2023 World Sevens Series
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This Aussie team have great balance plus a bit spirit and guile. Awesome effort.
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Mainstream media in OZ might actually sit up and take a bit of notice….
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@ACT-Crusader said in 2023 World Sevens Series:
Mainstream media in OZ might actually sit up and take a bit of notice….
Lol
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Black Ferns Sevens travelling squad is: Michaela Blyde, Kelly Brazier, Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Tysha Ikenasio, Shiray Kaka, Jorja Miller, Tyla Nathan-Wong, Manaia Nuku, Mahina Paul, Risi Pouri-Lane, Terina Te Tamaki, Kelsey Teneti, Niall Williams and Tenika Willison
All Blacks Sevens travelling squad is: Kurt Baker, Leroy Carter, Che Clark, Tepaea Cook-Savage, Sam Dickson, Moses Leo, Tone Ng Shiu, Amanaki Nicole, Lewis Ormond, Akuila Rokolisoa, Brady Rush, Caleb Tangitau, Regan Ware and Joe Webber
In an important year, where teams are vying for Olympic qualification points, the teams will be eyeing top performances this weekend.
For the women, it’s the opening tournament of the season, where they will be without several familiar faces as those who recently won the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand take leave.
Experienced players Tyla Nathan-Wong, Niall Williams, Michaela Blyde and Kelly Brazier will be among those tasked with leading the side which features potential World Series debutants in Kelsey Teneti, Tysha Ikenasio, Manaia Nuku and Jorja Miller.
The latter made her debut at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in September while Teneti debuted for the Black Ferns in the longer form of the game against Australia back in June. Ikenasio and Nuku would be making their black jersey debut should they be selected in the next two weeks.The All Blacks Sevens kicked off their Olympic qualification year in Hong Kong earlier this month and missed out on the quarter finals after a tough pool assignment.
They too have a potential debutant in their ranks with young Waikato star Tepaea Cook-Savage in the travelling group, both Dylan Collier and Ngarohi McGarvey-Black have remained in New Zealand on leave. -
The new schedule will see the number of host cities reduced to seven as the organisation bids to simplify and improve the current offering. Crucially, both male and female athletes will be paid the same.
The number of teams competing in the men’s World Series will also drop from 16 to 12, mirroring the number of teams that qualify for the Olympic Games every four years.
As part of the shake-up, there will be the introduction of a two-league system with promotion and relegation. Sides from the elite 12-team World Series can be relegated to the Challenger Series and likewise, Challenger Series contenders can be promoted to the World Series.
Key to the new premise is equal pay for both male and female athletes, with World Rugby paying unions the same amount for the men’s and women’s programmes. “The basic principle of the new model is we pay the athletes 70 per cent more [than current wages], that’s baked into the business model.
The venues are yet to be finalised, with the World Series competing in its current format for one more season.
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@Stargazer said in 2023 World Sevens Series:
The AB7s have a difficult draw, with both Fiji and the Argies in the same pool.
The way they're playing they might not be in it 2025!
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@Machpants The Paris Olympics are in 2024, but yes, for automatic qualification, they have to finish in the top 4 at the end of the 2023 World Series. That's achievable for the women, but for the AB7s that is going to be very difficult.
If they don't finish in the top 4, they can still try to qualify via the regional qualification tournament (I assume that's the Oceania 7s tournament) or a final repechage tournament. Assuming Fiji making the top 4, our chances depend on whether Samoa finishes in the top 4 or will also have to play at the Oceania 7s. Samoa has beaten us a few times now. If the AB7s lose to Samoa at the Oceania 7s, repechage it will be! Quite embarrassing, really!
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@Bovidae said in 2023 World Sevens Series:
Blyde and Kaka were the best of the starters. Williams made a big impact off the bench. They looked rusty.
Was Williams the one who scored in the corner and gave two big fend offs to the GB girls? That chick was a meast
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@canefan said in 2023 World Sevens Series:
@Bovidae said in 2023 World Sevens Series:
Blyde and Kaka were the best of the starters. Williams made a big impact off the bench. They looked rusty.
Was Williams the one who scored in the corner and gave two big fend offs to the GB girls? That chick was a meast
Yes, no.4. She nearly butchered that try.