2016 World Sevens Series

Stargazer

NZ play the Cup Quarter Final against the USA at 10.42pm NZT.
 
I see that Australia is playing in the Bowl QF! What happened there? 
And also to my surprise, Scotland is playing in the Cup QF!?
 
Looking at the year we've had with the Series, I've noticed that particularly Canada has gone down fast - have they had to cope with a lot of injuries?
The last few tournaments have seen a big improvement of France and Argentina, well-timed!
Kenya (Singapore) and Samoa (Paris) have proven that basically every country can win Olympic gold if they have two good days, but I still wouldn't bet on teams like that. They are way too inconsistent.
 
NZ will need all their stars fit and healthy if they want to win a medal in Rio. They've had a lot of injuries all year to some of the best players and we don't seem to have the depth to deal with it. Apart from Wellington, Sydney and Vancouver, they've been average. Hope they prove me wrong today in London, but I have my doubts.
 
I think SBW has shown enough skill to make the squad for Rio, but even without injury I think Messam won't make the cut, which basically makes this a lost year for him. Not sure whether Ardie Savea would have made the squad if he'd stayed.

hydro11

Australia had Fiji and England in their pool. Can't be surprised they are in the bowl.

Crucial

I have copied this from someone else's post back in the thread to try and work out the 12 for Rio based on who looks to be available. Bolded are what I think are certainties 
 
FORWARDS Akira Ioane DJ Forbes - as long as fit, will be there for experience. Has shown he still has it if not injured Sonny Bill Williams - finding his feet as a part of the game plan. Too much ability to create opportunities to leave out. Titch has him working as a forward now
 
BACKS Augustine Pulu - shown enough to be the backup playmaker Gillies Kaka - number one playmaker Rieko Ioane - looking like more of a freak than his big bro at the moment Tim Mikkelson - given
 
So that leaves five places to come from
 
Forwards (3) Probables in bold
 
Dylan Collier
Liam Messam Sam Dickson 
Scott Curry
 
Backs (2)
 
Joe Webber ?? 
Kurt Baker 
Lewis Ormond 
Pita Ahki 
Regan Ware 
Sione Molia 
Teddy Stanaway
 
So Messam quite possibly to get through. I would prefer him over Collier anyway.
 
In the backs I think Baker is likely as backup to the Mikkleson role, then it's a need for a 'striker' to cover Reiko
 
First choice lineup if all fit and playing for a medal.
 
Ioane
SBW
Forbes
Curry
Kaka
Mikkleson
Ioane

Bovidae

I think Pulu could start ahead of Kaka in the best 7.
 
My squad (if all are fit)
 
1. Baker
2, Curry (c)
3. Dickson
4. Forbes
5. A Ioane
6. R Ioane
7. Kaka
8. Messam
9. Mikkleson
10. Pulu
11. SBW
12. Webber/Ware
 
I'm not sure what has happened to Stowers but Webber has been one of Titch's main players in recent years. If they want another speedster then it's Ware or Molia. But using Messam and SBW as forwards means you can use the Ioane brothers out wide.

barbarian

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="581516" data-time="1463872454">
<div>
Australia had Fiji and England in their pool. Can't be surprised they are in the bowl.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
We also decided to rest our best 5 players for some reason this week. Apparently 10 tournaments over the course of six months is too many, and they need a fucking break.
 
So we basically waved the white flag and went to the Bowl, in the last tournament before Rio. Shrewd stuff there.

sinclair sector

Did anyone follow QC in Aussie sevens ? Was he simply not up to scratch ? Also it's pretty hard for J.Jayne to warrant selection off one tournament, esp since he had never played union. I guess it goes to show how skilled SBW is to actually make the starting team.

taniwharugby

Aussie coach said he hadnt had enough time in the team...
 
SBW has committed to it since the start of the year, and didnt look good in the first couple of tournies but he is looking more comfortable.
 
You would think Hayne will struggle just to get up to the levels of fitness required from what he has been doing, let alone learning a whole new game.

barbarian

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sinclair sector" data-cid="581533" data-time="1463879059">
<div>
Did anyone follow QC in Aussie sevens ? Was he simply not up to scratch ? Also it's pretty hard for J.Jayne to warrant selection off one tournament, esp since he had never played union. I guess it goes to show how skilled SBW is to actually make the starting team.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
He could make it if he did it full time like SBW. But trying to play footy for Toulon, and then coming in for a week at a time just wasn't working.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sinclair sector" data-cid="581533" data-time="1463879059">
<div>
Did anyone follow QC in Aussie sevens ? Was he simply not up to scratch ? Also it's pretty hard for J.Jayne to warrant selection off one tournament, esp since he had never played union. I guess it goes to show how skilled SBW is to actually make the starting team.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
In addition to previous replies:
 
QC himself said that it wasn't possible to obtain Aussi citizenship in time, because that requires that he's been in Oz for an x-number of days in a certain period; he can't meet this requirement now because he's playing in France. You can play for the Wallabies with a foreign (NZ) passport, but the Olympics require a team member to have the citizenship of the country he represents.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="581517" data-time="1463873515">
<div>
I have copied this from someone else's post back in the thread to try and work out the 12 for Rio based on who looks to be available. Bolded are what I think are certainties 
 
FORWARDS Akira Ioane DJ Forbes - as long as fit, will be there for experience. Has shown he still has it if not injured Sonny Bill Williams - finding his feet as a part of the game plan. Too much ability to create opportunities to leave out. Titch has him working as a forward now
 
BACKS Augustine Pulu - shown enough to be the backup playmaker Gillies Kaka - number one playmaker Rieko Ioane - looking like more of a freak than his big bro at the moment Tim Mikkelson - given
 
So that leaves five places to come from
 
Forwards (3) Probables in bold
 
Dylan Collier
Liam Messam Sam Dickson 
Scott Curry
 
Backs (2)
 
Joe Webber ?? 
Kurt Baker 
Lewis Ormond 
Pita Ahki 
Regan Ware 
Sione Molia 
Teddy Stanaway
 
So Messam quite possibly to get through. I would prefer him over Collier anyway.
 
In the backs I think Baker is likely as backup to the Mikkleson role, then it's a need for a 'striker' to cover Reiko
 
First choice lineup if all fit and playing for a medal.
 
Ioane
SBW
Forbes
Curry
Kaka
Mikkleson
Ioane
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I agree with Kaka ahead of Pulu in a 1st choice line-up.
 
Tbh, I don't think Messam is good enough; he hasn't had that much game time to improve his game, because of injury and suspension (Las Vegas or Vancouver). Having said that, he's still better than Collier, so if they indeed select 6 forwards, he will probably be in.
Baker is a near certainty for me, just as Joe Webber if he's fit. It will be more difficult if both Webber and O'Donnell are fit; in that case Baker might miss out.

Bones

Well Kaka the only interested looking player on day 1, although Stanaway and SBW tried hard but definitely looked lost at times. 
The Ioanes drift in and out. 
Mikkelson is well out of sorts. 
Our defence is atrocious and really passive. Could do with Forbes back in that regard.

Bones

Oh and Pulu is a shadow of what he was previous tournaments.

Crash

I wonder whether Mikkelson has fully recovered from his injury..?
I was screaming at Pulu, nearly cost us the match, guilty of rabbit in headlights stuff and sheer stupidity.
SBW put in a couple of big hits, and got the team out of trouble a few times, also for all the fitness levels - Kaka seems short of a gallop was blowing big time and struggled with the pace.

JAF

Perry Baker has the gas ...

KiwiMurph

This nz team doesnt look too flash at all. 14-12 USA halftime.

JAF

14-14 at HT between NZ and Perry Baker :mocking:

Stargazer

So SBW off with a knee injury. NZ looking lazy ..
 
Half time: NZ 14 - 14 USA

Stargazer

NZ is giving this away ...

JAF

Hasn't been NZ weekend

Stargazer

It's almost like NZ isn't even trying.

The Silver Fern

2016 World Sevens Series