Rugby 7s general chat

[wamberal]

Who would be funding these proposed Soup 7's teams?

Use some of the exisiting Sevens funding. Get some new sponsorships for what would be an extended programme.

This is an Olympic programme, maybe the AOC would help. It would also be part of the player development arsenal for the Soup franchises.


Who knows, down the track it might even be possible to run a Fiji/NZ/Oz provincial Sevens tournament that is worth televising and worth people paying to attend. Far-fetched, I know. But still possible.

 

[p.Tah]

I tweeted Greg Peters last week asking if SANZAR had any plans for a Super Rugby 7s tournament. He replied" not at this stage as the world circuit is the focus for teams".
I think they're missing a trick here. Even if it was just Aust, NZ and the PIs without SA. They want more money and the broadcasters want more content. This is the new growth area for the game.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I tweeted Greg Peters last week asking if SANZAR had any plans for a Super Rugby 7s tournament. He replied" not at this stage as the world circuit is the focus for teams".
I think they're missing a trick here. Even if it was just Aust, NZ and the PIs without SA. They want more money and the broadcasters want more content. This is the new growth area for the game.

I actually think in terms of a Super Rugby pre-season event perspective a 10s tournament would be better suited.

 

[wamberal]

A pretty silly comment by Peters. After all, Soup Rugby is not the focus during RWC years, the World Cup is. Nevertheless, the lower level tournament still runs, and serves a good purpose.


No reason why a lower level provincial Sevens comp could not run alongside the HSBC World Sevens circuit, shirley?

 

[wamberal]

I actually think in terms of a Super Rugby pre-season event perspective a 10s tournament would be better suited.

Mate, with all due respect, this is a thread about how to win Olympic Sevens medals. Tens is just a total distraction, takes the game nowhere at all, that we need to go.


15s and 7s is all we need, IMHO. 10s is okay for a giggle, that's about it.

 

[Jets]

I'm not one for picking 15's players in a 7's squad, the games are far to different, but in saying that Alofa Alofa looks like he would be a wonder in the Aust 7's team. He would add some real spark to the team that I think they need.

Also I heard that they are looking for a coach with experience at international level. While not providing a pathway for local coaches it gives the ARU 2 years to establish this series and have a structure competition for player and coaches to show their wares. After the Olympics we can then install a local coach.

 

[qwerty51]

Any whispers about the new coach yet? Is O'Connor finishing up this years World Series or has he left already? Who is the coach for Japan in just over a week?

 

[Scrubber2050]

reckon Knuckles would be a perfect coach for sevens'

 

[SevensPhD]

Any whispers about the new coach yet? Is O'Connor finishing up this years World Series or has he left already? Who is the coach for Japan in just over a week?

O'Connor is still with the team in Sydney, and will coach through at least HK. Job posting for new coach closes March 24: http://www.sportspeople.com.au/sp/position/PositionDisplay.asp?ID=27810

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Didn't Glen Ella have some success as 7's coach back in the early naughties?

What is he doing now? Last seen a year or two back with the Beasts but pretty sure he isn't there now.

 

[RugbyReg]

So Pulver has said it would look at fringe Super Rugby players to flesh out the team to go to the Glasgow Games this year (23 July - 4 August). Who do you reckon would be worth it?

Not sure, perhaps JJ Tualagi & Jonah Placid from the Reds and Jono Lance
& Ben Volavola from the Tahs. Anyone else?

When is the Under 20s champs? May impact these and others (Michael Gunn etc)

 

[Brumby Jack]

JWC is in June in NZ

It would have to be only fringe players.

I have a problem with big names being 'parachuted' in to these teams. The guys in there have done the hard yards to get there and probably sacrificed a S15 contract along the way so to be tapped on the shoulder and miss out would be tough.

 

[wamberal]

I have a problem with big names being 'parachuted' in to these teams. The guys in there have done the hard yards to get there and probably sacrificed a S15 contract along the way so to be tapped on the shoulder and miss out would be tough.

This thread is about what we need to do to have a realistic chance of winning a medal at Rio. For that to happen, most of us would accept that our current squad would need augmentation.

As for making sacrifices, how many of the current squad have turned their back on Soup contracts?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Rio is still two years away.

We need a couple of wise heads in the team, but plenty of young whippersnappers who have more energy than an atomic bomb. Lads like this are currently in the 17 - 21 age group. Forget about current fringe SupeRugby players. Targeting the current and last years U20's, and this year and last years Schoolboys would bear fruit. Get them in the programme so they can learn the trade of 7's.

 

[wamberal]

Hugh,

It does not matter where they come from, or how much energy they have, or whether or not they "learn the trade". Having just watched us lose, inevitably, to the Poms, we need bigger forwards, and faster backs.

 

[qwerty51]

Gill might be a shot if he can't make Wallabies with Pocock/Hooper. He was excellent when he played and he was only 18 years old then.

 

[wamberal]

Gill might be a shot if he can't make Wallabies with Pocock/Hooper. He was excellent when he played and he was only 18 years old then.

To have the slightest chance of a medal, we are definitely going to need to parachute some fringe Test players into our squad, no doubt about it.

McCalman, Luke Jones, maybe Rod Davies to inject some pace.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Michael O'Connor (Snoz) has finished with the 7's as coach.

There is media talk that next coach (GR on RugbyHQ) may be an overseas chap, perhaps Paul Treu (ex SAF and KEN).

There are plenty of Aust coaches spread around the world in the 15 aside version of the game, but credentialed Aussies in the 7's version of the game seem to be rather thin on the ground.

The success of Stitch (NZL) and BRyan (ENG/FIJ) show that selecting, coaching, tactics and strategy in Rugby 7's is a very specialised area and it is not just a thing that is done pre-training while the team wait for the late arrivals to present for training.

Who are the Aussie Rugby 7's competent coaches that may be in the running for Snoz's old gig?

 

[wamberal]

I really hope that the new Sevens coach is already familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of Australian rugby in general, and the playing ranks in particular.

I would bet quids that there are several potential Sevens stars running around in club rugby, maybe more, the talent needs to be identified and groomed.

Plus some wheeling and dealing will be necessary to get some established players into those parachutes for Rio. That implies that the new coach must already have the contacts in his little black book, and a good local network of officials and former players to tap into for intelligence.


Finally, the new coach will want to see a domestic Sevens comp sooner rather than later, even if it is only pre-club season. That also implies a good knowledge of the politics of the game locally, to try to make something like this happen. And it would help if he (or she!) has good corporate contacts as well. Walking on water helpful, but not essential.

 

[RugbyReg]

oh the irony. I reckon Richard Graham could have been a wonderful 7s coach, as he was a fantastic player and captain. The job could have been his.