2019-2020 World Sevens Series
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Black Ferns 7s squad for the Dubai Sevens and Cape Town Sevens
Shakira Baker (Waikato)
Gayle Broughton (Taranaki)
Kelly Brazier (Bay of Plenty)
Theresa Fitzpatrick (Auckland)
Huia Harding (Waikato)
Shiray Kaka (Waikato)
Tyla Nathan-Wong (Auckland)
Risi Pouri-Lane ( Ta$man)
Alena Saili (Southland)
Montessa Tairakena (Waikato)
Ruby Tui (Bay of Plenty)
Stacey Waaka (Waikato)
Niall Williams (Auckland)
Tenika Willison (Waikato)With experienced speedsters Portia Woodman and Michaela Blyde already out for the Dubai and Cape Town legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, Hirini becomes the third injury blow for the squad early in the Series. Co-Coach Cory Sweeney said Hirini is undoubtedly a loss to the team but the strong group of leaders within the selected squad who can step up in her absence. “Sarah would have potentially been ready for Cape Town but there is no point risking re-injury when we have our biggest season ever ahead of us; this way she can rehab and be in the best possible shape going into the new year.” Shiray Kaka is named for her first tournament since 2018 as an experienced player on the wing. “Shiray has not only experience on the World Series but is a proven performer at that level. She’s had some injury setbacks but she has earnt her spot in this group. There is also another opportunity for Montessa after her debut in Colorado. We saw glimpses of her potential and this will be another step in her development. The Black Ferns Sevens will play in their first back-to-back tournaments on the World Series, the only previous time they have played two full events in a row was the Commonwealth Games followed by the Kitakyushu Sevens in 2018.
2019/2020 Black Ferns schedule
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, 5-6 October, Glendale - THIRD PLACE
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, 5-7 December, Dubai
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, 13-15 December, Cape Town -
This is pretty cool.
World Series selection quicker than Winiata expected
When Selica Winiata first discussed a potential career in officiating with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) National Referee Manager Bryce Lawrence earlier this year, it was with an eye on the future. The 33-year-old had contacted Lawrence as she sought a way to make the transition to a non-playing role within rugby as smooth as possible once the time came to retire. The Rugby World Cup 2017 winner began by refereeing secondary school tournaments while gleaning tips and advice from both Lawrence and his NZR colleague Matt Peters. Winiata admits she had to retrain her brain in those early matches, primarily so she didn’t tackle an unsuspecting player or take a try-scoring pass, but she clearly demonstrated she was up to the task. In November, the Black Fern travelled to Fiji to officiate at the Oceania Rugby Women’s Sevens Championship and impressed so much that she was subsequently appointed as a match official for the Dubai and Cape Town rounds of HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020.
“You look at training as a player, you’ve got to get into the gym, you’ve got to go out and do conditioning and you’ve still got to analyse games to make yourself better,” she said. “And it’s really similar as a ref. You’ve still got to manage your conditioning, get into the gym and analyse yourself as a ref. So, I don’t really see it being too different.” Similarly, Winiata believes her day job, as a police officer, provides advantages for her prospective career with the whistle. “Being a police officer you deal with a lot of different situations and at times you need to make a decision really quickly. You don’t have time to think about it too much,” she said. “That’s what it’s like out on the rugby field, especially in the game of sevens. It’s a very quick game and it’s very critical that as a ref you’re making the right decision but at the right time. “So, I think a lot of it does carry over from being a police officer. As a police officer you need good clear communication, and the same as a ref.
Winiata has enjoyed a rapid rise from refereeing on school fields to officiating at 7he Sevens Stadium in Dubai, but the full-back is not done with playing just yet. New Zealand will host Rugby World Cup 2021 and Winiata is determined to be part of the Black Ferns squad that defends the title they won in Ireland two years ago. “My ultimate goal is to be able to make the World Cup in two years’ time,” she said.
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Black Ferns 7s team for the Dubai Sevens:
1 Ruby Tui
2 Shakira Baker
3 Stacey Waaka
4 Niall Williams
5 Huia Harding
6 Tenika Willison
7 Tyla Nathan-Wong – captain
8 Kelly Brazier
9 Gayle Broughton
10 Theresa Fitzpatrick
11 Shiray Kaka
12 Alena Saili
13 Risaleaana Pouri-Lane (travelling reserve).
Injuries to regular speedsters Portia Woodman and Michaela Blyde has seen Shiray Kaka brought into the team, her last tournament was in Paris in 2018. Kaka originally debuted in the black jersey in 2013 but an unfortunate run of injuries has disrupted her time on the field.
Huia Harding will suit up for her second outing for the Black Ferns Sevens.
* This is the ninth time the Women’s Sevens Series will play at the HSBC Dubai Sevens, the Black Ferns Sevens have won on four occasions (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018). * The Black Ferns Sevens lead the Series for most points (200) and tries (32) scored. * The Black Ferns Sevens sit third on the World Series standings after one event on 16 points, behind USA (20) and Australia (18). - Tyla Nathan-Wong will captain the team in the absence of the injured Sarah Hirini.
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Pool games (times are NZT)
Friday 6 December
1.42am: v Japan
7.50pm: v EnglandSaturday 7 December
1.02am: v FranceLIVE on Sky Sport 1
https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-sevens-out-to-defend-dubai-crown
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All Blacks 7s team for the Dubai Sevens:
1 Scott Curry – co-captain
2 Tim Mikkelson – co-capain
3 Tone Ng Shiu
4 Salesi Rayasi
5 Dylan Collier
6 Ngarohi McGarvey-Black
7 Sam Dickson
8 Andrew Knewstubb
9 Regan Ware
10 Kurt Baker
11 Joe Webber
12 Sione Molia
13 Akuila Rokolisoa (travelling reserve).
Salesi Rayasi returns to the All Blacks Sevens jersey after four tournaments last year, including the Rugby World Cup Sevens victory in San Francisco. He has since made his debut for the Hurricanes in Investec Super Rugby and has been nominated for the Duane Monkley Medal for his efforts for Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup.
• The All Blacks Sevens have won the Dubai Sevens on six occasions (1999, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2018). • This will be the 40th tournament for Kurt Baker, he debuted in Dubai in 2008. • Andrew Knewstubb finished the 2018/19 season as top point scorer on the World Series.
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Pool games (times are NZT)
Friday 6 December
2.28am: v Wales
8.36pm: v CanadaSaturday 7 December
2.28am: v SamoaLIVE on Sky Sport 1
https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-sevens-season-to-get-underway-in-dubai
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Every year we see headlines of 'fresh blood selected' in training squads and every year the same old players are trotted out.
Yes, experience counts at times. Coming up with something different counts as well.
I feel I have been seeing the same team for years -
@Crucial said in 2019-2020 World Sevens Series:
Every year we see headlines of 'fresh blood selected' in training squads and every year the same old players are trotted out.
Yes, experience counts at times. Coming up with something different counts as well.
I feel I have been seeing the same team for yearsIt seems that way to me too. Hope it isn't a sign of the production line slowing up.
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@Crucial said in 2019-2020 World Sevens Series:
Every year we see headlines of 'fresh blood selected' in training squads and every year the same old players are trotted out.
Yes, experience counts at times. Coming up with something different counts as well.
I feel I have been seeing the same team for yearsRiiight.... So Rokolisoa, Rayasi, Ng Shiu, Knewstubb, McGarvey-Black. All players that have only been in the side since about 2017 or later. But yeah no new talent.
It wouldn't be too typical to just throw new players straight in there in the first tournament. I'm sure we'll see them brought in throughout the season as usual and then being called the same old players next year.