Olympics Thread

hydro11

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mokey" data-cid="604715" data-time="1470819511">
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Agree with the comments about playing the wrong sort of sevens game now.
 
Big doesn't matter. Fast with a fend does. Look at someone like Perry Baker for the USA. Skinny as a rake, gangly and awkward, but fast as fuck. The USA are one of the many sevens team who have beaten us now, and it is because they play sevens like sevens, not like half a 15 side.
 
It's not about the breakdowns and scrums and set pieces and being a tank. it's about being fast enough so when the guy from the other team takes off, you've got a show in getting there and tackling him, or at least slowing him down until help arrives. And in turn, being fast enough to step the opposition or get an intercept. Quick hands, ball handling, sharp, accurate passing.
 
That is where we are lagging behind.
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If speed is all that matters then we have as much chance of betting the USA, South Africa and Kenya in 7's as we do of beating them in a 4 by 100 relay. Do people really think we can put out 7 players quicker than those countries can? Can anyone name me one quick guy who wasn't picked for the 7's team and who was available? We could start Kaka over Pulu but I actually think Pulu has been very good. Plus Kaka probably doesn't provide the out and out gas you are talking about.
 
Kenya are quicker than us and we just thrashed them. The USA are also quicker than us and we finished ahead of them in the series (although they beat us several times). Speed is an asset and we would love to have a quick guy but we don't. It's a bit like saying why doesn't our basketball team pick more 7ft players or why doesn't our football team pick players who can dribble through the other side? We don't have many of those types of players and the ones we do have aren't good enough.

No Quarter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="604716" data-time="1470820865">
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Bloody sevens team have hurt the aura <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11691212'>http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11691212</a>
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FFS. We've worked hard to keep aura safe and then the 7s team go and treat her like a cheap stripper and lose to Japan.
 
McCaw needs to get her on the plane back to Auckland ASAP.

hydro11

Harping on a bit but Usain Bolt's world record is 9.58 and Carlin Isles can run 10.13. The quickest New Zealand sprinter Wyatt ran 10.64 at the Nationals this year. So the gap from Wyatt to Isles is about the same as the gap from Isles to the fastest man ever. I think that just illustrates how we cannot win tournaments just based on speed. We will always have a speed disadvantage which we have to make up in other facets.

No Quarter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="604723" data-time="1470822928">
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Harping on a bit but Usain Bolt's world record is 9.58 and Carlin Isles can run 10.13. The quickest New Zealand sprinter Wyatt ran 10.64 at the Nationals this year. So the gap from Wyatt to Isles is about the same as the gap from Isles to the fastest man ever. I think that just illustrates how we cannot win tournaments just based on speed. We will always have a speed disadvantage which we have to make up in other facets.
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It's not so much the out and out speed that is the problem (IMO). Someone like Ben Smith isn't super fast over 100m but by fuck he's elusive, which is the type of player we need.
 
But more importantly we need a coach that hasn't become obsessed with the "physical" side of the game. I saw him on the news saying we dominated the physical aspects like the tackle and rucks against Kenya which is why we won, and that we didn't do that against Japan. That, to me, makes no sense. In a game where there's only 14 players in total on a full sized rugby pitch, surely exploiting space is the name of the game.
 
The rucks in 7s are a joke and can go either way regardless of the size of the players competing - if I was coach I'd want to avoid the ruck as much as possible given how much of a lottery they are, and how random the refs interpretations are. You can't just commit 4 - 5 guys to a ruck to ensure you win it like you do in 15s.
 
I get the feeling Titch has been in the job too long and has become a bit narrow in his thinking. We need to freshen things up with some new ideas.
 
In saying that, as Don pointed out 7s is overall a bit of a lottery so we are still a decent chance of a medal.

hydro11

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="604726" data-time="1470823559">
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It's not so much the out and out speed that is the problem (IMO). Someone like Ben Smith isn't super fast over 100m but by fuck he's elusive, which is the type of player we need.
 
But more importantly we need a coach that hasn't become obsessed with the "physical" side of the game. I saw him on the news saying we dominated the physical aspects like the tackle and rucks against Kenya which is why we won, and that we didn't do that against Japan. That, to me, makes no sense. In a game where there's only 14 players in total on a full sized rugby pitch, surely exploiting space is the name of the game.
 
The rucks in 7s are a joke and can go either way regardless of the size of the players competing - if I was coach I'd want to avoid the ruck as much as possible given how much of a lottery they are, and how random the refs interpretations are. You can't just commit 4 - 5 guys to a ruck to ensure you win it like you do in 15s.
 
I get the feeling Titch has been in the job too long and has become a bit narrow in his thinking. We need to freshen things up with some new ideas.
 
In saying that, as Don pointed out 7s is overall a bit of a lottery so we are still a decent chance of a medal.
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That's a very good response. Do you think the problem is that Tietjens hasn't picked the right players or is he just coaching the players we have poorly?
 
I don't really claim to understand 7's on a technical level but it looked to me like Pulu was very good against Kenya. I would take it that you would want to pick Kaka instead?

mikedogz

Maybe from next year Titch could have a role like Director of sevens rugby based in BOP and some one else can take over the mens team. Who would be his successor? Wayne Smith for a new challenge?

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="604722" data-time="1470822925">
FFS. We've worked hard to keep aura safe and then the 7s team go and treat her like a cheap stripper and lose to Japan. 
McCaw needs to get her on the plane back to Auckland ASAP.</blockquote>
 
The sevens team licked her butt without paying?

No Quarter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="604733" data-time="1470825048">The sevens team licked her butt without paying?</blockquote>
No, they let Japan lick her butt without paying.

hydro11

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mikedogz" data-cid="604729" data-time="1470824297">
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Maybe from next year Titch could have a role like Director of sevens rugby based in BOP and some one else can take over the mens team. Who would be his successor? Wayne Smith for a new challenge?
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Eric Rush, if he wants it.

WillieTheWaiter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="604701" data-time="1470813656">
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front row seats to watch Phelps win his 20th...
 
<img src="https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13900135_1089919064378138_3358664450073082779_n.jpg?oh=48c6d45fd8056e297ba325bad274ae42&oe=581F12A9" alt="13900135_1089919064378138_33586644500730">
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got a mate working over there for getty.. look at the farking size of the kit he's using for shooting the pool!
 
no need to worry about cards and crap like that -- cabled straight back to 'nerve centre' where editors havve them online for purchase in mins!
 
[attachment=2064:phils camera.jpg]

Mokey

Those cupping marks on Phelps make him look even more mutant like. Maybe he'll end up being Aquaman's nemesis in an upcoming spin off flick.

mariner4life

Awful day in Rio. Rowing off. Womens time trial is treacherous at best

hydro11

Yip, rain makes the time trial more of a lottery. Good chance of a medal here for Villumsen.

No Quarter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="604727" data-time="1470823805">
That's a very good response. Do you think the problem is that Tietjens hasn't picked the right players or is he just coaching the players we have poorly? 
I don't really claim to understand 7's on a technical level but it looked to me like Pulu was very good against Kenya. I would take it that you would want to pick Kaka instead?</blockquote>
Possibly a bit of both. I don't claim to be a 7s expert either but trying to exploit the extra space with limited time on the clock makes sense from a rugby point of view. If you've only got 7 defenders in front of you I don't know why you'd focus so much on the "forward encounters" as he called it. 
You make good points around available players though, it's bad timing with the Super finals and now TRC kicking off, so I guess he didn't have a big pool to choose from.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mikedogz" data-cid="604729" data-time="1470824297">Maybe from next year Titch could have a role like Director of sevens rugby based in BOP and some one else can take over the mens team. Who would be his successor? Wayne Smith for a new challenge?</blockquote>
 
To me Titch doesn't seem like the Director type. He's a hands on rah rah type that likes to be in the thick of it during game time. Sitting back and watching someone else do it may not sit well with him. 
The thing about that Japan game was that some of our key guys weren't involved enough. I thought our ruck work was pretty good, but that we lacked execution. 
I still think we are a decent show for making the finals and pushing on.

hydro11

Villumsen going to miss out here.

hydro11

Incredible to win gold at almost 43.

TeWaio

Villumsen rides home and she's outside of the medals with a time of 44:54.71. 
 
6th i think

hydro11

Villumsen sounds Danish but you know she's a kiwi because of how often she says ay.

GagaBoy

I am surprised that no one has mentioned possession (with the exception of Scott Curry who identified this clearly in the post match interview). We lost to Japan as we didn't have much of the ball. In 7s the critical point regarding this, is kicks offs & kick off receipts. We didn't come close to winning the World Series because of this and the issue has still not been rectified. In theory, a kick off should be a 50/50 if both teams are going hard out and you do not continually knock on (as we did yesterday). We didn't come remotely close to this v Japan.
 
 I certainly hope Titch has addressed this, but improved execution is required. Any team (yes even Japan) will beat us just by retaining possession. Continuous tackling knocks the bejeezus out of you. You saw that when we actually got the ball - a lack of real energy and subsequently no momentum.
 
A few years ago you could rely on the other teams poor handling skills or breakdown retention - to get the ball back. You can no longer do this, all other sides have lifted their skillsets in this regard. Kick offs are the key to the rest of the Olympic 7s for us.

The Silver Fern

Olympics Thread