IRB Sevens 2012

[spectator]

You're right about the Kiwi's Inkosi, they were everywhere! Samoan's Kenyans and Fijians also had good support though I guess...need plenty more OZ supporters next year. Spoke to some people who were in the 'party' area at the end of the stadium and they said it was a hoot...certainly looked like people were having a ball. I agree, it will be much better next year with some more effective advertising.

 

[sunnysideup]

Like Jets, I too was 'working from the inside' and I understand that the official crowd numbers were around 25280 over the two days and would support the fact that a number of people were at the entertainment sections behind the stadium.......very, very popular and suits those who do not necessarily go for the footy but enjoy the party atmosphere similar to Wellington and Hong Kong. I have been to both and the stadiums are never filled to capacity cause you are always moving around enjoying the different events and entertainment outside of the stadiums. Great times and more ahead once they fine tune the marketing. Fiji were awesome great to see them return to a less structured style of 7s which suits there preference to utlise their natural flair and skills. I thought the young Aust side punched well above its weight and if Snoz holds on to a core of this group i.e. with the likes of Jenkins, C. Foley, Tuapou, Crook and Fou and maybe get Angus back, I am sure this side can go on to become a regular top 4 side and pushing for more tournament victories

 

[sunnysideup]

You're right about the Kiwi's Inkosi, they were everywhere! Samoan's Kenyans and Fijians also had good support though I guess...need plenty more OZ supporters next year. Spoke to some people who were in the 'party' area at the end of the stadium and they said it was a hoot...certainly looked like people were having a ball. I agree, it will be much better next year with some more effective advertising.

Hahahahaha that is the Gold Coast though isn't it???? Expat central, hence a smart move to take the tourney there with an already large NZ expat community and a growing South African one it will ensure ready made support for this and other rugby events once the powers that be get someone who knows how to market on to the job.

 

[Dan54]

Well, like I said I had good time, but bugger me I thought everyone partied great, and then I came in here and find the old lets dislike a kiwi coming into 7s!! I really didn't think anyone took it serious anywhere, in fact almost every kiwi I met was dressed up, actually one of mates was surprised how much it meant to Fijians, but they just love 7s and sure love to support their team which was great!! Also Kenyans impressed me with their support, really behind the team with chants etc, oh bugger sorry just realised Kiwis knocked Aussie's out so that explains it. I agree young Aus team looks like they got some good players, and team will win a tournament or 2 in next while, perhaps best thing about 7s is it abit like 20/20 cricket very hit and miss so any number of teams can win.

 

[Jets]

All the kiwis I spoke to were pretty keen to see their team win but no more than I was to see the Aussies get up. They all seemed to bounce back within 5 mins of the tournament ending and I think that the Fiji team were in hot form in the final.

I have talked to a lot of guys who watched it on TV and are keen to go next year. The date change will help as there will be more accommodation available without the schoolies there.

Think they will get over 40K next year.

 

[WhoDaresWin]

Good to see the Fijians back to their winning ways playing their natural unorthodox free-flowing running game.

and what a perfomance from the 39 yr old Vunibola. What an inspiration!!

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Good to see the Fijians back to their winning ways playing their natural unorthodox free-flowing running game.

and what a perfomance from the 39 yr old Vunibola. What an inspiration!!

I hope I'm still playing with plenty of pace and strength at the age of 39.

 

[Dan54]

Geez AS, I never played with that pace and strength at 25!!!!

 

[What2040]

Like Jets, I too was 'working from the inside' and I understand that the official crowd numbers were around 25280 over the two days and would support the fact that a number of people were at the entertainment sections behind the stadium.......very, very popular and suits those who do not necessarily go for the footy but enjoy the party atmosphere similar to Wellington and Hong Kong. I have been to both and the stadiums are never filled to capacity cause you are always moving around enjoying the different events and entertainment outside of the stadiums. Great times and more ahead once they fine tune the marketing. Fiji were awesome great to see them return to a less structured style of 7s which suits there preference to utlise their natural flair and skills. I thought the young Aust side punched well above its weight and if Snoz holds on to a core of this group i.e. with the likes of Jenkins, C. Foley, Tuapou, Crook and Fou and maybe get Angus back, I am sure this side can go on to become a regular top 4 side and pushing for more tournament victories

Regular top 4 - they should be flogged for not coming 1st every time - a bit like the 15 man game - if young and inexperienced is an excuse put in some older lads to enhance results

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Geez AS, I never played with that pace and strength at 25!!!!

Lol. Hey what matters is taking the field and playing right Dan - and the boat race!

 

[Dan54]

Good to see we on the same page AS.:lmao:

 

[qwerty51]

Why is Fox Sports not showing the 7s?

 

[Lee Grant]

I wrote this on a word processor just after the Gold Coast tournament because my modem was dodgy - but now I have a new one here it is days late.

PS I changed the name on the thread.

****

That was a good effort from the Thunderbolts and much better than I thought it would be. MOC has done a good job selecting new players, and training them in a short time.

In many aspects they were better than last years' crop and when they were fresh earlier in the day they were better at the breakdown than in the 2010/11 season. However they lacked physical conditioning in both strength and endurance and it showed later on.

I think they can learn a lot from the SAffer lads. They didn't have big bruisers either, but they showed admirable attack in their counter-rucking: at the right time and applied to the right spot, like a karate expert delivering the killer blow. You could see that most of them had been around for a while because their physicality pound for pound was impressive.

The Thunderbolts are a more balanced side than the last year's team, which had too many steppers, but they need a couple of flyers who can tackle and also know a bit about footie. I wouldn't give up on the volleyball player Pama Fou. You can see that he hasn't played much rugby but a few more footie skills to go with his his lightning speed will make him a dangerous player.

They also need a good quarterback of the Stannard type and a good backup for him, plus a forward similar in type to Vanderglas and the late Shawn Mackay to help Ed Jenkins. Ideally one of the new players should have “is a brilliant drop kicker” on his CV.

I thought that Lewis Holland, last year's Oz Schools' fullback, showed a natural instinct for the 7s game and that Solomoni Rasolea was a very good poach. They are keepers.
.

 

[Bowside]

I think the Australians looked lost without a go-to man like Stannard, Gollings or Afrika. Lewis holland was the closest we have to one and I'm not that convinced by his play. Rasolea and Fou look like good athletes with a bit of spark, con foley looked totally out on his feet, but was very dangerous when running into gaps. I think ultimately he will shine more in 15's where there is less space, as he is one of those guys that's gets through holes with little space.

Jenkins looks like a rugby league back rower or centre, as was strong in contact, but I thought the team desperately needed another forward to play the jackal/link-man role like gill use to play a couple of seasons ago now.

I'm of the opinion that we should have 2 blokes on longer term 7's contracts, one a playmaking back and the other for a forward who is strong on the ground. The forward could either play the ball runner role (like d.j. forbes), or the jackal role (like gill).

 

[Lee Grant]

Why is Fox Sports not showing the 7s?

They are showing the final day:

Sat 4.30 pm and 12 midnight (which overlaps the test match).

 

[qwerty51]

Apparently they did not have the contract for the first day, how does that make any sense.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Dubai 7's

Plate SF FT Australia 26 NZ 12, not a bad effort from our guys, I'm not sure but that could be the first time we've beaten NZ in 7's (unless someone can correct that).

 

[Lee Grant]

There was a graphic that said Oz had beaten NZ 6 times. Mind you NZ had won over 30.

Well done to the Thunderbolts who looked like static electricity against Fiji in the earlier game. In that match it was like men against boys and it was almost literally so. Our chaps played with no physicality, in the main because they are not strong yet, and little skill.

In the Kiwi game they blitzed the men in black and at one stage they had thrown 3 passes and scored 3 tries. Everything they tried worked. Their best feature was in their face attacking defence on every Kiwi, on every possession. The Kiwis on were poor but the men in gold - or rather lime green - helped them to be so.

After seeing 2 games I think these Oz players will be good at 7s, but not this year. Their aerobic capacity is quite good (if I am using the right word there) but their strength is a long way behind where it should be. Also they have to learn to deal with the ball movement of elite 7s players, as Fiji has at the minute.

This will take a while.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Agree Lee I saw one of Fiji's smallest players absolutely bump off one of our guys with little worry. Maybe they need to play some 15's

Aussie Girls went down 12-10 to bloody england. Looked like a high tackle at the end there by England with us on the attack right near the goal line but our girls had plenty of chances.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Australia beat South Africa for the Plate Final with a 90m runaway try to Lewis Holland in the last minute to win 17-14.