The Official Australian 7s Thread

[Lee Grant]

I agree with protecting young players though I don't know what the exact cut off age point should be before they are allowed to play in professional rugby. The young blokes are so different and an ethnic Islander lad could be full grown at 18. On the other hand, he may not be.

If there are age limits people will moan that this guy and that have played in the S14 and even internationals and it did them no physical harm, but it's not to the point of what may happen if a teenager is not prepared as well as he should be.

One thing for sure: I wouldn't let the coaches be the arbiters of who should be allowed to play. I wouldn't trust them as a parent.

But on this matter I am the biggest hypocrite in the world. Having watched all the recent teenagers playing Super14 when they were schoolboys and often reporting on them before most other people have heard their names, I am their biggest fan when they get onto the park, before their time, or not.

Sometimes even, a little tear comes to the eye.

 

[TOCC]

We are getting off the point.

I maintain that, generally speaking, the Super 14 coaches use too many lads who are not physically prepared enough compared to some of the seasoned players they have to play against. The fact that we can all name examples of players who have be promoted into the Super14 before their time and have not been injured, is neither here nor there IMO.

This is a relatively recent phenomenon. No don't mention guys from earlier years - I know about them too - my point here is that have never been so many of last years schoolboys being used in Super rugby as there has been recently, and I find that trend to be alarming.

I also maintain that, generally speaking, the teenage league players who are promoted to play in the NRL are better prepared physically than the union guys of the same age who are pushed forward to play in the Super14.

I also maintain that the Kiwi teenagers have it better. Because of the depth they have on the other side of the pond there is not the same imperative to put teenagers into the Super14 before their time. The families of Matt To'omua and Quade Cooper came over from New Zealand. Those young blokes would never have played Super rugby the year after leaving school had their families stayed over there. Over here they did, and I think they were put at risk.


It's not just a Sydney thing as you postulate - you missed this:

I am with you all the way there Lee.

I was speaking to an exBris club pres on Sunday and they all have the same concerns and the rugby heirachy don't have the balls to say 'leave' alone for a few years. They are so paranoid that some other group will come along and poach their young star.

This explains my opinion more eloquently than I did.

You won't agree with it but I do; so let's agree to disagree and leave it at that.

i dont with what your saying agree because i still havent seen any evidence of this...

i do agree that we shouldnt play players before they are physically ready, at the end of the day that is going to be up to the training staff and coaches to deem whether he is physically prepared for the games. You use age as a rule, because some players are physically ready by 18, others are not, it has to be a case by case scenario.

 

[spectator]

This last back and forward is worthy of its own thread "Is good enough old enough?"

Personally I say forget the exceptions and stick with the IRB rules. The threat of potential long term physical injury to just one person because they aren't fully developed suggests this is the safest and fairest way to go.

There were a number of kids who missed out on the 20's this year but it won't damage them going forward. And it gave a couple of others an opportunity to step up and be noticed.

Back to Sevens - I think the idea of some form of national comp ala the 20/20 has some merit. Very quick, comp over in a day or two, and might attract those that don't really follow rugby.

With respect to selections I think O'Connor has a focus on talent ID and development for 15's. His squad looks to be a mix of up and comers and 7's specialists.

 

[Aussie D]

I've seen a few games the Oz 7s have played on FOX in the past couple of weeks and three players really stood out as a class above - Ben Coridas, Luke Morahan (seems to have a ton of pace) and Richard Kingi. There were also a couple of promising young guys one from Parramatta (can't remember his name) who looks like a 15s backrower and another one with a great step (forget his name).

 

[Lee Grant]

The only Parramatta player in the 7s that I know of is Brian Sefanaia and he is a winger.

He's looked handy at Dubai and George hasn't he?

Actually, he won't be at Parramatta for very long as he has shown interest in playing for Manly next year - well, according to Manly, that is.

 

[Aussie D]

That's the guy Lee. Thought he was almost as big as Coridas unless I'm getting my names confused (again).

 

[Lee Grant]

I think I've worked it out. Brian Sefanaia is the Parramatta winger who is the stepper (though not at the Kingi or Bishop level IMO) and the backrower type you are thinking of is Stanley Hokafonu. I looked them up; they are both Tongan lads and Sefanaia is 90kgs whereas Hokafonu is 110kgs (and 190cms).

Stanley had been a league winger with the Sharks and Doggies and he showed up at the Sevens trials. He doesn't even have a rugby club yet. Mick O'Connor remembered his playing in U/16s rugby.

He looked handy and is a Joe Roff type of runner - yeah, I wish he'll turn out just as good too. He's one of those young journeyrnan who have played both codes of rugby - (and typically, union at high school) - and are looking for a contract in either code. If there are enough of them showing up back in union we are bound to get a a few good 'uns for the S14.

Rocky Elsom comes to mind.



Here's an article about him:

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24685944-5006067,00.html

 

[Lee Grant]

I read somewhere earlier on the forum that Foley is returning to union. He made the Oz A Schools team out of Waverly College, a recruitment team of the Sydney Roosters league team, and looked a good enough player at the time.

Let's hope that he can come back to our sport and be a better union player than he was as a league player. It happens. Let's also hope that he can play better than some of the lads who made the Oz Ones that year. That happens also.

It's good to see that "Jelly" is being recognised (see highlight below). Despite what the article says he didn't get selected in either Oz Schools side this year but I made the comment at the time that I would not be surprised at all if he made his mark in senior rugby at a higher point that some of the other wingers picked above him. Maybe he got called in when someone was injured, but I can't recall it.

He has tons of pace and can dominate opponents but it didn't show in the Oz Schools tournament this year because the NSW wingers didn't get much pill.

It's interesting that Pete Betham is still being used for Sevens when he's still listed in the Brumbies squad.


Former Australian Schoolboy star returns to Rugby via Sevens
January 09, 2009 - 3:29pm Story by: ARU

Shaun Foley returns to Rugby to compete for the Aussie Spirit team at the Heineken Hottest 7?s in Darwin this month.

A former Australian Schoolboys star returning from rugby league is the bolter selection in the Aussie Spirit team for the Heineken Hottest 7?s in the World to be staged in the Northern Territory this month.

Shaun Foley, 22, who scored six tries in nine NRL appearances for the Sydney Roosters, has been hand-picked for the Darwin tournament on 24-25 January by Australian Sevens coach and former dual international Michael O?Connor.

Foley, a fullback who was sidelined for most of last year?s rugby league season after breaking an ankle, has yet to play a game of rugby union since coming off contract with the Roosters.

?I was always a rugby union player before I joined the Roosters straight out of school, and I always wanted to come back at some stage and give it another go,? he said.

?I haven?t played for four years and I?ll be heading down to the Randwick club on Tuesday for my first training run with them.

?So it came as a shock when Mick O?Connor rang me during the week to offer me the opportunity to play at the Sevens.

?I?m really looking forward to it.?

Foley played for the Australian Schoolboys against New Zealand Schools in 2004.

While the Australians went down 20-16 in Christchurch, Foley scored all his team?s points through a try, conversion and three penalty goals.

The Australian squad for the tour to Samoa and New Zealand included several players now at Super 14 level including Josh Holmes, Ben Lucas, Anthony Fainga'a, Saia Fainga'a, Caleb Brown and Christian Lealiifano.

It also included two other members of the Aussie Spirit side O?Connor has assembled for the Hottest 7?s in the World ? Jonathon Jenkins and Will Brock.

O?Connor said the Darwin tournament? on the Northern Territory Government?s Major Events calendar and offering $60,000 in prizemoney ? would provide the chance to expose a number of new players to top level Sevens before the Australian national side returned to the IRB Sevens World Series circuit.

The third of the eight tournaments on the 2008-09 circuit is set down for Wellington, New Zealand, on 6-7 February.

The sixth leg of the World Series Sevens will be played at Adelaide Oval from 3-5 April.

?Darwin is very important for us because in the first two IRB rounds we played with a squad of 12, and 11 of them had never played on the circuit before,? said O?Connor.

?This tournament will also be about giving a couple of new guys an opportunity to see how they go.

?I?d like to think they could push for selection in the next two IRB rounds to be played in Wellington and then San Diego.

?Shaun Foley is one of those guys.?

Another is winger Greg Jeladouv, a Schoolboys representative in 2008.

The Aussie Spirit squad for the Heineken Hottest 7?s in the World in Darwin on 24-25 January is:

Peter Betham, Will Brock, Stanley Hokafonu, Jonathon Jenkins, Richard Kingi, Ben McCalman, Brian Sefanaia, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Shaun Foley, Damon Murphy, Greg Jeladouv.

 

[RugbyReg]

The Australian Men?s Sevens team has been handed a challenging assignment for the IRB Rugby World CupSevens in Dubai from 5-7 March ? landing in the same group as two sides that currently sit above them on the Sevens World Series points standings.



Michael O?Connor?s developing side, ninth on the World Series ladder, have been named in Pool D alongside Samoa and Portugal who hold down sixth and seventh positions respectively.



Ireland completes the pool, one of six for the preliminary stages of the 24-team tournament that will be played at the new ?The Sevens? venue in Dubai.



The top team in each pool plus the two best performed runners-up will advance to the championship quarter finals.



Fiji, the defending champion from four years ago, has been drawn with France, USA and Georgia in Pool B while current Sevens World Seriesleader South Africa is in Pool C with Scotland, Canada and Japan.



The 2001 champion New Zealand is the highest ranked side in Pool A.



For the first time, a 16-team Women?s competition will also be contested, and Australia ? champions of Oceania after downing New Zealand to claim the title in Samoa last year ? has been seeded second behind England.



The preliminary rounds of the Women?s event will be played via four pools of four.



Australia has been drawn in Pool A alongside the Netherlands, France and China.



Arch rivals New Zealand will play South Africa, Italy and Uganda in Pool D.



The draw was made in Dubai tonight.



MEN?S DRAW

Pool A: New Zealand, Tonga, Arabian Gulf, Italy
Pool B: Fiji, France, USA, Georgia
Pool C: South Africa, Scotland, Canada, Japan
Pool D: Samoa, Australia, Portugal, Ireland
Pool E: England, Kenya, Tunisia, Hong Kong
Pool F: Argentina, Wales, Zimbabwe, Uruguay

WOMEN?S DRAW

Pool A: Australia, Netherlands, France, China
Pool B: England, Japan, Russia, USA
Pool C: Canada, Brazil, Spain, Thailand
Pool D: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Uganda

we're behind Portugal now too? Shees. I was hoping we might see some S14 players at the World Cup, but the timings all wrong. Oh well.

 

[spectator]

Looks like the youth policy is well and truly alive for the Sevens, which is a great thing:

Despite his side bowing out at the semi final stage, Australian Sevens coach Michael O'Connor declared the Aussie Spirit's involvement a success, with former Roosters rugby league star Shaun Foley a stand-out star on his return to the code.

"Shaun's a footballer with a real future in my mind," O'Connor said. "His error rate is low and he's been able to learn a lot on the run this weekend in Darwin.

"Along with guys like Swanepoel, McDougall, Sykes and the likes of Dom Shipley and Henry Vanderglas we have exposed a lot of kids to the realities of this level of Sevens Rugby.

I think I recognise Shipperley, McDougall and Swanepoel from last years School sides, so there seems to be a definite emphasis on using Sevens as a development pathway. Good stuff!

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Looks like the youth policy is well and truly alive for the Sevens, which is a great thing:
"Along with guys like Swanepoel, McDougall, Sykes and the likes of Dom Shipley and Henry Vanderglas we have exposed a lot of kids to the realities of this level of Sevens Rugby. [/i]
I think I recognise Shipperley, McDougall and Swanepoel from last years School sides, so there seems to be a definite emphasis on using Sevens as a development pathway. Good stuff!

That is agreat thing. Dom is a very handy player as is Swanny and I am delighted the schooll leavers are being given a shot at this. My mouth is watering for the future.

 

[RugbyReg]

George 7s are on Fox at the moment. Shees that Luke Morahan is a big unit. I thought he was a backrower when I first saw him. Then he scored a run away try and they said it was Luke! Digby can piss off back to Perth I reckon. Watch this man.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

George 7s are on Fox at the moment. Shees that Luke Morahan is a big unit. I thought he was a backrower when I first saw him. Then he scored a run away try and they said it was Luke! Digby can piss off back to Perth I reckon. Watch this man.

And he was that size at school - wonderful player and he seems to have got through the first year at Reds academy injury free.

 

[Ash]

Yeah, Morahan was the stand out Aus player for me. Other handy players were Kingi, Coridas and Mowen (when he played). Betham probably deserves to be on that list too.

Was a bit disappointed by Toua - he had electric feet, but was otherwise a bit shakey and barely seemed able to tackle.

 

[RugbyReg]

look, I know S14 is on and the 6 Nations is on, but so is the 7s World Cup.

We should pay more attention to it, particularly as its success (probably more surrounding the female component) will go some way to it being accepted into the Olympics. Which should only be good for the sport.

First day results as follows:

Latest Results
12 20:38 SOUTH AFRICA 26 - 5 JAPAN Pool C
11 20:16 FIJI 26 - 10 GEORGIA Pool B
10 19:54 NEW ZEALAND 42 - 0 ITALY Pool A
9 19:30 ENGLAND 42 - 5 HONG KONG Pool E
8 18:16 ARGENTINA 19 - 7 URUGUAY Pool F
7 18:06 SAMOA 35 - 5 IRELAND Pool D
6 17:54 TONGA 19 - 0 ARABIAN GULF Pool A
5 17:44 FRANCE 26 - 17 UNITED STATES Pool B
4 17:32 SCOTLAND 14 - 33 CANADA Pool C
3 17:22 AUSTRALIA 24 - 12 PORTUGAL Pool D
2 17:10 KENYA 29 - 7 TUNISIA Pool E
1 17:00 WALES 31 - 5 ZIMBABWE Pool F

I think AUstralia's win over Portugal is actually pretty good, considering they have beaten us recently.

Our team is:

Player Shirt
Henry Vanderglas 1
William Brock 2
Ben Coridas 3
Damon Murphy 4
Brian Sefanaia 5
Luke Morahan 6
Richard Kingi 7
Jono Jenkins 8
Afusipa Taumoepeau 9
Ed Jenkins 10
Shaun Foley 11
William Bishop 12

The women start today, which should be interesting. Particularly with Brazil playing, so that's new.

 

[Ash]

No more Aiden Toua?

The games I watched - vs Ireland and Samoa - Australia were poor. Particularly against Samoa, where they blew every chance they had. We need to put more effort into our sevens development, perhaps find a coach who understands the game, as I don't think O'Connor does.

Oh yeah, Morahan looks like a real good future player for the Reds. Shame they don't need wings...

 

[Ash]

Aus female team on now, up 7 - 0 vs the SAffas. SAffas just scored off a good break out and grubber ahead. Girls showing some decent skills, more than the Aus male side has shown at times.

 

[Ash]

SA make another good break, another chip over the top and it takes a dog leg to the right but she has time to pick it up. Great chase by Aus forces her wide and gets her right before the line. Some one on one tackles stick from Aus, and SA force their way over the line but are held up. 7 - 5 at half time to Aus. Pretty entertaining, actually.

 

[Ash]

SA score again in the corner to take a 10 - 7 lead after they won a scrum against the feed.

Australia is dropping far too much ball.

Aus finally string a few phases together, stretch the SAffa and get a great offload from a tackle to go over in the corner. 12 - 10 to Aus now, about one minute left. Go girls.

 

[Ash]

And the girls seal it on full time with another try - 17 - 10 win.

On the guys, the 7s team should consist 100% of fringe S14 players and Academy players plus maybe 3 or so core 7s pro specialists well paid by the ARU. Some of those Sydney and Brisbane club players just aren't up to it.

Once again though, damn Morahan looks promising.

Damon Murphy scores a few, but damn he's a hog and blows quite a few more.