2018-2019 World Sevens Series

[Tordah]

I tend to believe that any referee is biased in almost any game, especially when it's internationals, because you're almost bound to have a team more to your liking, and one of the goals of refereeing is to make sure that bias does not come out. I just think Rasta is not good at that particular facet, which makes him a pretty shit ref. I'm sure he doesn't intentionally whistle against NZ, that would be just plain stupid and a good way for career suicide, but he is just a shit ref who can't hide his biases. And he has an annoying voice of a twelve year old. Which makes him an even worse boy in the middle.

To be clear, though, USA was the better team then, and clearly deserved their win. Doesn't substract from Rasta's shittiness, however.

[Bones]

@tordah yeah probably on the money there, I find he seems to be a decent ref in XVs, it's just 7s where he can't keep up. Makes it that much worse when the whole game really can hinge on one or two possessions.

[Bones]

Knewstubb is such a bloody liability. Every game just littered with crucial mistakes. I think he features in most tries scored against us.

[Stargazer]

@bones I couldn't disagree more. IMO he's been one of our best. He's made a truckload of try saving tackles; until this game, kicked most of his conversions and set up a lot of tries. Very reliable generally.

[Stargazer]

Talking about liabilities. Koroi is a bit of liability with high tackles. He's already on a yellow; another one will be red.

[Stargazer]

Shit, another injury. Nicole out.

[Stargazer]

Bugger. Fourth it is.

FT: South Africa 10 - 5 NZ

[Stargazer]

C'mon Fiji, please win this final. If only, for the points table.

[Bones]

@stargazer right, so how many tries have been scored against us directly from his offensive and defensive errors? He misses more tackles than any other player I've noticed. He's made shitty mistakes with the ball too.

Annnnd Collier winds back the clock and finishes the game in true Collier style. Has a free run to the corner, tries to bump off the tiny player and throws the ball out at the same time.

[Bones]

@stargazer that and these yanks seem like dicks.

[Stargazer]

Good to keep things in perspective. The AB7s were missing Scott Curry, Sam Dickson, Akuila Rokolisoa, Regan Ware, Kurt Baker, Joe Webber, Luke Masirewa (all injured), Tim Mikkelson (parental leave) and Joe Ravouvou (waiting for his NZ citizenship).

[Stargazer]

Walk in the park for Fiji, this final.

[Stargazer]

Fiji win the Cape Town Sevens; their first win in SA since 2005!

Fiji 29 - 15 USA

[Stargazer]

[ARHS]

@stargazer

Agree there. Koroi did not look fit enough from the early matches. I think that leads to the ineffectual or high tackles, and the poor passes and ball security.

Knewstubb had a very high workrate. but I still think his kicking needs some work still.

[Stargazer]

The 16th team has already been announced: Tonga!

.

[canefan]

Understandable that we got bounced early, considering that mammoth effort in Dubai last round

[booboo]

So you win a tourny and get RSA and Samoa in your pool.

Finish 4th and get Spain, Canada and Japan.

Yes I know all of them are capable of beating us but ...

I suppose it shows the development in the game.

[Stargazer]

@booboo Just the consequence of teams' performances this weekend. Spain did very well finishing 6th this weekend, after finishing 11/12th in Dubai last week.

[Stargazer]

Some stats from the World Rugby website (Dubai 7s and Cape Town 7s combined). The stats only list the first 30 players.

Points:
1- John Porch (AUS): 98
2- Andrew Knewstubb (NZ): 85

Teams:
1- Fiji: 375
5- NZ: 250

Tries:
1- Alamanda Motuga (Samoa): 12
10- Andrew Knewstubb (NZ): 7

Teams:
1- Fiji: 61
8- NZ: 38

Conversions scored:
1- Andrew Knewstubb (NZ): 25

Teams:
1- Fiji (35)
3- NZ (30)

Yellow cards:
1- There are 8 players with 2 yellow cards, including Vilimoni Koroi
9- There are at least 22 players with 1 yellow card, including Andrew Knewstubb, but we don't know whether there are more because the WR list is only 30 players long.

Teams:
1- Fiji: 6
3- NZ: 5

Red cards:
1- Amenoni Nasilasila (Fiji). He's the only player on the list.

Tackles made:
1- Dylan Collier (NZ): 36
2- Sione Molia (NZ): 32
19- Andrew Knewstubb (NZ): 21
25- Tone Ng Shiu (NZ): 19
27- Ngarohi McGarvey-Black (NZ): 19
28- Luke Masirewa (NZ): 18

Teams:
1- NZ: 222
(2- AUS: 180)

Clean breaks:
1- Perry Baker (USA): 12
13- Tone Ng Shiu (NZ): 8
21- Sione Molia (NZ): 7

Teams:
no stats available

Restarts:
1- John Porch (AUS): 45
4- Andrew Knewstubb (NZ): 35
27- Vilimoni Koroi (NZ): 6

Teams:
1- Fiji: 63
7- NZ: 42

Runs:
1- Maurice Longbottom (AUS): 50
10- Sione Molia (NZ): 40

Teams:
no stats available