overall skill levels have dropped, the guys don't seem to have any confidence or vision for a gap the just run into contact and hope for the best.

I know he can't select Prem players but there must be better options in the academies and Championship.

...... or maybe they are a good team but the other teams are better. It's always the case when England lose isn't it.

What? Of course the other teams are better then England, did you not read what I posted about them.

NZ France final.
Interesting results so far with Samoa and Fiji both losing comprehensively in non cup matches.

NZ win for there 4th consecutive year here,16 points gap between next team in the league table.

emack, do you support NZ in Sevens or is it England, Scotland or Samoa's turn now?

Taylorman wrote:NZ France final.
Interesting results so far with Samoa and Fiji both losing comprehensively in non cup matches.

That happened a couple times last year. Looks like NZ are quite far ahead of all the other teams right now. Wales are still extremely inconsistent. They need to do it on the big stage before they can defend their world cup trophy .

Cyril why are you such a plank? constantly bating me when you know the answer?I was amazed you actually wrote something complimentary about NZ earlier.

What has surprised me is Portugals recent 7`s results don`t usually associate them with it.

England's very poor start to the Sevens Series is made worse by the fact that Kenya are doing well. Former England sevens coach Mike Friday now runs the Kenyan team, and it is no secret he doesn't see eye-to-eye with Ben Ryan.

I haven't seen enough of the game England have played to know why we have slipped off the pace alarmingly. Yes, other teams have improved but other top teams have a better record over the three tournaments to date. Anyone got a clue?

Morgannwg wrote: Looks like NZ are quite far ahead of all the other teams right now. Wales are still extremely inconsistent. They need to do it on the big stage before they can defend their world cup trophy .

Yep...here in Wellington next one...bout as big as it gets.

The crowds were a little small for an enormous stadium at club Mandela I thought...Wellington sells out its sevens about an hour after going on sale.

Wellington is certainly the 2nd best place on the circuit after Hong Kong but certainly the best for fun. To be fair most of the fans at Wellington don't give a stuff about the game it is just a huge 48 hours of alcohol driven madness. No tickets for this seasons orgy of fun unfortunately.

I think Wales have been consistant for the last 2 seasons now reaching the Cup final's more than ever before. Some silly defeats but beating teams like Fiji on a regular basis now.

France and Portugal are the best improved along with Wales. It's a strange game, Wales lost to NZ by 7 points last week and then get stuffed this week.

Oh I should give Scotland a big thumbs up too and pretty unbelievable they only got 1 point in S Africa, the games they played showed great skill and they have advanced a great deal.

NZ got two of its experienced players back for this tournament and they starred in it.

Don't know if Cecil Afriika got hurt, but when he got pulled from the game vs NZ it was allover.

Biltong wrote:Don't know if Cecil Afriika got hurt, but when he got pulled from the game vs NZ it was allover.

Ja, but it is a bit sad that we rely on one player that much.

FerN wrote:

Biltong wrote:Don't know if Cecil Afriika got hurt, but when he got pulled from the game vs NZ it was allover.

Ja, but it is a bit sad that we rely on one player that much.

Very true.

Fiji especially have a reputation as 7`s specialists BUT the fact is NZ have ruled
7`s for years.Maybe not winning as many tournaments,or matches as of yore BUT ending up winning overall.They seldom fail to reach a final Kenya over the last 2 Seasons and Portugal this are making great strides.
This year England seem to be struggling are they missing certain players?NZ seem to keep a core of 7`s specialists seperate from the 15 a side team.
Under Gordon Tietjens they have really thrived.