2023 World Sevens Series
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Scrum Samoa. All they have to do is kick the ball out.
And then the images disappear again. Safe to say Samoa have won the game and the
.The ref had a lot to do with the score and the weather didn't help, but Samoa have overall been better in Cape Town, so not an unexpected result.
Still, silver is a good result for this young AB7s team.
A second place is good to climb on the Series ladder.
FT: AB7s 7 - 12 Samoa
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@Stargazer said in 2023 World Sevens Series:
Scrum Samoa. All they have to do is kick the ball out.
And then the images disappear again. Safe to say Samoa have won the game and the
.The ref had a lot to do with the score and the weather didn't help, but Samoa have overall been better in Cape Town, so not an unexpected result.
Still, silver is a good result for this young AB7s team.
A second place is good to climb on the Series ladder.
FT: AB7s 7 - 12 Samoa
Was the ref actually Way? It didn't look like it when I did see him.
If so, isn't it funny that handful of refs NZ have a habit of losing under...
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What a performance by TNW for the BFs! Love seeing a captain stand up and lead by example. She was still hyped after the game going by the post match interview.
Wasn't the conditions for Blyde to see much ball but she is still my favourite. Just love the way she looks like she's on a hair trigger the whole time. She's bloody scary. Like a pit bull crossed with a greyhound.Both teams have set themselves up well for the Oly-Qualy at this tricky start to the season and consistent performance from here on should see them get there OK.
BF selectors will have a tough job bringing back the big names but that will be a stacked squad when they do. That team just won against the world champs while missing Hirini, Fluhler, Fitzpatrick, Tui and Woodman. Imagine that as a bench! -
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@NTA out of interest, as someone who has transitioned to the dark side of the whistle, do you think that being a 7s ref requires different attributes to being a XVs one?
Speed of thought is one thing but materiality thresholds seem to be very different and it must makes things even more difficult around accuracy of the call. A lower tolerance for infringing also brings a fair bit of weight in 50/50 situations and you'd think that if a ref set their boundary slightly differently it could have a big impact in some facets of the game. In turn this could benefit some teams and disbenefit others.
All very well to say that teams should adjust to a ref's style but should they have to change their gameplan?Using the AB 7s as an example, they tend to flood the breakdown as part of a physical game. Under some refs it works fine but under others it is a nightmare.
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@Crucial in a word: yes.
Coincidentally, I've had the chance to do small group discussions with Jordan Way as part of NSW Rugby Refs education nights.
The general principle for refereeing 7s is the same at the breakdown: tackler release, tackled player release, everyone stay on their feet.
The differences to XVs:
- there are less bodies in the way in 7s (generally) so you tend to get a clearer picture.
- because speed of the game is paramount (7 minute halves) you need to have a lower tolerance for infringements, and probably make quicker snap decisions as a result.
- similarly, advantage is a bit quicker to expire because the game isn't set-piece.
In your example where the ABs are going in hard at the breakdown, the tolerance factor can vary because clean, quick ball is what you want. One from each side on the ground, one from each side over the ball, and then you want it to get moving.
If you're piling in bodies at a higher ratio to the opposition then staying on your feet is going to be paramount.
