Hawke's Bay Sevens

[Stockcar86]

Even though they were all losses, nothing was hidings. I have some hope

[Higgins]

As a Hawkes Bay supporter all we have had to live on these last few seasons is hope. I'm hoping with Mr. Philpott no longer on the scene the hope that we no longer have to live on hope is more than a fanciful hope! At least I hope with Jason Long still on the scene we can get some respite from relying on hope come February 3 and 4 at the Palm Nth Showgrounds. Three in a row has a nice sound to it............

[Stargazer]

Hawke's Bay Women's Sevens:
Felicity Powdrell, Niamh Jefferson, Teilah Ferguson, Julie Ferguson-Ngawaka, Kalyn Takitimu-Cook, Hope Hakopa, Marlane Harmer, Laurae Blake, Jessie Fowell, Shaylee Tipiwai, Sincerely Horne, Tash Greville

Hawke's Bay Men's Sevens:
Ricky Hayes, Teihana Brown (captain), Damien Scott, Al Momoisea, Ausage Fomai, Tyrone Dodd-Edwards, Ioane Lauano, Samuela Korosigasiga, Mitchell Drew, Christopher Johnston, Danny Toala, Timoteo Vaiusu

Again no Emerson. Haven't read anything about him being injured, but I guess he is. Haven't heard anything about Fakatava for months either. McClutchie not picked. Also no Neria Fomai (HBT reported earlier in the week that he was eligible).

I really hope the Bay men are not going to get steamrolled this weekend and get some decent results and a reasonable final placing. Don't give the women much chance with them playing in the same pool as Counties and Auckland. Maybe they can beat Southland.

Men's pool games:
12.25pm v North Harbour*
3.15pm v Manawatu
5.15pm v Otago*

Women's pool games:
10.25pm v Counties Manukau
12.45pm v Auckland*
4.15pm v Southland

*Televised on Sky Sport 2.

[Higgins]

What has happened to Tamati Samuels? I thought he made some sort of NZ7s training camp last season.

[Higgins]

That looked suspiciously like a rabbit when scoring the try to take Harbour out by seven.

[Stargazer]

First results:

Men:
12 - 19 loss to North Harbour

Women:
7 - 50 loss to 2017 champions Counties Manukau
0 - 39 loss to Auckland

From HBT:

He was hoping to have the services of Samoa World Series player Neria Fomai. However, he wasn't released by the Samoan coaching staff who see Fomai as a key player for their January 26-28 round of the World Series in Sydney following an injury to another pivotal member of their squad.

Fomai's brother Ausage Fomai, who missed the Mount Maunganui trip last weekend, returns to the team. Three players who travelled last weekend, Tamatea speedster and New Zealand open men's touch rep Ash Robinson-Bartlett, former Hastings Boys' High School pivot and two-season New Zealand Secondary Schools 15s player Lincoln McClutchie and Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports forward Jesse King, missed the cut for nationals.

"We've opted for a bigger squad and a bit more physicality," Wilson added.

Nine of Wilson's squad will be playing for Hawke's Bay at nationals level for the first time. Among them are Napier Old Boys Marist captain Chris Johnston who has represented Bay of Plenty and Waikato previously.

I don't know what happened since the team was named and who dropped out, but both King and McClutchie played against North Harbour.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11974061

[Stargazer]

Remainder of the day 1 results:

Men:
5 - 32 loss to Manawatu
20 - 14 win over Otago

Women:
22 -12 win over Southland

[Higgins]

Is it just me but do some of our guys appear to be not wearing the regulation black and white sock. It is a bit hard to be sure with a few players wearing those compression things that come up to the high calf area but some players look like they might just be wearing some sort of ankle sock, or a completely black sock, if any at all.
Anyway 31 - 00 over Southland is a nice way to start the day.

[Stargazer]

@higgins Can't say I looked at their socks, but they played their socks off in the QF and it was a good game to watch. Way more urgency than yesterday. The Bowl semi will be tougher against Counties. I think it's at 1.55pm.

[Stargazer]

The women's team just lost their Bowl Semi Final to Harbour 12 - 26.
They'll play to avoid the wooden spoon (11th/12th play-off) at 3.00pm.

[Kiwidom]

@higgins Playing in Spain or Portugal at present I believe

[Stargazer]

@kiwidom Yeah, he's playing in Portugal.

I'm still surprised about the complete lack of information about why Emerson hasn't been playing at the Regionals and the Nationals. HBT didn't even mention him, although he was in the wider training group. It's no secret that he has ambitions in sevens, so I can only assume he's injured.

All in all, I'm disappointed about the results this weekend, although not unexpected.

[Stargazer]

Finally, an explanation of why Emerson didn't play for the Bay at the Central Region and National Sevens.

Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby winger Mason Emerson reckons a decision to take an eight-week spell from all versions of the code has paid off big time.

After last year's Mitre 10 Cup 21-year-old Emerson went to a United States Sevens tournament with the New Zealand Development team and when he returned had a chat with Magpies head coach Mark Ozich and the pair agreed it would be a good time to take two months off.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11997162

[Stargazer]

The 2018 Sevens season is well underway. The Central Regional Sevens Qualifier tournament will be held in Levin on 1 December.

The Ellery Wilson coached men's squad played a tournament in Wellington last Saturday, the Rongotai Sevens, and finished fourth. HBT write-up below.

Results:

Pool games:
Hawke’s Bay 14 – Wellington Black 5
Hawke’s Bay 28 - Wanganui 14
Hawke’s Bay 19 - Manawatu Green 19

Third place play-off:
Canterbury 26 – Hawke’s Bay 19

Squad for this tournament was:
Ricky Hayes, Hayden Hann, Jayden Rihia, Mitch Drew, Damien Scott, Trent Hape, Saia Paese, Jacob Stephenson, Tyrone Dodd-Edwards, Zac Donaldson, Nathan Ramsay, Tione Hubbard, Rana Hubbard.

None of the Magpies were available (still enjoying their break); some other players were also unavailable, among whom Trinity Spooner-Neera (would be great to have him, with his NZ7s experience).

This weekend is the third annual Napier Old Boys Marist Sevens tournament at Tremain Field.

Don't know where the women's team is at; a wider training squad was named ages ago, but I've not seen anything else.
The team's coaches are Dan Rodden, Tamati Samuels and Trent Boswell-Wakefield.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=12158633

[Stargazer]

The annual NOBM Sevens are today at Tremain Field. I'm hoping to find out who are in the squads, this one from Havelock North looks interesting.

Found the draw:

[Stargazer]

FYI: As posted in the Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments thread, the Ignite 7s are tomorrow (LIVE on Sky Sport 1). Initially, four Hawke's Bay players were invited to attend the event, that involved a few days of testing and a tournament (tomorrow, Sat 24/11): Danny Toala, Lincoln McClutchie, Tyrone Dodd-Edwards and Liam Udy-Johns.

McClutchie and Udy-Johns no longer appear on the team lists; maybe they're injured or there are other reasons why they're not participating. Trent Hape seems to have taken McClutchie's spot.

In case you're interested, you can find their test results in their profiles:
Toala
Dodd-Edwards
Hape

[Stargazer]

I haven't seen any squad lists yet, but I read this on the Clubrugby website about our men's team:

Who can stop Wellington?

One suspects both Wanganui and Hawke’s Bay will struggle. Wanganui endured a tough visit to the eighth annual Weepu 7s last Saturday. Leaving central Wanganui at 5:30am, the team bus was stalled in Levin following a motor accident. A diversion resulted in a late arrival and already under strength in numbers, injuries forced two coaches to strip off and play. However Samu Kubunavuna and Brett Landers are worth keeping an eye on.

The Magpies have lost half a dozen players this week, including former New Zealand reps Tamati Samuels and Trinity Spooner-Nera. Hawke’s Bay does boast many familiar names to Wellington audiences though, with Zac Donaldson and Saia Paese sure to add plenty of zest.

Men's draw for Saturday, 1/12:
1st round: bye
11.40am: v Wanganui
1.20pm: v Wellington

Women's draw:
11.20am: v Taranaki
12.40pm: v Manawatu
2.40pm: v Wellington

Most games will be livestreamed on https://www.facebook.com/horowhenuakapiti.centralzone7s/

[Stargazer]

Squad lists for the Central 7s, according to the HBT (the HBRU couldn't be bothered to publish the teams themselves, apparently):

Hawke's Bay men
Teihana Brown (c), Kalin Paewai, Damien Scott, Trent Hape, Hayden Hann, Siosaia Paese, Tamati Samuels, Sebastian Visinia, Zachary Donaldson, Tom Iosefo, Tyrone Dodd-Edwards, Danny Toala

Hawke's Bay women
Shaylee Tipiwai (c), Lara Kendrick, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Niamh Jefferson, Teilah Ferguson, Hanna Brough, Julie Ferguson-Ngawaka, Krysten Cottrell, Hope Hakopa, Cortez Te Pou, Anna Powdrell, Felicity Powdrell

Very, very young women's team, with several school girls in it. They're only playing for the experience anyway, because all teams will go through to the Nationals.

The men's team seems to be missing Mason Emerson, Trinity Spooner-Neera, Lincoln McClutchie and Devan Flanders. Not sure who else, but it would be nice to know why they are missing. Devan with the Canes, probably, but the others? Injured? Or is Lincoln with the Canes, too?

Livestream:

Rugby - Regional 7s - Levin Dec 2018

Watch the Central Region rugby 7s teams in their regional qualifying tournament, live from Playford Park, Levin, NZ.

[Higgins]

@stargazer said in HB Sevens:
Or is Lincoln with the Canes, too?

Livestream:

Rugby - Regional 7s - Levin Dec 2018

Watch the Central Region rugby 7s teams in their regional qualifying tournament, live from Playford Park, Levin, NZ.

Unlikely, he is a Hawkes Bay player afterall!

[Stargazer]

@higgins Just saw a photo on Flanders' instagram He wasn't with the Canes either, yesterday; he was watching his little brother play at the Condor Sevens.