2020-2021 World Sevens Series

[Machpants]

England might still field a 7s team but they'll be 'amateur'/ not paid full time. The full time 7s paid gig is pretty new anyway

[Stargazer]

The 2021 Hamilton and Sydney Sevens have been called off.

World Rugby media release: https://www.world.rugby/sevens-series/news/583528/rugby-sevens-boosted-by-preparation-investment-ahead-of-olympic-games

[mikey07]

@Stargazer disappointing but fully understandable given the circumstances I’m assuming we won’t get any 7s at all

[Stargazer]

[Daffy Jaffy]

[booboo]

Opotiki?

[Bones]

Opotiki?

[booboo]

Don't get me wrong. I quite like the idea of the teams going out to the small towns. Just seems really random, but suppose no more or less random than anywhere else.

[ARHS]

Has there been any squad or contracted announcement? Saw a face in video clip of a newbie from the event at Blake Park but can't remember his name.

[Stargazer]

@ARHS I haven't seen an announcement, but maybe the new faces are the guys they picked from Ignite 7s?

[Bovidae]

@booboo said in 2020-2021 World Sevens Series:

Don't get me wrong. I quite like the idea of the teams going out to the small towns. Just seems really random, but suppose no more or less random than anywhere else.

Not that far to travel from their Mount base. No distractions either.

[ARHS]

@Stargazer Yes- might have been Ollie Sapsford or Dan Sinkinson

[Stargazer]

@ARHS Sapsford was already added to the squad pre-Covid (last season).

[taniwharugby]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/300212015/rising-star-brady-rush-following-in-famous-father-erics-footsteps-in-nz-sevens-squad

[Stargazer]

So the contracted AB7s and BF7s for 2021 are:

Media release:
https://www.allblacks.com/news/three-uncapped-players-join-sevens-squads/

So the newbies are:

Northland’s Brady Rush, North Harbour’s Moses Leo and in the women's squad, Waikato’s Manaia Nuku.

[Bovidae]

Montessa Tairakena has missed out too.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae

Yep, some changes are expected, like Caleb Clarke, Scott Gregory, Niko Jones, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Joe Ravouvou (in France), Salesi Rayasi not being in the men's squad because they've decided to focus on XVs only. And they have significantly reduced the size of the squad from 25 to 20. So they only replaced two of the seven players who have left the squad.

In the women's squad, Kayla Ahki (McAlister) and Montessa Tairakena aren't in the squad anymore, and - according to the media release - Ahki has been replaced by Manaia Nuku, because she decided to return to France. It doesn't say anything about Tairakena, so we can only assume she's injured, no longer available or just not picked.

[Bovidae]

Tairakena was involved in the Ignite7 tournament.

Nuku must be rated ahead of Miller for the school girls.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Or they can't/won't sign a schoolgirl. Not sure how old Nuku is and whether she's still at school, but Miller is (I think). Or the position they're playing?

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer Nuku was the captain of the Condor Girls team that Miller was also in last year.