2020 -> 2021 Olympic Sevens (Tokyo)

[Nepia]

@stargazer said in 2020 -> 2021 Olympic Sevens (Tokyo):

Hmmm, Francis Saili & non-Europe based players like Augustine Pulu and Matt Duffie are possibilities. There are quite a few older players - apart from Vito and Nonu (to name three: Rudi Wulf, Benson Stanley and Isaia Toeava), but I can't imagine it's them.

Matt Duffie is currently in managed isolation, btw.

I thought Pulu was Tongan too - I seem to remember Aussie Toutai mentioning him as a potential player.

[Stargazer]

@nepia Ah, f*ck, yeah, well, now, ... I need my dinner.

[Higgins]

@nepia Pulu went to Wesley College and that is a Methodist Church School. The Methodist Church is probably the Tongan people's largest church so there is a fair chance that he too is probably Tongan, And this https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-xv-tongan-descent provides further back up to my assumption!

[Nepia]

@higgins said in 2020 -> 2021 Olympic Sevens (Tokyo):

@nepia Pulu went to Wesley College and that is a Methodist Church School. The Methodist Church is probably the Tongan people's largest church so there is a fair chance that he too is probably Tongan, And this https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-xv-tongan-descent provides further back up to my assumption!

That's a decent team they've named.

[Higgins]

@nepia If you look at the number seven in the team listed https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-xv-tongan-descent you can take some of your mitts of him as well!!!!!!

[Nepia]

@higgins said in 2020 -> 2021 Olympic Sevens (Tokyo):

@nepia If you look at the number seven in the team listed https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-xv-tongan-descent you can take some of your mitts of him as well!!!!!!

Hahaha, I've never been an ethnicity is zero sum kind of guy (I'm a mongrel myself).

If Gus Leger makes the ABs he'll be awesome for these ethnicity teams.

[ARHS]

Enjoyed the first round of matches. Men were accurate until Koroi came on and threw several sloppy passes. The old stagers looked pretty good. The new defensive alignment worked OK but not sure if it suits us. Women were very efficient.

[Bovidae]

Both squads have been reduced in numbers.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae Interesting, no Sapsford. It looks like he'll be playing for the Magpies after all?

[Bovidae]

@stargazer I haven't looked at who missed the first cut. Rush is another.

[KiwiMurph]

I can see why they've left Sapsford out - he didn't quite seem to have the tackle breaking ability of Warbrick or Vai.

[ARHS]

@bovidae and Leroy Carter. Baker and Dickson back.

[Bovidae]

19 players chosen for the mens squad so Laidlaw still needs to cut 7 (6 if they can take a 13th player). Will be interesting.

[Stargazer]

Japan's Olympic Sevens men's squad. For a minute, I thought I was looking at a World 7s Over-30s squad.

Lote Tuqiri
Brackin Karauria-Henry
Colin Bourke

[Rapido]

How has Tuqiri ended up playing for Japan? Must have citizenship to exploit the Olympic loop hole.

[mikedogz]

@rapido It's a different Tuqiri who happens to be his cousin.

Lote Tuqiri (rugby union, born 1987) - Wikipedia

[Rapido]

@mikedogz said in 2020 -> 2021 Olympic Sevens (Tokyo):

@rapido It's a different Tuqiri who happens to be his cousin.

Lote Tuqiri (rugby union, born 1987) - Wikipedia

Ah, yeah, I guess the famous Lote must be late 40s by now ...

[Daffy Jaffy]

Live on Youtube now - Monaco Sevens - World Rugby Repechage Day 3

[Daffy Jaffy]

Monaco Sevens Final - Ireland men beat France to take the last Olympic spot. Samoa failed to qualify, thrashed by France in the semi final.
From the Women's, France and Russia qualify to complete the Olympic field.

[Daffy Jaffy]