Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments

[Crucial]

I know Covid has interfered but this 'World Schools Sevens' tournament is nothing of the sort and from what I can tell never has been.
It is a bunch of invitational teams with invites and team construction coming from coaches. The only team of 'merit selection' seems to be the Condor one which I assume is a best of from that tournament?
Anyway, one the women's side at least it is one of the few chances players have to get games and experience given that there are very few schools that can put together a complete side that doesn't have filler and rely on one or two players.
In other words don't read anything into selections or who is/isn't playing. What will be interesting is anyone that stands out.

[Bovidae]

@crucial Agree. I'm not sure where "NZ Asian Barabarians" comes from. I read that the Warriors U18s will now also be fielding a team (coached by DJ Forbes and Tony Iro) as a replacement for another team. They will be interesting to watch.

BTW, there was no Condors tournament last year so the team has been selected on reputation rather than performance.

[Bovidae]

[Bovidae]

This looks to be the last team. Jackson was named in the NZS team last year.

[Crucial]

If anyone is interested Sky Sport are now showing this on Sat and Sun.

[Higgins]

@crucial We used to reply on @stargazer to keep us abreast of things like this but I see he has not logged in since December 5. Hopefully he is just taking a sabbatical and will be coming back all nicely refreshed prior to the start of the Super season.

[Crucial]

There has been some good games so far in pool play and the talent identifiers won't be displeased.

The games on Field 2 are being live streamed on youtube (Sky Sport Next).

Don't have the scores but I guess we we see the tables at end of play.

[Bovidae]

@crucial You will be happy that the Central Storm upset the NZ Condors girls 17-15 in Rd 1.

[Crucial]

@bovidae said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:

@crucial You will be happy that the Central Storm upset the NZ Condors girls 17-15 in Rd 1.

Even happier in the second game.

That should have them in the cup round, hopefully as top qualifier
Condor Girls woke up in second round

[Bovidae]

Results from Day 1:

Boys

Rd 1
NZ Warriors 7 - Asian Dragons 22
Samoa Barbarians 28 - Cook Islands 12
NZ Barbarians 24 - NZ Niue 7
NZ Fijians 22 - NZ Cavaliers 5

Rd 2
NZ Condors 25 - NZ Warriors 12
Cook Islands 0 - Asian Dragons 22
Tongan Barbarians 7 - NZ Fijians 17
NZ Niue 5 - NZ Cavaliers 24

Rd 3
NZ Condors 38 - Cook Islands 19
Samoa Barbarians 10 - Asian Dragons 17
NZ Barbarians 21 - NZ Cavaliers 28
Tongan Barbarians 36 - NZ Niue 10

Rd 4
Samoa Batbarians 12 - NZ Warriors 12
NZ Barbarians 10 - NZ Fiji 10
NZ Condors 34 - Asian Dragons 7
Tongan Barbarians 17 - NZ Cavaliers 12

Girls

Rd 1
Cook Islands 34 - Niue Fiti Pua 12
NZ Condors 15 - Central Storm 17
Samoa Barbarians 7 - NZ Barbarians 24
NZ Cavaliers 34 - TBR Heilala 5

Rd 2
NZ Condors 46 - Niue Fiti Pua 0
Cook Islands 12 - Central Storm 21
NZ Cavaliers 10 - NZ Barbarians 22
Samoa Barabarians 22 - TBR Heilala 10

Rd 3
NZ Condors 20 - Cook Islands 10
Niue Fiti Pua 7 - Central Storm 17
NZ Cavaliers 24 - Samoa Barbarians 5
NZ Barbarians 28 - TBR Heilala 10

[Crucial]

Jorja Miller has been hanging out with the Condor Girls. Got the impression she was eligible to play but wasn’t due to knee surgery. If that was from her FPC injury it is probably the reason she wasn’t in any of the Super squads.
On the girls I would pick Reece Anderson as player of the tourney so far. Very classy for the Cooks.
Here’s the draw for the first part of tomorrow

[Bovidae]

@crucial said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:

Jorja Miller has been hanging out with the Condor Girls. Got the impression she was eligible to play but wasn’t due to knee surgery. If that was from her FPC injury it is probably the reason she wasn’t in any of the Super squads.

They interviewed Miller and she said she is still recovering from the knee surgery. Like Teneti, I think they've asked her to focus on the sevens as newly contracted players.

On the girls I would pick Reece Anderson as player of the tourney so far. Very classy for the Cooks.

She was really good. From what I watched there are some very good players in the other teams, some who have to carry their teams. Maikel Tuala in the Baabaas was a star on both sides of the ball in the boys. The Condor boys look good when their guns are playing but they've lost a couple of players to injury before their last game.

[Dice]

Kelston has a lot representation at this tournament.

NZ Condors:
Senita Lauaki
Sam Howling
Xavier Tito- Harris
Francis Stowers (Head Coach)

NZ Barbarians:
Chris Vunipola (Captain)
Cephus Salaivao
Regan Brown
Seleti Esau
Jarrel Tuaimalo Vaega (Development)
Paula Luau (Development)
Matt Howling (Head Coach)
William Howling (Manager)
Mark Hooper (Ops Manager)

Tonga Barbarians:
Essendon Tuitupou
James Ah Hing
Sam Tuitupou

NZ Asian Barbarians:
Kobie Scutt
Star Sami

Samoans Barbarians:
Dom Gagaeolo

Fijian Barbarians:
Kaminieli Ratuibau
Junior Ratu Naborisi

NZ Warriors:
Ralphy Sio
Dj Forbes (Head Coach)
Grant Pocklington (Coach)
Athens Henare (Manager)

Niue Barbarians:
Dorian Gaugatao
Elijah Sami
Pegi Slade
Paddy Moala

Cook Islands:
Jarrell Luafalealo
Nate Brown
AJ John (Head Coach)
Joel Burns (Manager)

https://www.facebook.com/KBHSOfficial/posts/4757154384360453

[Crucial]

@dice The teams are purely invitational. It's usually the coaches that get in first then select a team. Looks like the Kelston network is in full force setting up teams and distributing players.
Unfortunately this isn't a NZR tournament so there is no regional development or selection. You'll note that there are very few SI players. The only reason there is a 'Central' one is that the coach pro-actively made up a team (probably as much for his own coaching development).
Some comments from the ground yesterday were along the lines of 'what are you lot doing here playing in our tournament'

[Bovidae]

I'll add that I wish the commentators would stop calling it the "World Schools Sevens" because clearly it's not with no overseas teams.

I also noted that there have been some changes to original team selections. Essendon Tuitupou, for example, was in the Condors team.

[Steven Harris]

Really impressed with Cooper Flanders , gezz looks like hes already added on his size requirement even before hes turned proffessional .
Very accurate on the tackle and carries well.
Also been impressed with Gage Jackson, been the best in a disappointing NZ Babarians team..his offloads have been superb and has got pace for big lad
Definetly like the look of Xavier Tito Harris with his footwork and speed but it be fair to say there is slight tinge of bias ..Hopefully Xavier stays in rugby as i know he is leaning towards the 13 man code.

[Dice]

@bovidae Essendon gets to play with his brother in the Tongan team. Pretty easy to figure out who that is.

With Essendon representing Samoa last month, I'm guessing he switched to Tonga to keep the Tongan side of the family happy.

[Bovidae]

@dice said in Invitational, provincial, local & school sevens tournaments:

@bovidae Essendon gets to play with his brother in the Tongan team. Pretty easy to figure out who that is.

Fair enough. I was just pointing out that team selections for this tournament are fluid.

[Crucial]

Some of these kids don’t seem to have recovered well overnight. Lots of tired looking play so far on day two.
Expect to see the smarter coached teams from day one be there at the end.
Rotation on day one is critical.

[Crucial]

Girls final will be Condors v Central Storm
Storm won in an upset in the pool game but Condors have found their groove as the tournament has progressed.