2023-2024 World Sevens Series

[ARHS]

I feel a bit of the fizz has gone out of the sevens this year with standards dropping quite a bit. I don't think the format has done the men's competition any favours, but the womens does seem improved.

Countries like Fiji, South Africa and NZ just seem to be going through the motions quite a bit, knowing they can still be champs if they scrape into top 8. Quite a bit of luck in the 3 pool thing too. I feel it was far better with 16 teams and with a chance to blood newbies against a weaker team. All so sudden death now and maybe that is why the play is more conservative and less spectacular. And less colour on the sidelines. Where are the Fijians?

How do others see it?

[Duluth]

@ARHS

I don't like the 3 pools. The qualification for the QFs always felt a bit off.

There are fewer easy games which is good for early part of the weekend. I think it leads to a more attritional tournament though. Without following too closely, it seemed like more injuries and more energy management from teams

[Bones]

@Duluth said in 2023-2024 World Sevens Series:

@ARHS

I don't like the 3 pools. The qualification for the QFs always felt a bit off.

There are fewer easy games which is good for early part of the weekend. I think it leads to a more attritional tournament though. Without following too closely, it seemed like more injuries and more energy management from teams

Yeah probably simpler and more bitter for me. Fucking Ireland being so highly placed.

[booboo]

@ARHS said in 2023-2024 World Sevens Series:

fizz has gone

Crowds really small across the board it seems.

[Tim]

@ARHS I read something the other day about the series struggling financially, and returning to traditional venues in the future.

[ARHS]

@Tim I really hope that is true!

[Tim]

@ARHS A return to Hamilton was mentioned in the article, which would be nice.

[ARHS]

With a flotilla of Fijians there it really has a great atmosphere.

[Bovidae]

Shiray Kaka has confirmed that she has an ACL injury, so is out of the Olympics. It's her other knee this time.

[Bovidae]

Quite a few recent school leavers in both teams. Cam Church also.

[mikedogz]

worldrugby.org

Gordon Tietjens predicts bright future for Challenger pacesetters China | World Rugby

China currently sit on top of the women’s World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 standings with a perfect 40 points and their high-performance consultant has been impressed with what he’s seen.

[Tim]

@Bovidae The Auckland University Club open side flanker and former age grade rep?

[Bovidae]

@Tim Yes, it can only be him. From what I remember of Church, he was quick.

The women's squad contains a couple of recent Black Ferns so the sevens programme must be widening their player pool.

[Tim]

@Bovidae IIRC, he was a bit on the smaller side? Maybe he's better suited to sevens.

[Bovidae]

Unavailable due to injury:
Sione Molia, Fehi Fineanganofo, Payton Spencer, Tim Mikkelson, Kitiona Vai and Amanaki Nicole.
Sarah Hirini and Shiray Kaka.

[Bones]

@Bovidae said in 2023-2024 World Sevens Series:

Fehi Fineanganofo

Shitballs. At least Ng Shiu is back.

[Bovidae]

The Men’s and Women’s Development teams both won the Howard Hinton Sevens last weekend. No idea who they played but the women did play an AIS team. They play another tournament this weekend.

The times for Madrid are terrible for NZ viewers. Sarah Hirini is in Madrid too.

[Daffy Jaffy]

The Howard Hinton Sevens were live streamed -

[Bovidae]

Did any of you NH folk watch? The NZ men threw away a handy HT lead against Fiji to lose 28-26.

Looking at the results, there have been some upsets in the Qualifier series.

[Duluth]

A couple of tries from the NZ v Fiji game