Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments
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@Stargazer said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:
RED BULL IGNITE7 RETURNS WITH EXCITING NEW FORMAT
Red Bull Ignite7 breaks new ground again in 2020 as the country’s leading sevens players go head to head this December.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has today announced that contracted sevens players will join the Bolt, Surge, Inferno and Power teams alongside more than 60 emerging sevens players for the third annual tournament.
A live draft event on Monday 30 November will see eight captains, including Tim Mikkelson, Scott Curry and Sarah Hirini, pick their playing squads in a three-round draft, broadcast on SKY.
Teams will then assemble for one week in Tauranga before a two-day tournament at Blake Park on 5-6 December.
“The opportunity to evolve the Red Bull Ignite7 concept to include our contracted players alongside the next generation of stars is new for us. The proposition of senior players being charged with picking their teams means we have something completely different on our hands.
“The other element of this which is also really exciting is it will grow our leaders as they will have to think about how to build an environment as their team prepares to perform.
Talent identification to confirm the wider playing group is underway and expected to feature several Farah Palmer Cup and Mitre 10 Cup players. All players will be given training support in the lead up to the tournament before assembly in December.
This will be the first sevens tournament for the World Series-winning All Black Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens since the beginning of 2020 and kick starts the playing schedule in the lead up to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The teams are hopeful for some Oceania based tournaments at the start of 2021 before the World Series is re-instated.
I will be heading along to this. Close friends have had their daughter selected to participate. She's only 16 so is likely to be a 13th player in one of the teams but a top achievement to get identified and selected all the same, especially considering that she has been noticed playing in a bit of a backwater as far as rugby goes.
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The country’s leading female sevens exponents have been selected for the upcoming Red Bull Ignite7.
The 52 players will spend the next month preparing and will be drafted into teams on 30 November, before the tournament is played at Blake Park in Tauranga on 5-6 December.Black Ferns Sevens coaches Allan Bunting and Cory Sweeney have selected all of their contracted players along with several stars of the Farah Palmer Cup and emerging sevens talent.
Sweeney said this was a unique opportunity to get the best sevens players from across New Zealand for an exciting tournament.
“We believe with the players who have been selected that this tournament has the potential to be World Class.
“Many of these players were involved in the Farah Palmer Cup which was a great competition this year. We look forward to them stepping things up a notch as they turn their focus to sevens and ultimately the preparation for next year’s Olympics.
“It’s quite unique that the pressure now turns to the captains who will have the difficult task of picking their teams at the draft,” said Sweeney.
All former Red Bull Ignite7 MVPs return for 2020, with Isla Norman Bell, Kalyn Takitimu-Cook, Mererangi Paul, Renee Holmes and Grace Kukatai selected.
Seven 2018 Youth Olympic Gold medallists will be amongst those in the draft with Takitimu-Cook, Risi Pouri-Lane, Mahina Paul, Tynelle Fitzgerald, Tiana Davison and Montessa Tairakena in the selected group.
2019 Condor Sevens MVP Jorja Miller steps up, after leading for Christchurch Girls’ High School to a national title last year she is one of four school-girls that will join the programme as apprentices for the week.
The Red Bull Ignite7 players for 2020 are;
Mia Anderson
Isla Norman-Bell
Shakira Baker
Manaia Nuku
Michala Blyde
Mahina Paul
Kelly Brazier
Mererangi Paul
Gayle Broughton
Risi Pouri-Lane
Sam Curtis
Cheyelle Robins-Reti
Georgia Daals
Leanna Ryan
Tiana Davison
Layla Sae
Princess Elliott
Alena Saili
Dhys Faleafaga
Teuila Sotutu
Lyric Faleafaga
Kiki Tahere
Rhiarna Ferris
Montessa Tairakena
Tynelle Fitzgerald
Kalyn Takitimu-Cook
Theresa Fitzpatrick
Ruby Tawa
Stacey Fluhler
Terina Te Tamaki
Sarah Hirini
Kelsey Teneti
Renee Holmes
Shyanne Thompson
Jazmin Hotham
Alanis Toia-Tigafua
Tysha Ikenasio
Hazel Tubic
Maia Joseph
Rebekah Tufuga
Shiray Kaka
Leianne Tufuga
Rosie Kelly
Ruby Tui
Grace Kukutai
Janna Vaughn
Crystal Mayes
Olive Watherston
Jorja Miller
Tenika Willison
Tyla Nathan-Wong
Portia WoodmanThe men’s players will be announced in two weeks
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I cut out the provinces as it made a mess of the cut and paste but the breakdown is as follows
Northland 2
North Harbour 1
Auckland 7
CM 3
Waikato 13
BOP 9
Manawatu 7
Taranaki 2
Wellington 3
Caterbury 2
Otago 3Some odd spreads there BOP and Waikato make up nearly half the selection. Very surpirised that there are only 3 from Welly and that only already established players from CM are involved.
SI is poorly represented, which could be a reflection on the game there, but weird when you consider the strength of the womens XV game in Caterbury. Of the 5 SI players at least two are schools players attending as apprentices (13th player).
I don't know who the other 2 school age players are. -
@Crucial Waikato has a good women's sevens programme coming out of Hamilton GHS. BOP benefits from having the national sevens base there as a lot of their players were from other provinces (e.g., Blyde - Taranaki, Brazier - Otago, Risi Pouri-Lane - Ta$man, Alena Saili - Southland).
Did your friends daughter get selected?
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@Bovidae said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:
@Crucial Waikato has a good women's sevens programme coming out of Hamilton GHS. BOP benefits from having the national sevens base there as a lot of their players were from other provinces (e.g., Blyde - Taranaki, Brazier - Otago, Risi Pouri-Lane - Ta$man, Alena Saili - Southland).
Did your friends daughter get selected?
Yep. She is one of the four ‘apprentices’.
Really exciting for her. She may not get any game time unless there are injuries but for a 16 year old getting to train and mix with some of the world’s best for a week is going to be very cool. -
It will also be interesting to see how her 'stats' match up.
They usually run a bit of a 'combine' type thing to baseline sprint times, strength, standing jumps and all that type of shit like the US sports systems.
My son has been setting her S&C program from afar and she is pretty much having to train herself under his guidance. They are working on getting her peaking at this event so the outcomes will be of big interest.
One of the reasons she was nominated in the first place is that she went to an Otago development camp and showed some good numbers and a good understanding of how to train to improve. -
Mens list for RedBull announced. I see Rushie's boy is there, so is Nonu's and a few other recognisable family names. Yet another of the Going clan, a Sinkinson (is he related to Brett?), Hare Makiri's boy, and probably others I haven't spotted.
*New Zealand’s leading sevens players will go head to head with the next generation of talent at next month’s Red Bull Ignite7 with the men’s players announced today.
The 52 players represent the best sevens talent from across the country who will be drafted into teams on 30 November, before the tournament is played at Blake Park in Tauranga on 5-6 December.Amongst those selected are more than 20 players who have taken part in this year’s Mitre 10 Cup along with former New Zealand Under 20 and New Zealand Schools players.
All Blacks Sevens Coach Clark Laidlaw said the selectors had done a fantastic job in unearthing potential stars.
“We’re extremely excited around group of players that will assemble for Red Bull Ignite7.
“This is a massive cross section of talent from our contracted players that are currently in preseason, players from Mitre 10 Cup, New Zealand Schools and sevens specialists from provincial game.
“It will be a unique environment because those players coming in are going to be able to gauge themselves against some of the best players in the world and get a direct comparison which is something we haven’t had before.
“It’s a win-win because the All Blacks Sevens players get to play sevens again after a long break and at the same time get to help the next generation. The next generation of talent get to come in and play alongside our players and get coached by our coaches – it will be an amazing week.”
Former Red Bull Ignite7 MVPs William Warbrick, Joel Cobb and Jona Mataiciwa return in 2020 and are joined by seven members of the 2019 New Zealand Schools sevens team.
A number rookies will be picked across the Bolt, Inferno, Surge and Power teams with 2020 New Zealand Schools players Che Clark, Fehi Fineanganoko, Luron Iosefa, Noah Hotham, Blake Makiri, Jone Rova and Caleb Tangitau selected to be immersed into the sevens environment.
Brady Rush, son of former All Blacks Sevens legend Eric, is set to make his mark on the game and is joined by another well-known name from Northland Rugby in Kalani Going, grandson of Brian Going.*
The 2020 Red Bull Ignite7 men’s players are;
Charles Alaimalo - Southland
Ngarohi McGarvey-Black - North Harbour
Kurt Baker - Hawke's Bay
Tim Mikkelson - Waikato
Leroy Carter - Bay of Plenty
Sione Molia - Counties Manukau
Che Clark - Auckland
Tone Ng Shiu - Auckland
Joel Cobb - Auckland
Amanaki Nicole - Southland
Dylan Collier - Waikato
Brayton Northcott-Hill - Taranaki
Scott Curry - Bay of Plenty
Manu Paea - Auckland
Sam Dickson - Bay of Plenty
Terrell Peita - Auckland
Carlos Donnell-Brown - Auckland
Fritz Rayasi - Wellington
Rhodes Featherstone - Taranaki
Akuila Rokolisoa - Counties Manukau
Fehi Fineanganofo - Auckland
Jone Rova - Taranaki
Angus Fletcher - Canterbury
Brady Rush - Northland
Tom Florence - Taranaki
Tim Sail - North Harbour
Cole Forbes - Bay of Plenty
Ollie Sapsford - Hawke's Bay
Kalani Going - Northland
Sage Shaw-Tait - Auckland
Noah Hotham - Waikato
Dan Sinkinson - Waikato
Shamus Hurley-Langton - Manawatu
Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong - Hawke's Bay
Luron Iosefa - Auckland
Rico Syme - Canterbury
Trael Joass - Ta$man
Caleb Tangitau - Auckland
Andrew Knewstubb - Canterbury
Anzelo Tuitavuki - Hawke's Bay
Stuart Leach - Waikato
Kitiona Vai - Auckland
Brian Lealiifano - Canterbury
William Warbrick - Bay of Plenty
Moses Leo - North Harbour
Regan Ware - Bay of Plenty
Caleb Makene - Hawke's Bay
Joe Webber - Bay of Plenty
Blake Makiri - Canterbury
Ethan Webster-Nonu - Wellington
Jona Mataiciwa - Bay of Plenty
Liam Wilson - Waikato
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The interesting thing, with Super Squads due soon, is the omissions.
Looks like Rayasi, Gregory, Koroi, Nareki, Nanai-Seturo all wanted for 15s, predictably.
But, is it the same for Kneepkens, Moorby, Te Tamaki, James Little, Coombes-Fabling, Te Whare-Crosby and Niko Jones? Wonder how many of these may be courting 15's offers?
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@ARHS said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:
The interesting thing, with Super Squads due soon, is the omissions.
Looks like Rayasi, Gregory, Koroi, Nareki, Nanai-Seturo all wanted for 15s, predictably.
But, is it the same for Kneepkens, Moorby, Te Tamaki, James Little, Coombes-Fabling, Te Whare-Crosby and Niko Jones? Wonder how many of these may be courting 15's offers?
This isn't a national trial. It is still primarily a vehicle for identifying and assessing new talent. They have just changed the format to give some of the contracted guys some gamete in mentoring roles.
ENS and Koroi for example have been playing 15s, Mikkleson and Curry haven't had a thing.I will be watching the famous sons closely. I think Rush's boy has some expectations around him and I imagine Nonu's son will attract interest too.
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@Stargazer said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:
Condor Sevens
The dates for the Condor Sevens have been announced:
Thu 10 - Fri 11 December 2020: Open boys & girls (seniors)
Sat 12 - Sun 13 December 2020: U15 boys & girls (juniors)
Normally, the seniors would play on the weekend and the juniors on Thursday and Friday, but because - due to Covid-19 - several tournaments had to be squeezed into one weekend (because of changed NCEA examination dates), they have swapped the dates for the seniors and juniors, to allow students to play at multiple events.
It will apparently be the last time the Condor Sevens will be held in December.
The 2021 School Sport NZ Event Calendar has been released and the Condor Sevens are now planned for the weekend of 17 April 2021. I've seen positive comments about senior students being able to focus more on exams or avoiding clashes with other tournaments, but most comments are negative. The negative comments include that 1st XV coaches won't release players to participate in the Condor 7s as it interferes with their preparation for the XVs season and they'll want to avoid injuries before the XVs season has even started. It will also clash with other events, such as Poly Fest.
If XVs players won't participate, this will impact the quality of the teams participating in the Condor Sevens and, therefore, the tournament.
I haven't seen when the World Schools 7s will be held in 2021 (not in the calendar), which are now held one week after the Condor Sevens. I can't imagine they'll disconnect the two events, but that means that you can maybe forget about foreign participation (regardless of the COVID-19 situation)?
New calendar (pdf file): https://www.sporty.co.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=d0b30640-9dc8-4857-88b8-de36f66549b2
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@Stargazer Live draw on Monday as the caps select their players schoolyard style.
Super exciting for our friends daughter. She has been training hard and has brought her bronco time down by 25 seconds since being selected. All the players get send for full medicals and do pre-testing for the caps to see their results before selection. She has Brad Fleming mentoring her and doing the rugby specific training, my boy is doing the movement, explosive technique and general fitness.
Exiting stuff as her parents will be visiting us when the draw/team selection is done. -
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@Higgins said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:
The NZRFU can't be that short of money if they have enough to keep splurging it into the 7s programme.
Red Bull pay for most of this. Players don't get paid. Only those travelling long distances get transport supplied (others must get there themselves), even the support staff are doing it for free/experience.
It is the long range talent identification and would be a great concept for XVs as well instead of funnelling kids through a handful of schools to get noticed. You get nominated solely on skill and personal attributes then get put into a properly coached team with senior players as captains to see how you go.
I reckon it is a great idea at very little cost.
