2017-18 World Sevens Series

Stargazer

Koroi is getting better and better. Another great try.

NZ lead 14-0.

Stargazer

Geez, that was weak. Argies score under the sticks.

Stargazer

Great try from Ravouvou. 26-7 to NZ with 3 minutes to go.

Stargazer

It's obvious that the "real" final was the semi-final against South Africa. This game is relatively easy.

Stargazer

Now a try to Regan Ware. 31-7 NZ

Stargazer

Great try from the Argies; then you think it's over but it isn't. Molia scores another one in referee's time. Now time is really up.

Final score: 38-14 to New Zealand.

The All Blacks 7s have won their first tournament of the series. Also a first win for the new coach. Well done. We can be proud of this team again.

Stargazer

Stargazer

https://twitter.com/WorldRugby7s/status/939921903959052288

Bones

Props to Ravouvou, he was awesome. What I'm quite liking is pretty much zero of our players are popping up in this new power players thing they're showing, but the team is doing the business.

Don't know if it's just me but the side as a whole seems bigger this season. Apart from Pencil Mikkelsen.

Bovidae

@stargazer said in 2017-18 World Sevens Series:

The All Blacks 7s have won their first tournament of the series. Also a first win for the new coach. Well done. We can be proud of this team again.

First tournament win since the Canada sevens in March 2016 - that's some drought.

Salacious Crumb

Didn't we just get skunked 22-0 by USA in prelims? Bit of a shock result there- and the final, tbh.

Crucial

@salacious-crumb said in 2017-18 World Sevens Series:

Didn't we just get skunked 22-0 by USA in prelims? Bit of a shock result there- and the final, tbh.

It's Sevens. Easy to have a flattering game and easy to have an unflattering game.

taniwharugby

@crucial which kinda highlights how vastly different 7s is to 15 aside

Crucial

@taniwharugby said in 2017-18 World Sevens Series:

@crucial which kinda highlights how vastly different 7s is to 15 aside

You simply get little chance to fight back from mistakes. Time runs out. To me it's like T20 vs Test cricket.

Snowy

@crucial said in 2017-18 World Sevens Series:

@taniwharugby said in 2017-18 World Sevens Series:

@crucial which kinda highlights how vastly different 7s is to 15 aside

You simply get little chance to fight back from mistakes. Time runs out. To me it's like T20 vs Test cricket.

Yeah. I mentioned above that the change to 7 min halves in the final is disappointing, bloody IOC.

It does look like our guys are getting their mojo back though.

Stargazer

I'm still hoping they'll find someone with speed ...

All Blacks sevens coach Clark Laidlaw says a tournament victory has come sooner than he anticipated.

New Zealand had gone 21 months without a world series tournament victory before before easily beating Argentina in the final in South Africa today.
...
"I'm not sure if we were expecting it - it's come a bit sooner than we thought. It's very pleasing," said Scot Laidlaw, on his team's progress in the last two weeks.

"We were pretty lucky with the group we've got, no brand new players, got a real mix (of experience), a lot of confidence out of last weekend."
...
Laidlaw told the Radio Sport Breakfast that New Zealand lacked the outright speed of players such as American flyer Perry Baker.

It was up to the coaches to find ways of compensating for that "(through) anticipation, reading play and decision making".

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11957263

Snowy

@stargazer said in 2017-18 World Sevens Series:

I'm still hoping they'll find someone with speed ...

It would be nice but can't always have everything. Have done well in sevens for many years with more of a power game and being accurate at the breakdown / tackle area. Seem to be developing a better off load game (and better decision making again- whether to throw the pass or take the contact).

I do wonder if things just got a bit stale in Titch's last few years but they look pretty organised again. Titch also bemoaned some lack of speed at times so played to our strengths.