7's discussion
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="605046" data-time="1470910399">
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<p>All that sevens team needed was Matt Todd (<strong>and maybe Kurt Baker)</strong>.</p>
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<p>As Akira's tag team partner in the fights.</p>
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<p>Weber could be a useful sevens player with his speed, much like Duggan was in his day.</p> -
<p>Reiterating a point made in the Olympic thread, it's hard to think of excuses like lack of talent or money invested when the likes of Fiji and Japan got further than us.</p>
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<p>I personally think Titch comes out of this with a tarnished reputation, this was building up to be his swansong and has been a long time coming. It will be interesting to see if there are identifiable mistakes that are made public following this embarrassment. </p> -
<p>I didn't manage to catch any of the Olympic games because 7's isn't something Im that interested in. Glorified touch football really. Sounds like i didn't miss much though.</p>
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<p>On the overall issue of NZ falling behind a bit recently I think it is silly to suggest that the 7's side needs to be stacked with AB stars or Super rugby players to catch up to the top sides. </p>
<p>Which of these top sides is stacked with 15's internationals? or even Super rugby players? Those sides are full of 7's specialists who live and breathe 7's. The best way to counter that is to have our guys specialise just as much.</p>
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<p>Don't have much sympathy when Titch (or whoever) whinges about not having access to top ABs and Super rugby players. Maybe those guys just don't want to take a year out of their real rugby career to have a shot at 7's.</p>
<p>Even then he did get a few guys who are Definite/fringe/future ABs In SBW, Messam, Ardie initially, Pulu, R Ioane and A Ioane. Now SBW is broken which could have a huge impact on the ABs this year. Personally im glad more ABs didn't </p>
<p>go over to have a go. Especially a year out from the Lions tour. </p>
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<p>In terms of future talent Identification for NZ 7s players, surely there are enough lower level players to compete. NZ has a pretty good pool of Naturally talented players. They aren't all going to make it in 15's. Someone mentioned the lack of top sprinters in NZ, possibly in the other thread, that didn't seem to help the USA in this tournament and Fiji are hardly just a bunch of fast blokes. IMO the ingredients are there, it's just about working out how to put them together. </p>
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<p>So for me it's 15's then daylight, then more daylight then 7's for where NZ should focus it's resources. I would rather see the collapse of NZ 7s than have large numbers of top 15s players taking extended breaks from the game to play 7s.</p>
<p>And FFS the person who decided they should be named the All Blacks 7s needs to be sacked. It damages the brand more than it raises its profile.</p>
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<p>p.s. I see a few have mentioned Akira Ioane trying to start a fight. I have noticed this about him a few times. Loves to niggle but in a stupid tough guy way. IMO he will need to control that if he wants to be an AB. Can't afford to give away a penalty for shoving someone in a tight test match.</p> -
<p>It's been fun watching everyone the last couple of days professing they have fuck all interest in 7's and/or dislike it and/or have watched 2-3 games and now they're experts. We need faster players! But not just faster, ones that play 15's all the time!</p>
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I have some thoughts about the long term future and even viability of 7s. Unfortunately i don't have time to post it up just yet.<br><br>
Basically I think we as fans see 7s as a subset of Rugby. Whilst it is it's not. It's now a completely separate game. And it will get it's identity as an Olympic dport. But I'm not dure of the financial viabilitu by itself without it being part of rugby.<br><br>
We want the best and quickest athletes but will not be able to pay them more than they can earn in XVs (here and overseas). -
I agree with much of what has been said with regards to the direction 7s needs to take and the fact we should not have blurred loyalties between 7s and 15s just because it's Olympic year. But let's not get carried away, we lost all our games by 5 or less including games to the eventual finalists didn't we? We definitely have the resources and capability to put out a competitive winning side going forward
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Maybe you guys just need an English coach? Two English coaches in the Olympic final...
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="605103" data-time="1470934453">
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<p>It's been fun watching everyone the last couple of days professing they have fuck all interest in 7's and/or dislike it and/or have watched 2-3 games and now they're experts. We need faster players! But not just faster, ones that play 15's all the time!</p>
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<p>I really think they would have won if they scored more points than each of their opponents.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mimic" data-cid="605228" data-time="1470955257">
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<p>What if we made the overseas players available for the All Black 7s?</p>
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<p>fly in last Friday, out tonight?</p>
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<p>Am sure the likes of <span>Boudjellal would be keen! </span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Disgusted of TW" data-cid="605126" data-time="1470946183"><p>
Maybe you guys just need an English coach? Two English coaches in the Olympic final...</p></blockquote>
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Are maybe we need some tall athletic guys that run like the wind . -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Disgusted of TW" data-cid="605126" data-time="1470946183">
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<p>Maybe you guys just need an English coach? Two English coaches in the Olympic final...</p>
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<p>Makes sense. No one else is synonymous with running and passing into space.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="605247" data-time="1470957883"><p>Makes sense. No one else is synonymous with running and passing into space.</p></blockquote>
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I was teasing, obviously, but only partly. Three of the better sevens coaches currently in action are Ryan, Friday and Amor (although that last one is based less on the world series than on his success in bolting the Team GB squad together sufficiently well to make the Olympic final.<br><br>
I think that NZ sevens needs a new broom, wherever they get one from, home or elsewhere. 22 (24?) yrs is too long without a new man at the helm.
