@Bovidae said in All Blacks Sevens 2023:

Kelston Boys’ High School’s Xavier Tito-Harris and Hamilton Boys’ High School’s Payton Spencer and Tepaea Cook-Savage have signed a two year deal with the All Blacks Sevens.

All Blacks Sevens sign exciting new talent All Blacks Sevens sign exciting new talent

Fresh from high school, two rising stars for sevens rugby have signed on with the All Blacks Sevens, alongside All Blacks Sevens newest debutant.

Just posted this in the world thread.
A 2023 thread is a good idea, will remove other post

@ACT-Crusader a nice way to finish a disputed season. Here's hoping they can challenge for top spot next season

@Stargazer said in Commonwealth Games (2022) - Sevens:

I'm guessing that the fulla checked that club into his baggage....

@stargazer This article says that the NZ teams won't be going to any overseas tournament this year.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sevens/126285531/hamilton-sydney-legs-of-world-sevens-series-canned-for-2022-amid-covid19

Heard William Warbrick close to agreeing to terms or mightve already signed with the Melbourne Storm

Am a little concerned about the resultant income for contracted staff and players. Or lack thereof.

Sevens results of the finals:

Women's U18
GOLD New Zealand
SILVER France
BRONZE Canada (after beating Colombia 24 - 19)

Men's U18
GOLD Argentina (after beating France 24 - 14)
SILVER France
BRONZE Japan (after beating South Africa 28 - 5)

+673 points differential!

Interesting listening to DJ Forbes on the radio yesterday highlighting the main differences between Laidlaw and Titchs approach to coaching...one was an open inclusive one, the other more dictatorial.

@antipodean Yes, I saw this on my twitter feed:

Georgina Mitchell  /  Mar 17, 2019  /  NSW Englishman sues Nine Network over use of term 'coward punch' Englishman sues Nine Network over use of term 'coward punch'

Sam Oliver, who was found not guilty last year of assaulting rugby sevens captain James Stannard, says the broadcaster defamed him.

Less money, but here's another one. I assume there are lots of sevens tournaments coming up soon.

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@arhs said in 2017-18 World Sevens Series:

I wasn't greatly impressed at a lot of the men's play in this tournament. Some opponents seemed a lot weaker than in previous rounds, and we did not capitalise enough.

Rokosiloa looked quite useful when he appeared in last match. Nareki and Rayasi did show plenty of improvement in speed of thought. But, I don't know why Mikkelsen was left on the bench so much. Without him out there we just seemed to be in cover mode and starved of possession - and we lacked wide vision when we did have the ball. His aggressive tackling and long passing is really needed. Don't think Baker works as a halfback. Ravouvou looked quite sluggish until the end, and Dickson was not at his best. I can only suppose the plan was to expose the second-tier players to more responsibility in all areas in preparation for World Cup. I just hope we use our best 7 from the outset then, because I don't see us threatening the better teams with our less-experienced second-stringers.

They have to, because - different from the World Series - the World Cup is a knock-out tournament right from the start.

If Liam Barry was the first-choice for assistant coach that is an underwhelming appointment.

@stargazer said in Wellington Sevens becomes Hamilton Sevens (2018-2019):

@crucial Uhm, did you read the article that I posted earlier?

Yeah, but it was all Tew trying to say nothing while in commercial discussions.

I would still guess that a plan was put forward to WR and they have agreed to proceed on the hope that the plan can be worked out commercially.

Taranaki Rugby is to establish the country’s first dedicated sevens academy as it looks to strengthen the game in the region and New Zealand.

Media release: http://trfu.co.nz/news/news/taranaki-rugby-to-set-up-national-sevens-academy/

As an aside, a lot of discussion has taken place over the last few years about the branding of the men's sevens team as the "All Blacks Sevens" team. At the time the decision to give them and the NZ Maori team the name "All Blacks" was taken, there was no mention at all about what would happen to the women's teams. I interpreted that as a sign that they didn't see the women's teams as teams that they considered useful for their marketing of the brand "All Blacks" but also that they didn't consider "Black Ferns" as a brand to be marketed.

Things seem to have changed. The "Black Ferns" seem to be becoming a brand of its own, as in the last few articles (basically since Rio), the NZR publications are referring to the women's sevens team as the "Black Ferns Sevens" (they didn't do that before Rio). Whatever you think of extending the XV's names - as brand names - to other teams (I'm not posting this to re-open that discussion), I think it's a good thing that they're now also looking at the women's teams and that they are apparently considered as something that's "brand worthy" (even if not to the same degree as the ABs).

I can only assume this has something to do with the women's silver success at the Olympics and the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup in 2017.

Winners!

Thanks DJ