HSBC 7's: R 7 - Hong Kong

[waiopehu oldboy]

8-10 April.

Current standings:

1. Fiji 106
2. South Africa 105
3. New Zealand 104
4. Australia 90
5. USA 76
6. Argentina 69
7. England 57
8. Kenya 53

Full standings here:

http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/standings

Pool A: New Zealand, Samoa, France, Kenya
Pool B: South Africa, Scotland, England, Russia
Pool C: Australia, USA, Argentina, Portugal
Pool D: Fiji, Wales, Canada, Korea

Draw is out already:

http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/stage/1617/match#tournamenttree

As well as being Leg 7 of the HSBC series, this is also where someone will qualify to be a core team for the 2017 Series:

Pool E: Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Germany, Cayman Islands (!)
Pool F: Spain, Chile, PNG, Mexico
Pool G: Japan, Tonga, Brazil, Morocco

Population of the Cayman Islands is ~60K so less than Tonga's resident 100K & one suspects they don't have Tonga-like expat communities to tap into. Astonishing effort to even qualify IMO.

The 2015 core team that finishes last (currently Portugal) gets demoted.

 

[Hawko]

8-10 April.

Current standings:

1. Fiji 106
2. South Africa 105
3. New Zealand 104
4. Australia 90
5. USA 76
6. Argentina 69
7. England 57
8. Kenya 53

Full standings here:

http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/standings

Pool A: New Zealand, Samoa, France, Kenya
Pool B: South Africa, Scotland, England, Russia
Pool C: Australia, USA, Argentina, Portugal
Pool D: Fiji, Wales, Canada, Korea

Draw is out already:

http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/stage/1617/match#tournamenttree

As well as being Leg 7 of the HSBC series, this is also where someone will qualify to be a core team for the 2017 Series:

Pool E: Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Germany, Cayman Islands (!)
Pool F: Spain, Chile, PNG, Mexico
Pool G: Japan, Tonga, Brazil, Morocco

Population of the Cayman Islands is ~60K so less than Tonga's resident 100K & one suspects they don't have Tonga-like expat communities to tap into. Astonishing effort to even qualify IMO.

The 2015 core team that finishes last (currently Portugal) gets demoted.

The Australian group (C) could be an absolute banana-skin. Although Argentina haven't been going that well on their day they can beat anybody. USA will be tough. If the wheel is going to fall off our impressive recent form this could be the week.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Agree. Three teams out of four ranked in the top eight for the year. In contrast, Pool D has only Fiji from the top eight. Some inconsistencies there somewhere.

 

[Highlander35]

The system is consistent, and TBH, that's all that really matters.

Each pool contains a 1-4 team, a 5-8 team, a 9-12 team and either a 13-15 team, all from the previous tournament, or the guest team.

Series seeding would throw up a lot of "predictable" match ups. Tournament by tournament seeding makes day 1 a lot more interesting. I mean, Kenya, France Samoa is anybodies game, and Argentina in pool C means both USA and Aussie need to be right on their toes from the very start.

 

[Lee Grant]

There is a blog on the Men's Sevens team here:

​

http://goo.gl/RtL5dd​

Give it a click.
.

 

[zer0]

NZ squad sees Pita Ahki has being plucked from the Hurricanes to take Lam's spot after he tore an ACL while training with the Shambles a few weeks ago.

New Zealand sevens squad: Pita Ahki (North Harbour), Kurt Baker (Taranaki), Dylan Collier (Waikato), Sam Dickson (Canterbury), DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau), Gillies Kaka (Hawke's Bay), Liam Messam (Waikato). Tim Mikkelson (Waikato, capt), Sione Molia (Counties Manukau), Lewis Ormond (Taranaki), Teddy Stanaway (Bay of Plenty), Isaac Te Tamaki (Waikato), Regan Ware (Waikato), Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau).

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...-back-pita-ahki-called-up-for-nz-sevens-squad

The brothers Ioane, Ardie Savea and Augustine Pulu are still unavailable due to Super Rugby (though I'd get the Ioane's out of there before the Shambles injure them too), while Scott Curry and Brad Webber were not considered due to injuries.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

When a team is announced, why do NZ refer to a players ITM Cup team, not their Club?

 

[qwerty51]

Why would they refer to their club over ITM?

 

[zer0]

When a team is announced, why do NZ refer to a players ITM Cup team, not their Club?

Provincial rugby has always been more important than club rugby in NZ. TBH these days clubs will be behind franchises, provinces and schools.

Also, many people would also struggle to pinpoint Teachers Eastern, Matakanui Combined or Ohaeawai RFCs on the right island, let alone to within the general area. By example, I live in Auckland and have absolutely no idea where Teachers Eastern is actually located.

 

[Braveheart81]

I live in Auckland and have absolutely no idea where Teachers Eastern is actually located.

It's just over from Teachers Western mate.

 

[zer0]

Ah. That'll explain it. I always though it was to the the north of Principals South.....

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

When a team is announced, why do NZ refer to a players ITM Cup team, not their Club?

Tradition plus with there being ~500 Clubs there are multiple "Wanderers", "Pirates" & any number of variations on/ combinations of "Marist", "Old Boys" etc etc.

 

[BaysideBird]

The Provinces are what actually make up the NZRU in its constitution. In representational matters they are the equivalent of the QRU, NSWRU, etc. Also, the province you are apart of is generally much more important to players than anything else other than an All Blacks jersey.

 

[RugbyReg]

No Honey Badger in Honkers

Qantas Australian Men's Sevens fixtures in Hong Kong, 8-9 April:
Australia v Argentina, Pool C, 10.28pm AEST (8 April)
Australia v Portugal, Pool C, 3.10pm AEST (9 April)
Australia v USA, Pool C, 7.10pm AEST (9 April)

Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens squad for the Hong Kong Sevens at Hong Kong Stadium:
1. Henry Hutchison. Club: Randwick, NSW. Hometown: Sydney, NSW
2. Tom Kingston. Club: Sydney University, NSW. Hometown: Sydney, NSW
3. Sam Myers. Club: Northern Suburbs, NSW. Hometown: Grenfell, NSW
4. Lewis Holland. Club: Queanbeyan Whites, NSW. Hometown: Queanbeyan, NSW
5. James Stannard. Club: Souths, QLD. Hometown: Brisbane, QLD
6. Con Foley. Club: University of Queensland. Hometown: Brisbane, QLD
7. Cameron Clark. Club: Northern Suburbs. Hometown: Sydney, NSW
8. Stephan Van Der Walt. Club: Souths, QLD. Place of Birth: Kersdop, South Africa
9. Ed Jenkins. Club: Sydney University, NSW. Hometown: Sydney, NSW
10. Allan Fa’alava’au. Club: Endeavour Hills, VIC. Hometown: Melbourne, VIC
11. John Porch. Club: Northern Suburbs, NSW. Place of Birth: Orange, NSW
12. Boyd Killingworth. Club: Warringah Rats, NSW. Hometown: Collaroy, NSW

 

[Brumby Runner]

Hope to see improvement in Kingston's game. Up til now, he has been very loathe to use supports, and often gets ball turned over when tackled. He has been a jarring full stop to a lot of promising attacking moves in past games. Step up or step out.

 

[Braveheart81]

I thought Kingston really improved in the Las Vegas and Vancouver events. Prior to that he was terrible. He finally started breaking tackles and beating players.

I reckon he's a reasonable shot of making the Olympics team now.

 

[I like to watch]

I agree Kingston dramatically improved in the last 2 games.
Any player not playing in HK,is either injured or on the outer, by the looks of it.

 

[wamberal]

Tradition plus with there being ~500 Clubs there are multiple "Wanderers", "Pirates" & any number of variations on/ combinations of "Marist", "Old Boys" etc etc.

When the Hong Kong Sevens started, New Zealand was not represented by a national team, but by their champion Sevens province.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ tradition in terms of the naming of National sides, exceptions being NZ Schools & NZ Universities (not sure that even exists any more) plus with NZ Maori they'll now also reference the player's iwi (tribe) but IIRC that's a fairly recent thing.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I thought Kingston really improved in the Las Vegas and Vancouver events. Prior to that he was terrible. He finally started breaking tackles and beating players.

I reckon he's a reasonable shot of making the Olympics team now.

Better perhaps, but still jolted the attack on occasions by not looking for supports. ATM I'd see him battling with Con Foley and Jeladev for a spot, and he'd be well behind the two of them.