Rio Olympics

[Highlander35]

If league players want to play Rugby at the Olympics, they can play in the Rugby code. Whether that's auditioning directly for a sevens spot, and playing in the World Series, or playing Super Rugby and dropping down it doesn't matter, but Sevens is a Union institution first and foremost, allowing league players in without playing Union cheapens it.

Maybe I've bought into the Melrose propaganda, but that's my feelings on the matter.

 

[wamberal]

The Olympic Games should be above this sort of jingoism.


You make rugby sound like a religious sect. It is not, it is just a sport.

 

[Slim 293]

There's not going to be very much room for rugby players in our Sevens squad once we're done filling it with the best of the NRL, AFL, test cricket, netball, lawn bowls and Jarryd Hayne................

 

[qwerty51]

League has changed a lot too. What about Shannon Walker? A former League who has been excellent at 7s. And he's light years away from being an Origin player or a Kangaroo. Imagine what could do superstars like Greg Inglis, Jarryd Hayne or Shaun Johnson at 7s

That's rubbish. What do you define as excellent? His defence is pathetic really and he's not strong at the breakdown. His last appearances were coming off the bench. Don't get me wrong he can score some amazing tries but in 7s you need the full package or else you'll be exploited too easily.

 

[TOCC]

The Olympic Games should be above this sort of jingoism.


You make rugby sound like a religious sect. It is not, it is just a sport.

Yes it is a sport, and its a completely different sport to the one they currently play. Parachuting in XV's players has failed in the past as the styles of games are so different, if an NRL player wants to play Sevens then he needs to make a commitment to play the World Rugby Sevens circuit to prove his worth and learn the game before the Olympics. Now we all know that no NRL club is going to allow one of the top players go off and play on the sevens circuit, so there's no point continuing the discussion.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ and for a case study of why "no NRL Club is going to allow one of the top players to go off and play on the circuit", look no further than what happened to the Warriors last year when they lost Shaun Johnson (surely one of the guys most likely to quickly & successfully transition to 7's):

After Round 19 the Warriors were 4th equal & Johnson was in the top half-dozen contenders for the Dally M (POTY) award. Then he rolls his ankle & doesn't play again in 2015; his team doesn't win another game & they finish 13th. Post-season half the players are let go & the coach barely keeps his job. Anyone who thinks a Club is gonna voluntarily give up a marquee player for someone's Olympic 7's program is delusional.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Japanese women won their qualifying tournament over the weekend. Beaten finalist Kazakhstan plus China & Hong Kong go to the repechage.

http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series/news/124982

 

[D-Box]

Men's Running Qualification

Host - Brazil

1st WS - Fiji (164 points) - Qualified
2nd WS - South Africa (154 points) - Qualified
3rd WS - New Zealand (152 points) - Qualified
4th WS - England (GB) (132 points) - Qualified

Regional Qualifiers
Africa - Kenya
Asia - Japan
Europe - France
North America - USA
Oceania - Australia
South America - Argentina

Final Qualification tournament
Lucky bastards

Woman's Running Qualification

Host - Brazil

1st WS - New Zealand (108) Qualified
2nd WS - Canada (96) Qualified
3rd WS - Australia (94) Qualified
4th WS - Great Britain (76) Qualified on a count back

Regional Qualifiers

Africa - South Africa
Asia - Japan
Europe - France
North America - USA
Oceania - Fiji
South America - Columbia

Final Qualification tournament

Lucky Bastards -

Qualification Schedule

2015 CONSUR 7's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 8 June 2015 TBAhttp://www.consur.org/index.php/component/k2/item/2411-resultados-parciales-dia-3
2015 NACRA 7's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 14 June 2015 Cary, United States http://www.worldrugby.org/news/76391
2015 Rugby Europe 7's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 12 July 2015Varioushttp://www.worldrugby.org/news/77487http://www.worldrugby.org/news/80309
2015 ARFU 7's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 8 November 2015 Hong Kong http://www.asiarugby.com/news/2015/11/japan-off-to-rio-2016-olympic-games (Women's Qualification finishes November 27/28
2015 CAR 7's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 8 November 2015 Kenyahttp://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/123052
2015 FORU 7's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 15 November 2015 Auckland, New Zealand http://www.oceaniarugby.com/pageitem.aspx?id=103745&id2=1&eID=66726&entityID=66726

Men's Final Qualification Tournament

Spain, Russia, Germany, Ireland
Zimbabwe, Morocco, Tunisia
Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka
Tonga, Samoa
Canada, Mexico
Chile, Uruguay

Women's Final Qualification Tournament

Russia, Spain, Ireland, Portugal
Kenya, Tunisia, Zimbabwe
Kazakhstan, China, Hong Kong
Samoa, Cook Islands
Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago
Argentina, Venezuela

 

[D-Box]

Some comments on the Men's Teams Qualified

The top 7 eligible teams from last years world series have qualified. (Scotland finished 7th and will be competing as part of GB.) When you consider that other than Samoa twice and Canada once represent this represents the teams that were consistently making it pass the Cup Semi Finals the Olympic Tournament should represent where the true strength of Men's sevens is in the current Olympic cycle. Of the next four teams qualified you have the hosts, Brazil which all we can say is that Australia got to play handball in Sydney, France who would need a big turn around to be competitive, Kenya who if they sort their shit out could scare some teams but probably wont win it and Japan, who with no regular high level competition this year, are unlikely to repeat their 15s team's heroics ad the world cup.

That brings us to the Final Qualification Tournament. While it wold be improbable for anyone to win the tournament from here you have teams 9 (Canada), 10 (Samoa) and 14 (Portugal) from last years world series and Russia who won core status for this years tournament. You would think that the winner will come from one of these four as they will be playing together against the best in the world regularly in the lead up to the Final Qualification Tournament. Samoa would have to be a brush with their performances in Oceania tournament so I would be looking at Canada to get up here. This is probably good for World Rugby as if the Canadian Federation can get their hands on Olympic Cash it can only help their 7s develop which should help their 15s. Samoa are not going to get more money from Samoa regardless and their rise and fall is probably dictated more by the cash in Europe rather than anything that they can do at home. BUT the true fairy tale that could come out of this tournament would be for Ireland to come home with a wet sail. They won the European Third Division, European Second Division, Third in the Repecharge Tournament - but all without the pros. What could happen if they actually try? Bottom of Europe to and Olympic Medal in two years - I see a movie coming out pretty damn quick.

 

[Highlander35]

DB, the Portuguese stuffed up and didn't get into the Repechage. Otherwise good analysis. Canucks the favourites, Samoa need to step up but can't be discounted, Russia 3rd simply due to series representation and Ireland the dark horse.

 

[D-Box]

Ha - serve me right for assuming and not reading my post above!

 

[Omar Comin']

DB, the Portuguese stuffed up and didn't get into the Repechage. Otherwise good analysis. Canucks the favourites, Samoa need to step up but can't be discounted, Russia 3rd simply due to series representation and Ireland the dark horse.

I'd say Zimbabwe is also a dark horse. They were seconds away from qualifying ahead of Kenya so gotta think they're a contender. Tonga probably a chance as well.

 

[Highlander35]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but the Men's Repechage will be held on the 18th and 19th of June in Monaco, while the Women's Repechage will be on the 25th and 26th of June in Ireland.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Despite qualifying, South Africa have chosen not to put a team into the women's comp at Rio. Kenya will take their place:

http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series/news/129214

I'm guessing it's a money thing. Such a shame for the SA women who've done the business on-field & appear to have been let own big-time.

 

[Highlander35]

Seems to be a general South Africa Olympic Body policy though. Don't want their teams qualifying regionally. At least that's what I read somewhere.

 

[Mr Doug]

The Olympic Games should be above this sort of jingoism.


You make rugby sound like a religious sect. It is not, it is just a sport.

For you, maybe wamberal, but for many here Rugby is a lot more than that.

Some of us met our wives/partners at a Rugby match, (I did, 45 years ago). Some of us who worked on Saturday mornings, sometimes hired light aircraft to travel up to 200 kms (flight distance), to get us to our matches in time for the kick-off.

Many clubs had (unofficial) bans on Saturday weddings during the Rugby season.
When our son played Rugby, I arranged my work commitments to enable me to get to his mid-week schoolboy matches. Then there were many years of supporting him in his University and club matches, and hundreds of hours of voluntary work for our Rugby club.

Yes, wamberal, Rugby for some of us is a bit like a religious sect!!

 

[wamberal]

Good for you, Doug.


I remember when a rugby player who tried out for loig was automatically banned.


I remember when Michael Cleary tried to join my club, Eastwood, but was refused membership because he was a (gasp) professional. Who cares that he had represented his country at both rugby and athletics?

Rugby has been a big part of my life, I have met some wonderful people through the game. But it is just a game at heart.


Moderation in all things, Doug.

 

[Quick Hands]

Some comments on the Men's Teams Qualified

The top 7 eligible teams from last years world series have qualified. (Scotland finished 7th and will be competing as part of GB.

This has been asked before and I can't recall if anyone was able to answer it - you might know.

Will the GB team comprise players from England only? Or will players from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also be eligible? Do the RFU select the team?

 

[Highlander35]

The full structure has never been formally announced as far as I can tell.

However, the RFU will be the managing body, since they were the nominated World Qualifying body, amd they secured that, rather than the free for all of regional qualification, whrre supposedly the highest place Team would have been the managing body.

Scottish and Welsh players will be eligible, and again, if the rumours floating around are correct, the team will be duty bound to select at least 1 Scot and 1 Welshman. However, the Ulstermen will not be considered for Great Britain representation, that's been agreed with the IRFU.

Can't back this up, but this is what UK forumites and the 7s commentators seem to be going with.

 

[Quick Hands]

^^^Interesting the situation with Northern Ireland as there are many Northern Ireland residents who consider themselves British. (Rugby being the only sport to my knowledge that the whole of Ireland plays as one team).