HSBC Sevens World Series
New Zealand will be aiming to translate their world-beating form on the IRB World Series circuit into a title tilt at the World Cup Sevens in Moscow this weekend, with one eye on the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.
The Springbok Sevens team were given a temporary setback as Junior Boks Seabelo Senatla and Cheslin Kolbe were unable to train with them in Moscow on Tuesday.
The duo, who joined the Blitzbokke on Monday night at their team hotel in the centre of Moscow, have been struggling after three weeks of hard rugby at the Junior World Championship in France and need some time to make the switch back to Sevens.
A fit-again Kyle Brown will lead the Springbok Sevens team into battle at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium next weekend when the IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament takes place from 28-30 June.
Brown is one of three survivors of the team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 tournament that was held in Dubai, UAE. The others are Ryno Benjamin and Philip Snyman.
It may not be a squad of superstars, but Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu can announce a squad of virtual allsorts to mould into a World Cup-winning team on Monday.
The European climax of the HSBC Sevens World Series kicked off in Scotland with Round Eight this weekend, the Glasgow Sevens at Scotstoun Stadium. The Tournament ran from Saturday 4 to Sunday 5 May.
With ONE more game to go, who will take the CUP, South Africa or New Zealand?
Well, that question was answered in Green and Gold… Blitzbokke take the Glasgow title, with a win by 28 / 21.
Fiji successfully defended its Hong Kong Sevens rugby title by coming from 19-0 down at halftime to beat Wales 26-19 in the final on Sunday.
South Africa’s Blitzbokke did their nation proud!
Going into the semi-final, they faced Samoa, who took them all the way to extra time before the golden goal by the Blitzbokke put South Africa in the final against New Zealand who was also taken into extra time by Fiji in their semi-final.
The final was a total demolition job by the Blitzbokke on New Zealand, with the Blitzbokke romping to 28 / 0 (4 converted tries) by halftime.
They kept their composure, scoring again after halftime, leading 35 / 0, before New Zealand scored 3 times in a gutsy effort to pull the score back to respectable levels against 1 final score by South Africa.
South Africa won in fine style, by 40 / 21.
South Africa made a solid start on day one of the USA Sevens in Las Vegas on Saturday morning (SA time) by winning both of their pool matches against Uruguay and Canada to qualify for the Cup quarterfinals with a match to spare.
The HSBC Sevens World Series was in South Africa this weekend, with the Cell C Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens tournament, the last Sevens tournament on the circuit for 2012.
New Zealand took the spoils after beating the South African Blitzbokke 12 / 5 in the Semi-final and thumping France 47 / 12 in the Final.
It was a better weekend for the men from South Africa though, getting through the pool stages unbeaten, also winning the Quarter final against the USA, but then stumbling against New Zealand, by only 7 points. South Africa demolished Argentina in the 3rd Place play-off, beating them by 35 / 0.
Friday 30 November & Saturday 1 December 2012 sees the HSBC Sevens World Series Emirates Airlines Dubai Sevens Rugby Tournament take place.
Herewith the Results, times given in Dubai time (2 hours ahead of SA Time).
Samoa took the overall title, winning the Cup by 26 / 15 against New Zealand.
In the Womans final, New Zealand trounced the South African woman’s side by 41 / 10.
The Southern Hemisphere Rugby season is fast approaching a welcome close for players , administrators and coaching staff, but at the same time some of us are are a bit despondant that we would have to watch cricket & golf as substitute in place of our crazy rugby addiction…. oh and lest we forget those things in and around the house we failed to have time for in the year.
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However, tomorrow and on Saturday there is still the HSBC Sevens World Series Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, and on Saturday we get our last brief fix of full Test match rugby when England meet the All Blacks and Wales host the Wallabies (pity these two games are on at the same time again) at the End Of Year Tours to the Northern Hemisphere. PLUS of course we get a sprinkling of Northern Hemisphere Club Rugby to view too.
So, what’s in stall for us as far as TV rugby viewing is concerned this weekend?
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Herewith the viewing schedule:
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has named a Springbok Sevens squad of 16 players for the warm-up tournament in Middelburg, which gets underway on Friday. The event will be the only pre-season tournament where the Blitzbokke will be in action before they leave for Australia to kick-off the HSBC Sevens World Series at the Gold Coast Sevens.
This weekend sees some big rugby action up north. Firstly there is, as earlier reported on this site, the penultimate tournament of the 2011/2012 IRB Sevens competition in Glasgow. While on the ‘domestic’ front there will be the last round of the league stage of the RaboDirect Pro 12 and the Aviva Premiership.
The second last tournament of the 2011/2012 IRB Sevens competition is due to hit Scotland this weekend. In a change from previous editions in which the Scotttish leg of the sevens were held in the far larger Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh the venue will now be the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow.
Apart from a full schedule of Super Rugby, we are blessed with the HSBC Sevens World Series this weekend as well, this time in Hong Kong.
Here are the Results and Fixtures for the Tournament, which Fiji won against New Zealand by 35 / 28.
South Africa won the play-off match for 3rd place, beating England by 28 / 0.
The official draw has been held for the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, round six of the HSBC Sevens World Series to be played on 23-25 March 2012 at the Hong Kong Stadium.
With the event doubling up in 2012 as the HSBC Sevens World Series core team qualifier, the renowned Hong Kong event will play host to two 12-team competitions played side by side at the 40,000-capacity venue.
The Wellington leg in New Zealand of the HSBC Sevens World Series comes to a close as New Zealand scored an emphatic win by 24 / 7 over Fiji to claim the Cup.
The Third Tournament of the HSBC Sevens World Series 2011 / 2012, known as the Nelson Mandela BaySouth Africa Rugby Sevens tournament played on 9 and 10 December 2011.
This week the tournament was in OUR back yard, the first games started at 11:37 on 9 December 2011, SA Time. We only had a lively general Discussion Article and not a Live Article with Score Updates as the games proceed.
This was exactly that, the Discussion Article, here you will find all the scores.
Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu says star playmaker Cecil Afrika’s return will be a major boost at the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens.
The Second Tournament of the HSBC Sevens World Series 2011, known as the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens tournament played on 2 and 3 December 2011.
This time the the times are’nt at ‘unusual hours’ in South African terms, like was the case last week, starting at 07:20 SA Time. We’ll only have a lively general Discussion Article and not a Live Article with Score Updates as the games proceed.
This is exactly that, the Discussion Article, here you will find all the scores, from time to time.
The IRB has confirmed the pool draw for round 2 of the HSBC Sevens World Series, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens on 2-3 December 2011.
The draw was made live on television before the Cup final of the Gold Coast Sevens, the opening round of the 2011/12 season.
The New Season kicked off for the HSBC Sevens World Series, with the first of the tournaments held at the Gold Coast, Australia on 25 and 26 November 2011.
Seeing as the times are at ‘unusual hours’ in South African terms, starting at the ungodly hour of 04:30 SA Time, was only have a lively general Discussion Article and not a Live Article with Score Updates as the games proceed.
This is exactly that, the Discussion Article, here you will find all the scores.
Springbok Sevens star Cecil Afrika injured his ribs during the 31-7 victory over Japan and is a doubt for the rest of the tournament.
IRB Sevens player of the year Cecil Afrika has been included in the final squad of 12 Springbok Sevens players for the first round of the Sevens World Series at the Gold Coast in Australia this weekend.
South Africa ended the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series by winning the final two tournaments in London and Edinburgh and finishing second overall behind champions New Zealand.
With only four days to go until the first leg of the 2011/12 Series, head coach Paul Treu is looking for his side to pick up where they left off, when the Series begins on 25 November on the Australian Gold Coast.
While rugby supporters in the Eastern Cape are eagerly awaiting the first SA Sevens tournament to be staged in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium next month, the South African Rugby Union has urged those fans without tickets to book their seats so that they don’t miss out on the most exciting rugby event to be staged in the region.
The Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens will take place on 9-10 December and fans can enjoy the action for as little as R80 on the first day and R100 on the final day.
With Rugby news now a bit scrappy and few and far between for Southern Hemisphere Rugby interests, at least we can look forward to some Rugby participation by the Southern Hemisphere this weekend.
There is the HSBC Sevens World Series Gold Coast Tournament, the first IRB Sevens Tournament for the 2011 – 2012 Season, on Friday and Saturday as well as the Wallabies vs Barbarians game on Saturday, where Springbok legend Victor Matfield bids his final farewell in any form of competative rugby, finally retiring after a wonderful playing career.
With the rugby season for the 15-man code taking a break in the Southern Hemisphere, the upcoming Sevens Series gives rugby players the opportunity to remain sharp and competitive.
One of the players who jumped at this opportunity is Cheetahs centre, Robert Ebersohn, who, instead of opting for a break after a long season, was called up to the Blitzbokke squad for the first three events in the World Sevens Tour.
A group of 23 Springbok Sevens players including four new players has been announced and will start soon with full preparations at their base in Stellenbosch for the upcoming Sevens World Series.
Vodacom Blue Bulls and Vodacom Bulls player Stephan Dippenaar has been released by the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd to take up a contract with SA Rugby’s sevens team.
The South African Rugby Union has congratulated Springbok Sevens player Cecil Afrika on capturing the IRB Sevens Player of the Year Award for the 2010/11 season.
Rugby fans will be able to watch a full day of high-octane international Sevens rugby from as little as R 80.00 at South African rugby’s biggest party at Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens Tournament later this year.
Tickets went on sale today for the SA leg of the hugely popular international HSBC Sevens World Series tournament, which this year moves to an exciting new venue at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth.
It always intrigues me how partial and narrow-minded some of the New Zealand rugby commentators can be. The constant criticism of South Africa’s style of play and the ‘drooling’ over the New Zealand expansive game is something that irritates me immensely so as if there is only one way to play rugby and as if New Zealand has the perfect game.
I have a lot I want to say about the upcoming Rugby World Cup (RWC) in New Zealand, and specifically about the Tri-Nation teams, I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Northern Hemisphere teams as I do not know their best players, or those fighting to become the first choice.
All Blacks Coach Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have today announced the squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The All Blacks squad in position (with province and Test caps in brackets) is: