2016-2017 World Sevens Series
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Well that was shittier than shit.
Understand that the squad is building...yadda yadda but where is the effortless ease and guile we used to play with previously? Seems to have abandoned us over the last few seasons.
We appear to have the weight of the world on our shoulders and at times look like headless chickens with hot potatoes.
What was our attack plan? If it was to set our alignment was way too deep, with the receiver having to stop and wait for the horrible moon ball pass, and have big forwards trundling it up only to lose possession or have a penalty awarded against them then it worked a treat.
That said, Koroi looks like a keeper, and good to see DJ reinventing himself looking like a young buck. -
Not a single Kiwi player in the top dozen for points, tackles or carries.
Most disappointing for me is the defence. Just missed so many tackles, no physicality when they do make a tackle. We used to concede so few tries in a tournament, now we let in a few a game.
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@Stargazer Yeah, maybe the mix is wrong but the young, strong and fast x-factor guys also need to defend well too. I did wonder if we were struggling with technique - trying to keep the tackles low due to everyone getting carded and haven't quite got it right yet. Same for all the teams though.
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@Snowy I think we are lacking players with the right skill set. We used to get by with a team of mostly bigger reasonably quick all round athletes with a couple of playmakers.
We have Forbes, Micklesen, Curry who are experienced classy players, but even they were making basic errors.
I like watching 7s for what it is, but don't think the NZR should be forcing any players into 7s as many thought they should have last year.
You see a lot of players go into these camps that don't get selected and then you see the performance of some and wonder what the ones that missed out did wrong.
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@taniwharugby Skills are definitely an issue. Curry is a good player but his hands let him down several times and you just can't afford to gift possession in 7's. It is a very basic game, there is so much space on the field that if you keep the ball you will eventually score. Teams that are avoiding contact seem to be doing better because they don't run the risk of a legitimate turnover, or the ref making a mistake on side entry, holding on, etc. It is too much of a gamble to take the tackle so our old tactic of being bigger and stronger and dominating the breakdown, recycling, off loading, etc doesn't work.
Now there is the added complication of tackle technique and getting sent off when defending. Not a simple fix for our sevens coaches. -
@Snowy said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
Teams that are avoiding contact seem to be doing better because they don't run the risk of a legitimate turnover, or the ref making a mistake on side entry, holding on, etc. It is too much of a gamble to take the tackle so our old tactic of being bigger and stronger and dominating the breakdown, recycling, off loading, etc doesn't work.
THat is the key I think, teams avoiding contact, look at what Fiji did to us in the Olympics, despite them having some big bruisers, they still dont look for the contact to launch from, need to re-look at our touch skills and go from there.
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@taniwharugby said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
need to re-look at our touch skills and go from there.
It is a shame that it is going down that road, but true I reckon. Rugby should be a contact sport but the space available in sevens means that it is avoidable.
So are you going to call Scooter and let him know that we have it sussed or shall I?
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@Snowy said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
@taniwharugby said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
need to re-look at our touch skills and go from there.
It is a shame that it is going down that road, but true I reckon. Rugby should be a contact sport but the space available in sevens means that it is avoidable.
So are you going to call Scooter and let him know that we have it sussed or shall I?
Good work boys. Now, any ideas on how to make the tournament not completely suck arse or should they just give up?
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@taniwharugby said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
@Snowy said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
Teams that are avoiding contact seem to be doing better because they don't run the risk of a legitimate turnover, or the ref making a mistake on side entry, holding on, etc. It is too much of a gamble to take the tackle so our old tactic of being bigger and stronger and dominating the breakdown, recycling, off loading, etc doesn't work.
THat is the key I think, teams avoiding contact, look at what Fiji did to us in the Olympics, despite them having some big bruisers, they still dont look for the contact to launch from, need to re-look at our touch skills and go from there.
So, if rugby sevens is really turning into a limited-contact sport, then you don't really need the strong, big players anymore? Just fast, skillful and good decision makers?
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I'm inclined to reckon the tournament doesn't attract spectators because there's no one decent to watch on the field.
Gifford made this point in stuff and I'm finding it hard to counter. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/88834651/gifford-star-power-lacking-at-wellington-sevens
The rugby die hards will always go, so that's not the market you're chasing. Similarly the attention deficit disorder costume wearers will always go.
But if Jules Savea, Beaden Barrett and Ben Smith played (SBW wow!) then I reckon they'd flock in - well certainly get the fringe families and kids in.
EVERY highly patronised sports competition in the world uses star power to draw crowds. (Wiki, Menzies and Fittler at the 9's - why?)NZ 7's is at a bit of a disadvantage because the novelty has worn slightly and we're saturated with opportunities to see our star rugby players.
Need a crowd, get the stars I reckon
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@hydro11 said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
However, given that so many AB's aren't playing the 10's you simply aren't going to get them in to play 7's.
there is literally not one person on this forum who doesn't realise this - but thanks for pointing it out all the same
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@Siam said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:
I'm inclined to reckon the tournament doesn't attract spectators because there's no one decent to watch on the field.
Gifford made this point in stuff and I'm finding it hard to counter. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/88834651/gifford-star-power-lacking-at-wellington-sevens
The rugby die hards will always go, so that's not the market you're chasing. Similarly the attention deficit disorder costume wearers will always go.
But if Jules Savea, Beaden Barrett and Ben Smith played (SBW wow!) then I reckon they'd flock in - well certainly get the fringe families and kids in.
EVERY highly patronised sports competition in the world uses star power to draw crowds. (Wiki, Menzies and Fittler at the 9's - why?)NZ 7's is at a bit of a disadvantage because the novelty has worn slightly and we're saturated with opportunities to see our star rugby players.
Need a crowd, get the stars I reckon
whadda ya mean by SBW wow?
I don't buy that argument at all. it was obviously pretty cool when Jonah and Cully made appearances but when Titch was 'unearthing' stars ( Victor Vito, Roy Kinikinilau etc ) as opposed to bringing in established ones there was still a fucken shitload of people in the crowd despite the average fan barely being able to name any NZ players.
The multitude of 'shit' games in a row has and will always be a factor but when Russia are busy trying to scrape by the might of China-Taipei that's the best opportunity to boof piss and perve at chicks, neither of which is an option cos of the fun police.
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@MN5
I think that now, in 2016 you need star appeal to run a decent sporting event.I do concede that 7s in NZ is ebbing after a long time in the spotlight but argue that the star power was there. Even Titch was a bit of a star and the players had profiles that were in the news regularly - DJ, Cama, Timmeh, Rushie. They were marketable stars and yes their success brought people in.
However this Wellington sevens thing has been fading for a while and there is lots of conjecture as to why (police, booze,fun, prices etc) and I submit that it lacks star power.
In a small country where rugby is king, there is little or no novelty left and little or no star attractions in my opinion.I come to this conclusion because I can't think of a wildly popular sporting comp that doesn't rely on star power.
Big Bash, Auckland Sheilas tennis tourney, (no idea who the men were), EPL (tribal support of a hometown my arse - it's more about the big names you can sign) IPL, Every American sports team, etc
Basically it's all about drawing people in by the players they'll watch and then after that, you run it economically, safely and enjoyably
But without the stars and the household names you ain't got nothing to work with. That's what I think keeps the crowds away in Wellington
edit: and I don't think it's possible to change (I think Martin Sneddon sees the same writing, well he should because I stole it from him!
