2019-2020 World Sevens Series

[Stargazer]

Due to the RWC, this is going a bit unnoticed but after the first pool games, the BF7s also won their last pool game against
England: 36 - 0.

This morning they played Ireland in the Cup QF and won 36 - 10.

The BF7s play the USA in the Cup SF at 9.23am.

[Machpants]

Oz smashed France 40 0 in the first semi, were down to USA at the start of the second

[Stargazer]

HT: USA 7 - 5 NZ

I understand Sarah Hirini is out for the rest of day 2. Didn't hear what kind of injury.

[Stargazer]

YC for USA for deliberate knock-on.

[Stargazer]

Try Shakira Baker! 12 - 7 NZ

[Stargazer]

Damn, now a try to the USA.

14 - 12 USA

[Stargazer]

And another. That's it. USA to win this?

USA 19 - 12 NZ

C'mon girls!

[Stargazer]

Try Stacey Waaka. It all depends on the conversion now.

19 - 17 USA

[Stargazer]

Brazier misses. We're out. Not a good start of the World Series to go out in the semis, but the USA looked very strong. The BF7s weren't too bad, just a few mistakes and without Hirini and Nathan-Wong.

FT: USA 19 - 17 NZ

[Stargazer]

Bronze Final at 11:28am: France v New Zealand

Final at 11.58am: Australia v USA

[Stargazer]

Clear case obstruction, but France get the first try.

7 - 0 France

[Stargazer]

It's currently 14 - 7 to France. The NZ try was scored by newbie Montessa Tairakena.

[Stargazer]

Almost 2 and half minutes in referee's time, Kelly Brazier scores.

Half time: France 14 - 12 NZ

[Stargazer]

The BF7s are running away with it now. Two quick tries, by Broughton and Blyde, have resulted in a 26 - 14 lead.

Still 3 minutes to go.

[Stargazer]

Try Stacey Waaka. She's been great in the games that I've seen.

FT: France 14 - 31 New Zealand

The Black Ferns 7s win bronze.

[Stargazer]

For the first time, the USA win their home leg of the Women's Sevens Series. A very convincing win as well.

FT: Australia 7 - 26 USA

[JK]

USA are really becoming quite a force in 7s. They have a massive talent pool both mens and women. Huge potential really.

[Stargazer]

@JK Yes! I'd be interested to know how much money they pour into sevens. Do they have a lot of sponsorship? Also, are other sports losing players to sevens and which sports?

[Kiap]

@Stargazer - I don't think other sports particularly need to lose players for the US to be strong in 7s. Raw demographics is enough when you are 70 times the size of NZ and you only need a small fraction of that to have even tried the game.

Good luck to them.

Something else with this Glendale tournament is they seem to have dropped some of the women's consolation finals this year. No more 7th and 11th playoffs it seems.

Perhaps this is to better allow the combined women's/men's tournaments to be crammed into a 2-day schedule. Dunno.

[Stargazer]

@Kiap said in 2019-2020 World Sevens Series:

@Stargazer - I don't think other sports particularly need to lose players for the US to be strong in 7s. Raw demographics is enough when you are 70 times the size of NZ and you only need a small fraction of that to have even tried the game.

Good luck to them.

Something else with this Glendale tournament is they seem to have dropped some of the women's consolation finals this year. No more 7th and 11th playoffs it seems.

Perhaps this is to better allow the combined women's/men's tournaments to be crammed into a 2-day schedule. Dunno.

Yes, I noticed this, too. I wonder how they determined 7th and 11th place as they have ranked these teams in the standings (Russia 7th, Ireland 8th; and Fiji 11th, Brazil 12th) and awarded Series point accordingly. Based on standings after the pool games? In the case of Fiji and Brazil, the points differential as the tie breaker?