Olympics Thread

Bovidae

Both the NZ mens and womens teams had a lot of injuries during the season so were never able to have their best players available. We're a better chance with those players in Rio but no certainty of gold.

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="592876" data-time="1467230991">
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Given form this year a medal of any colour would be success.
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Regardless of form, we will never go to the RWC in my lifetime and regard winning the 3rd-4th play-off game as a success.
 
Not for Sevens either. Getting a silver or bronze medal will be a nice souvenir for the players, but a failure in my book.
 
nzzp - are you serious about our tight forwards? Over the past 20 years I'd say other teams have at times matched or bettered us there, but it's the quality of our backs that have been the biggest point of difference.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="592915" data-time="1467240929">
nzzp - are you serious about our tight forwards? Over the past 20 years I'd say other teams have at times matched or bettered us there, but it's the quality of our backs that have been the biggest point of difference.</blockquote>
 
It's interesting that DJ Forbes has been a mainstay in the side for so long. Yes he was captain, but also at various times considered the best tight forward in world 7s. Is that because no one else has been able to displace him because he's that good or we don't have quality underneath so he's always picked? 
We've produced some very good quality 7s forwards over the years.

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="592945" data-time="1467245775">
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It's interesting that DJ Forbes has been a mainstay in the side for so long. Yes he was captain, but also at various times considered the best tight forward in world 7s. Is that because no one else has been able to displace him because he's that good or we don't have quality underneath so he's always picked? 
We've produced some very good quality 7s forwards over the years.
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nzzp's comment was about XVs.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="592946" data-time="1467246013">nzzp's comment was about XVs.</blockquote>
 
And here I was thinking it was a 7s thread [emoji3]

Tim

[url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/29/rio-de-janeiro-mutilated-body-beach-olympics-volleyball?CMP=twt_gu]Mutilated body washes up on Rio beach that is Olympics beach volleyball venue[/url]

nzzp

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="592915" data-time="1467240929">
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nzzp - are you serious about our tight forwards? Over the past 20 years I'd say other teams have at times matched or bettered us there, but it's the quality of our backs that have been the biggest point of difference.
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Absolutely.
 
For clarity, when I say quality of tight forwards, I'm talking about their ability to match most teams in physicality and set piece, but have ball skills on another level.
 
To be specific, Brodie is insanely talented at ball handling, and even the props can participate in offensive backline moves without killing them. Joe Moody v France at the last world cup (as an example), drawing defenders and throwing an outrageous back of the hand pass for a try.
 
When you go back to the 2005 Lions tour, the point of difference was the ball handling of the tight forwards.

ACT Crusader

Hayman, Jack, Comical Ali, early Kev - all high skill players 
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mimic

Messam misses out.. 
The New Zealand Olympic Men's Rugby Sevens team is: Scott Curry (captain) (Bay of Plenty) Sam Dickson (Canterbury) DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau) Akira Ioane (Auckland) Rieko Ioane (Auckland) Gillies Kaka (Hawke's Bay) Tim Mikkelson (Waikato) Augustine Pulu (Counties Manukau) Teddy Stanaway (Bay of Plenty) Regan Ware (Waikato) Joe Webber (Waikato) Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau) Travelling reserves; Sione Molia (Counties Manukau), Lewis Ormond (Taranaki), 
The New Zealand Olympic Women's Rugby Sevens team is: Shakira Baker (Waikato) Kelly Brazier (Bay of Plenty) Gayle Broughton (Taranaki) Theresa Fitzpatrick (Auckland) Sarah Goss (captain) (Manawatu) Kayla McAlister (Auckland) Huriana Manuel (Auckland) Tyla Nathan-Wong (Auckland) Terina Te Tamaki (Waikato) Ruby Tui (Canterbury) Niall Williams (Auckland) Portia Woodman (Counties Manukau) Travelling reserves: Michaela Blyde (Manawatu), Shiray Tane (Hawke's Bay).

gt12

Excellent - probably a good selection for the sevens (actually I couldn't give a fuck) and great news for the Chiefs!!
 
Messam's rejoined and will be playing in place of Leitch with permission from Toshiba - cha-ching :)

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gt12" data-cid="593713" data-time="1467510170">
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Excellent - probably a good selection for the sevens (actually I couldn't give a fuck) and great news for the Chiefs!!
 
Messam's rejoined and will be playing in place of Leitch with permission from Toshiba - cha-ching :)
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Wow, huge bonus for the Chiefs!

Stargazer

Both good looking teams. It seems that most of the previously injured players are fit to play again.
 
Not surprised by Messam not being in the team; he wasn't that great in the tournaments he played and injuries/suspension didn't help.
 
Can't wait to see how they'll perform in Rio.

antipodean

Strong squad. Surprised Dickson's knee is strong enough.

Stargazer

It will be interesting to see how quickly Messam adapts to playing XV again. How difficult will the switch be, both physically and mentally? He must be hugely disappointed about his non-selection, so he may be extra motivated to do well for the Chiefs.
 
There must be some very happy, but also some very disappointed men and women after the team naming. Just imagine having given your all - the past few years - to sevens, working incredibly hard for it, and then missing out! I have lost track a bit of all the players that have been involved, but players like Kurt Baker & Dylan Collier must be gutted (even though I agree with - esp Collier - not being in the team).

jegga

Seems a bit odd that Samoa and Tonga arent there.

Bones

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="593758" data-time="1467530794">Seems a bit odd that Samoa and Tonga arent there.</blockquote>
I don't think they were available to Titch. 
Unlucky for Messam, odd to see Ormond there ahead if him, but he has been on the improve I guess and is more in the mould of Dickson/Curry. 
Great team, excellent to see Dickson and especially Curry back.

taniwharugby

I think anything less than silver is a failure, even silver will be a bit meh, but silver would be a scrape by pass, while gold is still the expectation.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="593720" data-time="1467511189">It will be interesting to see how quickly Messam adapts to playing XV again. How difficult will the switch be, both physically and mentally? He must be hugely disappointed about his non-selection, so he may be extra motivated to do well for the Chiefs. 
There must be some very happy, but also some very disappointed men and women after the team naming. Just imagine having given your all - the past few years - to sevens, working incredibly hard for it, and then missing out! I have lost track a bit of all the players that have been involved, but players like Kurt Baker & Dylan Collier must be gutted (even though I agree with - esp Collier - not being in the team).</blockquote>
 
Although I'm not overly disappointed to see Baker miss out. Man he's erratic at times and has cost us with some brain fades. 
Messam has made the switch back and forth a number of times in his career so I think he'll be fine

Crucial

DJ showed amazing levels of play reading, fitness and accuracy when he played this year. As long as his body is right he is a must select. It may be his swansong but he is needed. 
I expect to see Titch use the gameplan from Wellington round (minus Lam). That was very effective. Expect to see Akira appear on the wing more than Reiko, and Reiko to slice through holes in the midfield. 
Pulu is there to suck in defenders when necessary as they must cover his threat close to the ruck. Kaka to interchange with Pulu. 
SBW demands two defenders as well.

Milk

Even for people who don't like Messam, the guy's ability to bounce back from disappointment and not drop his lip is pretty inspiring. I listened to his interview with Veitch and he said, while he was disappointed, the people he works with who have real life problems (kids with cancer, etc) puts things in perspective for him. He never struck me as the smartest rugby player going around, but I'm sure a lot of other players could learn from that.

The Silver Fern

Olympics Thread