NZ Sevens 2024-25

[Bovidae]

Mixed results for the three NZ teams. The Men's 1 team won their pool (3-0) but then lost 21-12 to Manu Samoa in the QF. The Men's 2 team lost all three of their pool games, including to the eventual winners Fiji. The Men's 2 team did beat an Aust Select team 24-5 in the Bowl QF and also won their SF and final. The Men's 1 team then lost 24-22 to a Fijian Brothers team in the Plate SF.

The Women's Development team won all of their matches until the final where they lost to Mount Masada 24-7, which looks to have a number of Fijiana players.

A useful warmup tournament before Perth next weekend.

[Bovidae]

A couple of young debutant wingers in the men's squad. No Rob Rush.

Unavailable due to injury: Shiray Kaka, Akuila Rokolisoa, Kitiona Vai, Amanaki Nicole, Roderick Solo (season) and Xavier Tito-Harris.

[ARHS]

Cook savage not listed as injured. Is he off contract?

[Bovidae]

The million dollar question.

Unlike the BF7s, the AB7s haven't publicly released their 2025 squad. Not surprisingly, the player profiles of both teams on allblacks.com aren't current either.

[ARHS]

And is it any wonder that SVNs is failing financially when the promotion of it is so lacklustre in the Southern Hemisphere...

[Bovidae]

Surprise, surprise. We have updated squad lists on allblacks.com.

Based on this information the only new contracted players are Sofai Maka, Oli Mathis and Joey Taumateine.

The others listed are:
Dylan Collier
Jayden Keelan
Andrew Knewstubb
Ngarohi McGarvey-Black
Sione Molia
Tone Ng Shiu
Amanaki Nicole
Lewis Ormond
Akuila Rokolisoa
Brady Rush
Roderick Solo
Xavier Tito-Harris
Codemeru Vai
Kitiona Vai
Regan Ware
Joe Webber

Other players used so far are Jack Gray, Rob Rush, Fletcher Carpenter and now Maloni Kunawave and Frank Vaenuku.

[Steven Harris]

@ARHS in rehab from his November surgery on his right knee
seems to be making good progress

https://www.instagram.com/tepaea.cook.savage1/reel/DFCpk7VyZ8F/

[ARHS]

@Steven-Harris thanks for that. I avoid Instagram...

[Bovidae]

[Bones]

Gotta love the official app.

That's the fixtures and results page for Perth.

[ARHS]

We have come to expect little different...

[KiwiMurph]

I never really understood the business plan for the revised Sevens programme a couple of years back

Fewer tournaments and some of the locations are places where the rugby following would be more cult-like than would capture the general public (i.e. Madrid).

[Bovidae]

The AB7s lead Kenya 14-7 at HT. Vaenuku scored early and the Kenya scored near HT. Ware scores in the 10th min after the play was kept alive.

[Bovidae]

Two late tries blew the score out to a 29-14 win. Some good impact off the bench from Knewstubb and Vai.

[Bovidae]

The BF7s beat Brazil 50-7. A good game to rotate players in the Perth heat.

[NTA]

Aussie men come back hard against Argies but can't hold them out in ET.

Aussie women smack China, unsurprisingly.

[Machpants]

Fiji lost to Portugal, bit of a shock defeat

[Bones]

@Machpants said in NZ Sevens 2024-25:

Fiji lost to Portugal, bit of a shock defeat

Bit of skullduggery with Portugal playing under the Uruguay flag.

[Bovidae]

Fiji were up 17-0 in that game. NZ vs Uruguay is next.

[Bones]

@Bovidae said in NZ Sevens 2024-25:

Fiji were up 17-0 in that game. NZ vs Uruguay is next.

Might have analysed their plays expecting Spanish and it all fell to pieces when they were called in Portuguese instead.