Sevens World Cup

First topic message reminder :

24 mens teams (defending champs Wales) and 16 Womens (Defending champs Australia) compete in the latest shorter version RWC.

All the details available here: http://www.rwcsevens.com/index.html

The first round of mens fixtures have been completed, with no shocks and wins for the Top12 teams over their lower ranked rivals. With 6 Pools in the Men's competition, only group winners will be guaranteed a 1/4 final spot - which will make the last round of matches tomorrow rather spicy.

Taylorman wrote:

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:World Cup 15s and 7s in both men's and women's. Throw in Rugby League world champs and that's a great achievement for NZ in rugby. The gap is closing at age group level but for the moment we Kiwis have to be proud of what these teams have achieved. So pleased for Titch who deserves more of these to go alongside the series wins as well. An incredible coach and a loyal servant of sevens rugby.

Yeah Titch needs to coach and win Rio in 16 then with the game leaping onto the International stage he can go and coach China for the Gazillions he's worth and deserves.

What's interesting fr me is that the standard of sevens is increasing. The Olympics is going to be interesting. Since it was announced that rugby was entering the olympics the standard has been improving. There are only 12 places in competition (host, top 4 2014/2015 world sevens, 1 each from Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and Americas, and 2 from playoffs).

While NZ is still the most consistent team in the men's competition there are now more than half a dozen teams that can win tournaments and an increasing number of teams that can cause an upset. Whilst the pacific teams,South Africa and England remain strong a host of other sides are coming through including the American teams, France and Kenya. There's still 2 years until qualification and I expect he improvement to increase. The real question is how many rugby professionals or other top sportsmen will commit early enough to make a difference.

The womens game has had the biggest change. It's reinvigorated it and means the game is been developed. A year or 2 ago England were the top side and womans rugby was to some extent dying. Look the change. England struggled, as the likes of the USA, Russia, Canada, Australia and NZ all made significant improvements.

If it was based on the rankings from the last series the men draw would include:
Brazil - Host
New Zealand - World Series 1
South Africa - World Series 2
Fiji - World Series 3
Samoa - World Series 4
Great Britain - European Qualifier via England
Kenya - African Qualifier
China - Asian qualifier - via Hong Kong
Australia -Oceania qualifier
Argentina -Americas qualifier
France - Playoffs 1
USA - Playoffs 2

The pressure is going to be on the lesser sides to avoid relegation/or earn promotion next year (to ensure they are involved in the 2014/15 season and can develop a side. It will also be on the top sides to finish in the top four in 2014/15. Only NZ and Fiji have consistently been there, even they have finished fourth at times, so there is no guarantee for anyone. There are some fascinating potential playoffs. If England or Wales don't make the top 4 they'll play a fast improving France in the European play off. No African team in the last 4 would see Kenya and South Africa playing off. The America's have 3 teams possibly playing for 1 position. The Oceania area have 5 of the top sides. In all likelihood there could be 2,3 or 4 sides playing for 1 position. As for Asia, the door is open for Japan, China or someone else to step up.

Good to see both the Womens as well as the mens Hakas.

 The numbers 3, 3 and 0 are beginning to haunt the England Rugby sides

I noticed a number of you commented on the emptiness of the stadium and whether this event should have been awarded to Moscow, heres an article from the Harold on the subject.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10894173

aucklandlaurie wrote:
I noticed a number of you commented on the emptiness of the stadium and whether this event should have been awarded to Moscow, heres an article from the Harold on the subject.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10894173

It's pretty clear if they'd known a few weeks ago how empty the stands were going to be, the IRB would have argued for a move to a smaller ground. If they had the chance to do it all again, I don't doubt they'd have awarded it somewhere else.

Expansion is important but you have to have some realistic expectations and forecasts. This seemed a bit more like a "hit and hope" strategy.

I think that the standard is getting poorer. More teams are competitive but this is as much a factor of standards dropping as it is of them rising

dragonbreath wrote:I think that the standard is getting poorer. More teams are competitive but this is as much a factor of standards dropping as it is of them rising

Stronger than ever. Dedicated teams, players are bigger, fitter, stronger. More upsets, more teams winning comps. Personal experience in other sports tells me expect the standard to start to accelerate upwards in the next couple of years and following the world cup.

It is getting stronger at its base levels since becoming an Olympic sport. It means National Olympic funds are being poured into the sport where before the same money wasnt available.

A stronger base will eventually flow through to the upper levels faster in some countries than others.

Follow China's progress between now and the Olympic Gold final day.

dragonbreath wrote:I think that the standard is getting poorer. More teams are competitive but this is as much a factor of standards dropping as it is of them rising

Disagree. The non-traditional rugby countries are targetting 7s as it is now an Olympic sport.

Taylorman wrote:It is getting stronger at its base levels since becoming an Olympic sport. It means National Olympic funds are being poured into the sport where before the same money wasnt available.

A stronger base will eventually flow through to the upper levels faster in some countries than others.

Follow China's progress between now and the Olympic Gold final day .

Give it 2/3 Olympics then yes its possible but not the next one.

It's difficult finding a balance between development and revenue generation, etc. We want to grow the game, but to do that you have to take it to places where the game is small. Invariably this means that in some places the turnout will be low. When do you withdraw and take it somewhere else? Do you continue to plug away until it catches the imagination and the crowds start to come? Very tricky thing to do, development.

On the Chinese Olympic point: they seem made for 7s to me. A bit of a generalisation/stereotype, but from watching the 15 man game and their soccer teams they always seem to have really fast, agile and very fit players - perfect for 7s. They'll come good in 7s one day now that medals are up for grabs.

I actually think that the russians should be medal contenders, maybe by 2020.

Just not sure if China have the population to field a full sevens side...

nganboy wrote:

Taylorman wrote:It is getting stronger at its base levels since becoming an Olympic sport. It means National Olympic funds are being poured into the sport where before the same money wasnt available.

A stronger base will eventually flow through to the upper levels faster in some countries than others.

Follow China's progress between now and the Olympic Gold final day .

Give it 2/3 Olympics then yes its possible but not the next one.

No I didnt mean winning it. Just suggesting that on the day of the final the Chinese 7's side will have a much igher profile than they do now. Theres no escaping the fact that they see themselves as a superpower and the Olympics is traditionally one way of pressing that home. And the fact that the yanks arent great at it theyll have pencilled this event as a potential gold for sure. Its all about numbers.

Taylorman wrote:No I didnt mean winning it. Just suggesting that on the day of the final the Chinese 7's side will have a much higher profile than they do now.

China will have to qualify first. There's no guarantee they'll be the Asian qualifier. Japan has largely ignored sevens but is waking up to the code. They'll want to be in Rio and their mens team will probably be stronger than China when it matters. The Chinese may have a better chance at getting their womens team to Rio.

LondonTiger wrote:

dragonbreath wrote:I think that the standard is getting poorer. More teams are competitive but this is as much a factor of standards dropping as it is of them rising

Disagree. The non-traditional rugby countries are targetting 7s as it is now an Olympic sport.

Everything is an Olympic sport these days...next up darts and 'It's a Knockout'...oops, don't mention the 70s

Rugby Fan wrote:

aucklandlaurie wrote:
I noticed a number of you commented on the emptiness of the stadium and whether this event should have been awarded to Moscow, heres an article from the Harold on the subject.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10894173

It's pretty clear if they'd known a few weeks ago how empty the stands were going to be, the IRB would have argued for a move to a smaller ground. If they had the chance to do it all again, I don't doubt they'd have awarded it somewhere else.

Expansion is important but you have to have some realistic expectations and forecasts. This seemed a bit more like a "hit and hope" strategy.

Wont be as much of a problem in the Olympics as in Rio, its being played in a 20K temporary stadium that will also be used for the Modern Pentathlon.
http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/summer-olympics/2016/1014446-rugby-sevens-finally-finds-home-in-deodoro-park-for-rio-2016

Should avoid any embarrassing repeat of having a couple of thousand people floating around in a massive stadium like the Luzhniki.