2023 World Sevens Series

[Stargazer]

Hamilton Sevens Draw (dates/times listed in NZDT)

Saturday 21 January 2023

10.16am: All Blacks Sevens v Tonga

11.44am: Black Ferns Sevens v Papua New Guinea

2.06pm: All Blacks Sevens v Australia

3.12pm: Black Ferns Sevens v Fiji

7.35pm: All Blacks Sevens v Great Britain

8.03pm: Black Ferns Sevens v Great Britain

[Crucial]

5 BF7s squad changes from Cape Town

BFs back in (Fluhler, Hirini, Fitzpatrick, Woodman-Wickliffe) along with Saili

Out: Brazier (injured), Te Tamiki, Teneti, Ikenasio, Nuku

Pretty much a massive strengthening even though the last squad won the last round.

[Bovidae]

I took my niece along to the open skills/signing session this morning. Plenty of kids having a good time.

Brazier looked to have a calf injury.

[Crucial]

@Bovidae said in 2023 World Sevens Series:

I took my niece along to the open skills/signing session this morning. Plenty of kids having a good time.

That's great. Gotta keep riding that momentum from the RWC. Hope it carries through to Aupiki.

[Crucial]

Out: Brazier (injured), Te Tamiki, Teneti, Ikenasio, Nuku

Apart from Brazier (obv) all the others are playing this weekend at the Mount Sevens for an invitational team.

[Crucial]

Cook-Savage listed as unavailable but is also on a team sheet for the Mount 7s.
Maybe his illness just prevented pre-tournament prep?

[ARHS]

Feels like home venue for Fiji here

[Stargazer]

Great first try to Moses Leo!

5 - 0 AB7s

[Stargazer]

Two games played at the same time, not only a "problem" for the crowd at the ground. Sky also only broadcasts games from the stadium live.

[Stargazer]

HT: NZ 19 - 0 Tonga

[Stargazer]

FT: NZ 45 - 0 Tonga

It's great that non-core nations from the region are invited to compete at each tournament; it gives them the opportunity to test themselves against the best, but it results in big scores like this.

Good warm-up game for the AB7s.

[ARHS]

Looked like a huge head bump for Leo. Thought he was not going to get up. Fell over when he did. We light in forwards. Brady Rush playing there?

[Stargazer]

Loved that catch from Fluhler. Try Blyde.

5 - 0 BF7s

[Stargazer]

@ARHS said in 2023 World Sevens Series:

Looked like a huge head bump for Leo. Thought he was not going to get up. Fell over when he did. We light in forwards. Brady Rush playing there?

Brady is in the squad, yes.

[Stargazer]

Try to Stacey Waaka-Fluhler.

10 - 0 BF7s

[Stargazer]

Now a try to Shiray Kaka. This is another game against a non-core nation. PNG is going to get a hiding.

17 - 0 BF7s

[Stargazer]

HT: NZ 27 - 0 PNG

[Stargazer]

Looking at the results thus far, no surprises in the men's tournament, although it was close between new core nation Uruguay and Ireland (12 - 14). In the women's tournament until now, a notable result is the 12 all draw between France and Canada. Fijiana beat Great Britain 19 to 14.

[Stargazer]

Great offloading in this game: Saili to Guthrie to Hirini, who scores.

46 - 0 NZ

[Stargazer]

FT: NZ 58 - 0 PNG

According to the commentators, this is the BF7s biggest win. Same as the AB7s, this wasn't more than a warm-up.

Their next games will be bigger challenges.