Rugby 7s general chat

[Hugh Jarse]

I see this note on the Kiama 7's tournament web page:

Please note:
The Kiama Rugby Sevens in 2015 undertook a major realignment to give the optimum pathway to the Olympics. The Tournament model undertook dramatic changes with the support of the Australian Rugby Union.

http://www.kiamarugby.com/kiama_sevens.html#sthash.YIlgQQon.dpuf

Great news. It looks like the ARU are working hard to realign the Rugby 7's pathway and, rather than re-inventing the wheel, they are tweaking using existing 7's tournaments and establishing new tournaments where necessary to fill the gaps.

 

[TOCC]

Yep, that's how it should occur... Maybe identify 6-8 tournaments and given them 'official' status, only points earned at these official tournaments will count towards the national 7's crown.. A prize pool is offered for the national 7's crown.


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[Strewthcobber]

Jim Carmichael warns his Qld players in today's Australian that anyone who makes themselves available for the sevens team, and hence misses the Super rugby season to get ready for Rio, might find there's no contract available for 2017.

I wonder if the same sentiment is being made to all teams behind closed doors?

Going to be a real challenge getting a good team, let alone our best team, on the park at the Olympics.

 

[TOCC]

I think they are right to oppose such a concept, I don't think the Tahs could afford to pay someone like Folau his salary If he isn't going to be playing for them, the ARU would have to step in and cover the wage but also potential liabilities from reduced ticket sales and sponsorship.


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[Omar Comin']

Shortsighted in my view. The Olympics is a huge opportunity for rugby as a sport and if the profile of rugby increases as a result then all will benefit from it.

Having an Olympic medallist or two as part of your squad for example would be a cool thing - with promotional and sponsorship benefits. Too often rugby administrators see everything in terms of problems rather than opportunities.

Though I do agree that Super Rugby teams shouldn't be paying full wages for players not involved in chunks of their season next year due to sevens commitments - and I think any Wallaby or Super Rugby player that chases a spot at the Olympics will probably have to take a pay cut for a season. But I'd guess some will be willing to do that. Threatening future contracts and discouraging players is petty and ridiculous.

 

[qwerty51]

Let's wait until we see the calendar for the 2016 World Series first.

 

[I like to watch]

It might be short sighted,but that doesn't make the issue any less real.
IF the Tahs lost Foley & IF,it leaves a substantial hole in the squad.
Sydney crowds are fickle,if they are battling to win their share of games next year,they will get hammered at the gate.
That is a real concern.
Look at the trouble the Reds are having now,due to depth issues.
How do you contract for cover with plenty of lead time,when you are not given sufficient notice of who you need to cover?

 

[Omar Comin']

They should be contracting for cover anyway. Players can go down injured at any time after all. And guys involved in 7's will provide a lot more lead time than players getting injured.

It doesn't seem an insurmountable obstacle to me. It would be nice to hear less complaining and more solutions from administrators. Trying to block guys from having a crack at the Olympics is a disgrace.

 

[wamberal]

Players should be able to decide this for themselves. No pressure.


If Geraint Johns wants a particular player, and that player is prepared to play for Sevens wages (plus third party sponsorships), then he should be allowed to.


The same rule should be applied to players outside our game. I would love to see a high profile NRL player make that sort of sacrifice. Imagine the publicity!

 

[qwerty51]

Olympics are from Aug 5-21. Pointy end of season for NRL. Doubt it.

You think an NRL player will just sacrifice his whole season for 1 month in August?

Assuming anyone taking part in the Olympics would need to prepare at least a month in advance, any Super Rugby players would be taking time off during or right before their finals campaigns.. so I could see a solution where teams/players who are out of contention in late-May/June might start looking towards 7s.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Olympics are from Aug 5-21. Pointy end of season for NRL. Doubt it.

You think an NRL player will just sacrifice his whole season for 1 month in August?

Assuming anyone taking part in the Olympics would need to prepare at least a month in advance, any Super Rugby players would be taking time off during or right before their finals campaigns.. so I could see a solution where teams/players who are out of contention in late-May/June might start looking towards 7s.

Coach wants them for the whole year doesn't he?

 

[qwerty51]

Which is totally unrealistic. I think down the road he'll settle for a couple World Series which is why I want to see the calendar for it.

 

[Thinker]

Sevens has changed a lot in the last 3 years and as it has been shown time and time again, throwing 15 players into a 7s team doesn't deliver results.

We might be forced to so because we are so far behind the 8 ball compared to the rest of the world, but we dance with the ones that brought us, especially if we qualify in the top 4.

The biggest unknown will be the format. If the tournament structre changes as was rumoured, eg 1 game per day, all bets are off.

 

[qwerty51]

I agree you need experience in the game but the fact still remains most if not all (I read Clark turned down a Super Rugby offer) the current 7s players are only playing 7s because they're not good enough for Super Rugby contracts. The Super Rugby players are better athletes.

I wouldn't say we're so far behind either. I think we're comfortably 4th best in the world. There's a big gap to the top 3 however.

 

[Quick Hands]

The Australian leg of world 7s series to be played in Sydney for the next 4 years. Hope the ARU/NSWRU really make something of this.


http://www.scgt.nsw.gov.au/latest-news/allianz-stadium-to-host-sevens-world-series/

 

[Jagman]

Coach wants them for the whole year doesn't he?

I reckon that statement is just hot air designed to keep morale high in the current squad.


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[Quick Hands]

I reckon that statement is just hot air designed to keep morale high in the current squad.


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Not that the current squad have exactly set the world on fire.

How many ordinary followers of rugby in Australia could name ONE current Australian 7s player? How many sporting followers?

However hard working they might be, teams of no names attract no public or corporate support. Rugby in Australia doesn't have a lot going for it in terms of the sporting landscape; the international reach of the game is a big one and the Olympics are potentially a bigger advantage.

 

[p.Tah]

Is that a reflection of the calibre of the current players or a reflection on the lack of publicity 7s gets in Australia

 

[qwerty51]

LEGEND Michael O’Connor believes Australia’s Sevens team can build their Olympic campaign around Bernard Foley.
The man who plucked Foley from Sydney University colts into the national Sevens team in 2010 told us: “He is the best Sevens player I coached.
“His ability to set up play and look for space, even that try he scored (against Queensland), it was very similar to tries he scored in sevens. Throw the long pass, get on a good support line and work hard.
You’d build your side around him, but he is going to need a couple of tournaments in that year to put him back into Sevens shape.”
Despite the news that Foley will return for the Waratahs, the mail remains strong that he will still be going to next year’s Olympic Games in Rio.

 

[Quick Hands]

Is that a reflection of the calibre of the current players or a reflection on the lack of publicity 7s gets in Australia

Both I'd say, and there's a relationship between the two.

Imagine if Folau or Cooper or JOC (James O'Connor) or Hooper or Giteau or some players with some public profile played in SOME of the 7s rounds. I reackon that would generate some publicity and some public interest. At the moment the World 7s circuit receives virtually no mainstream media coverage at all.

I think the World 7s circuit is a great thing, but as far as rugby in Australia was concerned, if it stopped tomorrow, no one would even notice.