Saturday, April 26, 2014

USA Roster Released for Glasgow and London

After finishing the earlier piece about the USA roster questions for the final iRB stops, we found the answer to "What Will The USA Do?" courtesy of Rugby Magazine. I am pleased to see there haven't been any big name changes for illogical reasons, that Coach Hawkins decided to "stick with what we got". Here's hoping it pans our well for our men as they travel to Europe!

USA 7s Team Readies for Glasgow
Written by RUGBYMag Staff    Friday, 25 April 2014 22:20   
Sevens - USA Sevens Men

Chula Vista, Calif. – The USA Men's 7s team that will play in the Glasgow 7s May 3-4 has been named.

Zack Test returns for the USA. Ian Muir photo.
Zack Test returns for the USA. Ian Muir photo.
Head Coach Matt Hawkins has made two changes to the squad from Tokyo Sevens and Cathay Pacific HSBC Hong Kong Sevens last month, where the Eagles made the Cup Quarterfinals at each event. The same squad will continue on to London following the stop in Scotland for Marriott London Sevens May 10-11.

Madison Hughes has returned to Dartmouth University to continue his education and help Dartmouth finish their season at the CRC.

"Madison played well and we're looking forward to having him back soon ahead of the Olympics," Hawkins said.

Will Holder steps in to replace Hughes. Holder has three 15s caps with the Eagles. He is a different type of player than Hughes - a long-striding loper rather than a zippy sidestepper. But he has top-notch passing and kicking skills.

"Holder’s part of the World-Class Athlete Program and is someone we're interested in seeing on this stage," Hawkins said. "Holder’s shown it with the 15s, he has abilities and skills to compete at this level."

Nu'u Punimata will replace Marcus Satavu, who traveled with the team to Tokyo and Hong Kong. Punimata played with the Eagles in the early stages of the 2013-14 Series before missing time with an injury follow USA Sevens.

The Eagles gained 24 points in Tokyo and Hong Kong, accounting for more than half of their 37 on the year, good for 13th in the Series standings. Carlin Isles and Folau Niua, both at Glasgow Warriors of the RaboDirect Pro12, will remain at the Scottish club.

"We’ve decided to stick with the guys that we've got," Hawkins said. "We had a couple more losses than we wanted [in Tokyo and Hong Kong], but I think we played some really good rugby and we started to turn the corner. Overall, as we’ve always talked about, we want to progress and continue to take steps forward."

Scotland will not only host Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens May 3-4, but also play the Eagles in Pool D. Spain has lost all five of its matches against the Eagles, and will join Australia to complete Pool D.


USA 7s Team for Glasgow and London
Danny Barrett
Garrett Bender
Andrew Durutalo
Nick Edwards
Pono Haitsuka
Will Holder
Ryan Matyas
Mike Palefau
Nu'u Punimata
Mike Te'o
Zack Test
Brett Thompson

Men's Eagles Sevens | Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens
v Spain - Saturday, May 3 - 8:04 AM ET
v Scotland - Saturday, May 3 - 11:10 AM ET
v Australia - Saturday, May 3 - 1:55 PM ET

What Will The Eagles Do For The Final Leg of The iRB Sevens Series?

The USA Men have some big choices to make as they go into final preparations for Glasgow 7s May 3rd and 4th and London 7s the following weekend in regards to roster selections. It's a decision coaches often have to make when the overall impact of wins and losses isn't important..... are we playing to win NOW or playing to win next season? Are we rebuilding and recruiting or are we ending on a high note?

At the national team level, on the iRB circuit, I believe we should always be playing to win every match with the best squad possible.

This next season in particular the stakes are higher as next season's iRB series factors into Olympic qualifying and we need our best team come the North American 7s Qualifiers. If I had my pick, I'd stick with the same roster as in Asia. Yes, we could develop more players and give them tournament experience. But in a recent UR7s article Fiji's coach Ben Ryan pointed out that you build a successful team/program with only about 20 rostered players over the course of the sevens series. The USA has experimented plenty enough this year, firstly with a new coach who himself played on the first tour stops. We also tested bringing back names like Miles Craigwell for a a few tournaments, then changed/expanded the OTC invites and structure. Ending with consistency would serve our program well. I don't see a benefit to bringing Carlin Isles or Folau Niua back in at this moment without them spending significant time training and preparing with the team.

Further we could take a page from Canada's women's binder and send our developing players, Falcons squard, to international tournaments like Fiji's Marist 7s, Australia's Central Coast 7s, the NACRA championships, Canada's Stampede 7s and Victoria 7s, and other invitationals. Tiger Rugby can send teams to Shanghai and Melrose, so why not figure the means to send our USA 'B' squad?

We also do have the chance to "show" our ODA players at the All Star City 7s this June and World Club 7s later in summer. We get to see more college talent at the CRC championships the last weekend of May, and the various elite camps and academies will yield more talent I'd expect to see at Servei RugbyTown 7s in August. Don't forget we also have the 7s club national championships as well. It will be interesting to see how many of the OTC contracted players populate club rosters this summer, just as some big names have recently made appearances in the Pacific Rugby Premiership.

Basically we can give the "other" guys a chance - let's just do it in minor tournaments like the LVI where they can prove their worth. It certainly worked for Garrett Bender, Madison Hughes, Marcus Satavu and Mike Te'o as they emerged from the Falcons squad to become Eagles.

I'd rather see the team that centered around Zach Test, Danny Barrett, Brett Thompson and Nick Edwards in Asia continue to develop together over another series. Fortunes turn quickly as we've seen with Samoa's recent woes, with Canada's ascendance, and with Japan emergence on the 7s scene. Here the men have a chance to continue their growth, to definitively make the Cup rounds and beat Scotland, and to secure higher standing in the series.

Here is Curtis Reed of This is American Rugby's take on the situation:

Thursday, April 24, 2014
Tough Selection Decisions Ahead For Eagles 7s 


Eagles 7s head coach Matt Hawkins might have been forced to make certain selections heading into Glasgow and London had the team not done well in Japan and Hong Kong. But because they made the Cup round on both occasions they are safe from relegation and can begin to work for next season. That doesn't mean that Hawkins will take an experimental side to the UK but odds are high we are going to see some changes on the roster.

How Hawkins selects his team could come down to whether or not he brings in players that aren't in camp but have played for the team this season. The first name that comes to mind is Madison Hughes. Since joining the team during his sabbatical from Dartmouth he has made himself an integral part of the squad. A lot of the positive things the U.S. did in Asia were a direct result of Hughes. Now that he's back at Dartmouth it's highly unlikely he'll be available for two weeks. We'll never say never but it would be a surprise.

Two other names in a similar situation are Folau Niua and Carlin Isles. Since signing with the Warriors both Niua and Isles have mostly been used in 7s duty. Niua has had a few appearances on the the bench but not of late. If Hughes can't go it would make sense to call in Niua. Hughes filled in as the team's main playmaker, a role Niua had most of the season. Niua is in Glasgow and can spend time with the team. He makes sense.

The same goes for Carlin Isles. He was made available for the U.S. trip to Asia but Hawkins elected not to bring him. That's understandable given that Isles was away from the team in the lead-up to Hong Kong and Japan and the U.S. needed to be on the same page to get results. Now the pressure is off and it would make sense to bring Isles back into the fold. The worst thing that could happen would be for Isles to lose consistent contact with the U.S. national teams.

One last question facing Hawkins is how much youth should he bring in. For example, Mike Palefau traveled to Asia and did well but it's hard to argue that he is a central part of the team going forward. Right now the U.S. has nearly two dozen athletes at the Olympic Training Center. This is the best opportunity to bring some of those players in and test them out against international competition. It's also a great opportunity bring in players that have shown well with the one of the ODAs.

There are trade-offs to going with youth. The U.S. only just picked up momentum and it would be a shame to lose that heading into in the summer. Two more poor tournaments would mean that the Asia trip is an anomaly and not the new norm. That said, the U.S. is going to need these younger players to step up and some point and given how the season has gone already they don't have much to lose.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Stars Rugby 7s Seeks Tour T-Shirt Sponsors!

Stars Rugby 7s program is seeking t-shirt sponsors for our trip to Calgary's Stampede 7s. We are taking one Men's Premier team and two Women's Premier teams to Canada July 3rd-6th to compete against elite North American competition and further develop our player pool in advance of our tour to Central Coast 7s in Australia. In years past this tournament has featured NACRA national teams and several of Canada's 7s players in residency for the 2016 Rio Olympics. This is a valuable touring experience for the growth of our teams and development of our players.

Our rosters feature amateur rugby players from the following programs: Atlanta Harlequins, Berkeley All Blues, Charlotte Rugby Club, Chicago Lions, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Fort Miami Women, Georgia Tech, Hartford Wanderers, Lindenwood University, Milwaukee Barbarians, Monterey Beach Dogs, Notre Dame College, Sacramento Amazons, San Diego Surfers, Twin Cities Amazons, Tampa Krewe, Washington Rugby Football Club (DC), and Youngbloodz.

We are seeking 10 t-shirt sponsors for $200 each. In exchange for a donation sponsors will receive the following:

- your logo on tour t-shirts worn by all players on flights/at trainings/between tournament games
- 2 mentions on the Stars Rugby 7s Facebook page per month leading up to the tournament as well as mentions during tournament play
- a team photo dedicated to/tagging your business/club on the Facebook page
- a weekly mention on #starsrugby7s twitter
- a feature on the Stars Rugby 7s blog
- logos on the Stars Rugby website (coming this summer)

Any interested parties should submit their letter of intent and logos by May 15th. Stars Rugby 7s is also seeking larger sponsorships to include logos on team kit and enhanced social media/marketing promotion. Smaller donations can be made via our gofundme campaign here.

Additional inquiries can be sent to Liz Entwhistle at liz.entwhistle@gmail.com.

About Stars Rugby 7s: Stars Rugby 7s was founded in 2013 by Liz Entwhistle and Eyal Hakim. Stars Rugby 7s is player funded international touring side comprised of players from all regions of the United States; Stars Rugby 7s has also featured internationals from Canada and Australia on rosters to date. The mission is to develop elite rugby 7s through competition in international tournaments, allowing players exposure to the highest levels of rugby 7s possible. Rosters are balanced with experienced club/international players to help mentor younger, developing athletes - many from regions under served by rugby through geographic, financial, or elite coaching constraints.

Our inaugural tour to the Las Vegas invitational in January 2014 entered 2 women's teams in the Open and Elite divisions competing against several National Teams. Calgary's Stampede 7s tour will debut our men's program with one Premier team as well as 2 women's Premier teams. This serves as a selection tournament for the prestigious Central Cost 7s in Australia in October 2014.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

A Little Bit of Catch Up

It's been nearly 2 weeks since our last post and what a busy two weeks it has been. We'll go into more details on each of the following with regular posting to resume tomorrow:

*Canada's Women's 7s National Team claimed the 16th spot for Central Coast 7s. Our Stars Women will be competing in a field of 4 nationals teams (Australia, Canada, Fiji, Brazil), 2 National Champions (ACT Brumbies of Australia and RuGirl 7s of Japan), the last two CC7s champions (Sunnybank and Tribe 7s) and a field of other representational and developmental sides from Australia and New Zealand.

*The Men's Field for CC7s is also full with teams from Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Borneo, and Tiger Rugby from the USA in the mix.

*Our Canada Tour invites went out and we're still awaiting some final responses. Due to the increased men's opportunities between All Star City 7s, their club 15s and 7s series, developmental camps, collegiate 7s and more (injuries and family life among the other reasons), we will only take one team of men to Calgary. We retain a deep pool of women for two sides in the premier division.

*Speaking of Stars Women - FIVE of our pool players have received Women's Collegiate All American or
Women's Junior All American camp invites so far! CONGRATULATIONS to Christina Swift of Florida Atlantic University, Carly MacKinnon of Washington State University, Chi Chi Chukwueke of Georgia Tech, Kayla Rudman of Notre Dame College and Lara Gartner of Georgia Tech. Unfortunately Chi Chi is injured and will be unable to join us for Calgary.

*And speaking of Calgary, we started out fundraising efforts with another gofundme campaign here. Our aim is to raise $2000 for a Stars Rugby 7s Scholarship Fund to assist our younger players with their tour costs. Beyond that we'd like to raise $100 per player to offset tour costs through small donations. A full sponsorship package will be out on Thursday with several tiers of involvement.

*There is still a recap/thoughts on China 7s to come as well as posts about "What if the Olympics Were Now" and the iRB expanding the Women's Sevens World Series. ScrumQueens covered some of this before we could with an in-depth look at the changes in the WSWS for next season and the Olympic implications. They also have a good piece about the state of women's 7s in Latin America.

*The NRFL held a combine in Minneapolis and one of our men's pool players, Kenneth Hepburn, attended. Kenneth showed extremely well in front of several European clubs.... well enough that he may not be available for our tours. We wish him the best of luck and are still waiting for his report on the weekend.....

*We also had Ty Elkins from our men's side travel to Norway for a 7s tournament where his team took the Bowl Championships and he earned tournament MVP honors. Photos and a recap to come.

*The USA Women's 15s team traveled to Canada for a 2 game Can-Am series with our neighbors to the north. Both games ended in a loss for the Eagles and we'll have a recap as well as some thoughts on development (Canada has now reached 100 test matches as the first non-European club to do so and also has a Tri-Nations series coming up with New Zealand and Australia; the USA goes on tour to England and Wales this summer) and the impact of 7s on the outcomes of the games (Canada used their carded/centralised 7s players while ours were home in Chula Vista).

*Finally a belated congratulations to Stars Vegas 7s Elite player Amanda Divich (formerly Martin), on her recent wedding to Jacob and for their little one on the way! We're thrilled your family is expanding and will be on the lookout for rugby onesies while on tour!

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

More News Regarding CC7s

We'll get back to regular blogging this weekend - we had quite the busy time finishing player evaluations and selecting our invites for the Stars Rugby 7s tour to Canada this summer (final roster to come in about 2 weeks)! In the meantime, there was BIG news from Central Coast 7s today that we had to share - The Australian Women's 7s National Team has officially confirmed their entry at CC7s!

Image: Getty (courtesy of ARU website)

There will be more to come as a little bird told us who the final women's teams will be; we'll wait for the formal press releases before publishing but will say this truly is the most competitive women's field they've ever boasted. We are incredibly honored to be involved.

Here's the latest from Tournament Director Craig Morgan:

We are pleased to announce the Australian Rugby Union as the latest team confirmed to contest the 2014 CC7s Kinesio Cup Women’s Division. The ARU join a magnificent field of competitors in what is widely regarded as the premier women’s sevens tournament in the Southern Hemisphere. The Kinesio Cup will see International, Provincial, Club and Invitational teams do battle in what will be a fiercely contested tournament. We look forward to announcing the final two teams over the next couple of weeks.

Teams Confirmed (no particular order):

1.      Australian Rugby Union (Aus) – Currently Second in the IRB World Series
2.      Brazil (Bra) – 2016 Olympic Host Nation
3.      Fijiana (Fiji) – Fijian National side | 2013 Fiji Coral Coast Sevens Champion
4.      Tribe 7 (Aus) – 2013 CC7s Champion
5.      Sunnybank (Aus) – 2012 CC7s Champion | 2013 CC7s Runner Up
6.      Stars Rugby (USA) – Sevens Development Program
7.      Rugirl 7 (Jap) – Japan’s Kanto Champion
8.      Northern United RFC (NZ) – Wellington Club Champions | American Ambassadors 7s Champions
9.      ACT Brumbies (Aus) – 2013 Australian National 7s Champion
10.   Te Whanau (Aus) – Invitational side featuring a number of players with International Rugby & Touch experience
11.   Rockdale (Aus) – Sydney Premier Club
12.   Melbourne City Silverbacks (Aus) – Victorian Premier Club
13.   Central Coast Academy of Sport (Aus) – Sevens Development Program
14.   Bay of Plenty (NZ) – New Zealand Provincial representative side
15.   To be announced soon
16.   To be announced soon

Regards


EMAIL FOOTER best

Friday, April 4, 2014

More Guangzhou 7s Insights: New Zealand

We've posted a few pieces about today's Guangzhou 7s action (10pm EST kickoff for USA vs Canada) and featured/linked to quite a few teams that will be in action this weekend. Here's some insight into series co-leaders New Zealand's tactics from Scrumqueens:


Blacks Ferns to raise the tactical bar



If anyone needed proof for how quickly women's intenational sevens is changing and developing then they need look no further than the arms race of tactical plans and counter-plans. The strategy that brought New Zealand a World Cup and World Series double nine months ago is already old hat.


One of the factors behind the Black Ferns' success in 2012/13 were tactical innovations that aimed to shut down opposing teams by restricting how often their flair players got the ball.

"Swarming defence" ensured that whenever opposing teams had the ball they found it very difficult to get ball wide and into space. A fine example was their game against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, where the Dutch had most of the possession but found it almost impossible to advance down the field when players in possession constantly found themselves with little or no room to run or pass.

The trouble is that the other leading teams in the WSWS have quickly adopted the same tactics, with Australia in particular using the strategy against New Zealand in Sao Paulo. As a result New Zealand struggled to get the ball wide to their key players, and Australia in turn won the final.

That experience has taken Black Ferns back to the drawing board, with assistant coach Alan Bunting revealing in to New Zealand website Rugby Heaven today that they have plans to counter this at this weekend's fourth round of the WSWS in China.

''We're just changing our point of contact, and rather than using set piece as our platform, we're working a few new systems to try and get back that space. We brought in our defence back in the World Cup where we actually shut down other teams, and it's taken a while for them to actually do it.

''All the other teams realise that their only chance to really make it hard for us is to take our space away before we've even got the ball. Now it's about us adapting, and rather than trying to score tries we've got to get that space back and then go forward.''

Changing those attacking systems relies on a high skill level, and an ability to perform under pressure, but Bunting said that the Ferns have been working on their passing under pressure and improving the quality of their first attack at the opposing defensive line.

However, the weather could be a factor that could change everyone's plans. As last year, high humidity and heavy rain is forecast for both days - though this year the lightning storms at least should hold off until Monday.

''We don't really get those conditions in New Zealand, so we're working on playing in slippery conditions,'' Bunting said, ''It takes a bit of getting used to, but the girls are doing really well. The preparation has been really good so far.''







England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women 7s captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best result of the season on the Women's World Sevens Series in China
England Women are back in Sevens World Series action this weekend in China and skipper Abigail Chamberlain is hoping England can better their best result of the season so far in Brazil last month.
England finished fourth in Sao Paulo in March and now head into the penultimate round of the series fifth in the World standings. They also finished fifth in Dubai and sixth in Atlanta.
“I think the way we played in Brazil and ultimately the result we finished with is testament to what a bit of time together as a squad can do,” said Chamberlain. “We learnt so much about each other and how we wanted to play in such a short period of time. Now, we are building on the lessons we learned in Atlanta and Brazil and we want to keep progressing and getting even better results.”
England, however, once again face a tough pool with Brazilian champions Australia, Ireland and Fiji all to come on day one.
“Tough pools are a given these days,” added Chamberlain. “There are so many teams playing exceptional rugby there are no easy games. We will go into each match knowing we must play to our absolute potential if we want to come out on top.”
England Women's Sevens Head Coach Simon Middleton has made three changes to this team with Rachael Burford, Marlie Packer and Megan Ellery called into the squad.
Wasps' Packer will make her first start in a Sevens shirt for England since the Rugby World Cup Sevens in June last year whilst both Ellery and Burford last played in the opening leg of the series in Dubai where England finished fifth.
“I get excited every time I see our team. There are so many fantastic players fighting for only 12 spots, with absolutely no guarantees. It’s what makes every tournament so special, knowing you worked so hard for the shirt.
Marlie and Rachael are both experienced players who will be great assets to the team. Rachael was a stand out player in the Six Nations, Marlie brings with her a dynamism that threatens any team she comes up against and Megan is a very exciting young talent coming through.”
England Women 7s Squad for China
Natasha Brennan (Richmond)
Rachael Burford (Thurrock) VC
Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond) C
Megan Ellery (Durham University, Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)
Heather Fisher (Worcester)
Francesca Matthews (Richmond)
Sarah McKenna (Saracens)
Marlie Packer (Wasps)
Emily Scott (Thurrock)
Michaela Staniford (Wasps)
Danielle Waterman (Bristol)
Amy Wilson-Hardy(Bristol)
- See more at: http://ur7s.com/news/england-women-sevens-captain-abi-chamberlain-hoping-for-best-performance-of-the-season-in-china#sthash.egk7DkQt.dpuf







England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women 7s captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best result of the season on the Women's World Sevens Series in China
England Women are back in Sevens World Series action this weekend in China and skipper Abigail Chamberlain is hoping England can better their best result of the season so far in Brazil last month.
England finished fourth in Sao Paulo in March and now head into the penultimate round of the series fifth in the World standings. They also finished fifth in Dubai and sixth in Atlanta.
“I think the way we played in Brazil and ultimately the result we finished with is testament to what a bit of time together as a squad can do,” said Chamberlain. “We learnt so much about each other and how we wanted to play in such a short period of time. Now, we are building on the lessons we learned in Atlanta and Brazil and we want to keep progressing and getting even better results.”
England, however, once again face a tough pool with Brazilian champions Australia, Ireland and Fiji all to come on day one.
“Tough pools are a given these days,” added Chamberlain. “There are so many teams playing exceptional rugby there are no easy games. We will go into each match knowing we must play to our absolute potential if we want to come out on top.”
England Women's Sevens Head Coach Simon Middleton has made three changes to this team with Rachael Burford, Marlie Packer and Megan Ellery called into the squad.
Wasps' Packer will make her first start in a Sevens shirt for England since the Rugby World Cup Sevens in June last year whilst both Ellery and Burford last played in the opening leg of the series in Dubai where England finished fifth.
“I get excited every time I see our team. There are so many fantastic players fighting for only 12 spots, with absolutely no guarantees. It’s what makes every tournament so special, knowing you worked so hard for the shirt.
Marlie and Rachael are both experienced players who will be great assets to the team. Rachael was a stand out player in the Six Nations, Marlie brings with her a dynamism that threatens any team she comes up against and Megan is a very exciting young talent coming through.”
England Women 7s Squad for China
Natasha Brennan (Richmond)
Rachael Burford (Thurrock) VC
Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond) C
Megan Ellery (Durham University, Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)
Heather Fisher (Worcester)
Francesca Matthews (Richmond)
Sarah McKenna (Saracens)
Marlie Packer (Wasps)
Emily Scott (Thurrock)
Michaela Staniford (Wasps)
Danielle Waterman (Bristol)
Amy Wilson-Hardy(Bristol)
- See more at: http://ur7s.com/news/england-women-sevens-captain-abi-chamberlain-hoping-for-best-performance-of-the-season-in-china#sthash.egk7DkQt.dpuf




England Women 7s captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best result of the season on the Women's World Sevens Series in China
England Women are back in Sevens World Series action this weekend in China and skipper Abigail Chamberlain is hoping England can better their best result of the season so far in Brazil last month.
England finished fourth in Sao Paulo in March and now head into the penultimate round of the series fifth in the World standings. They also finished fifth in Dubai and sixth in Atlanta.
“I think the way we played in Brazil and ultimately the result we finished with is testament to what a bit of time together as a squad can do,” said Chamberlain. “We learnt so much about each other and how we wanted to play in such a short period of time. Now, we are building on the lessons we learned in Atlanta and Brazil and we want to keep progressing and getting even better results.”
England, however, once again face a tough pool with Brazilian champions Australia, Ireland and Fiji all to come on day one.
“Tough pools are a given these days,” added Chamberlain. “There are so many teams playing exceptional rugby there are no easy games. We will go into each match knowing we must play to our absolute potential if we want to come out on top.”
England Women's Sevens Head Coach Simon Middleton has made three changes to this team with Rachael Burford, Marlie Packer and Megan Ellery called into the squad.
Wasps' Packer will make her first start in a Sevens shirt for England since the Rugby World Cup Sevens in June last year whilst both Ellery and Burford last played in the opening leg of the series in Dubai where England finished fifth.
“I get excited every time I see our team. There are so many fantastic players fighting for only 12 spots, with absolutely no guarantees. It’s what makes every tournament so special, knowing you worked so hard for the shirt.
Marlie and Rachael are both experienced players who will be great assets to the team. Rachael was a stand out player in the Six Nations, Marlie brings with her a dynamism that threatens any team she comes up against and Megan is a very exciting young talent coming through.”
England Women 7s Squad for China
Natasha Brennan (Richmond)
Rachael Burford (Thurrock) VC
Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond) C
Megan Ellery (Durham University, Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)
Heather Fisher (Worcester)
Francesca Matthews (Richmond)
Sarah McKenna (Saracens)
Marlie Packer (Wasps)
Emily Scott (Thurrock)
Michaela Staniford (Wasps)
Danielle Waterman (Bristol)
Amy Wilson-Hardy(Bristol)
- See more at: http://ur7s.com/news/england-women-sevens-captain-abi-chamberlain-hoping-for-best-performance-of-the-season-in-china#sthash.egk7DkQt.dpuf







England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women 7s captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best result of the season on the Women's World Sevens Series in China
England Women are back in Sevens World Series action this weekend in China and skipper Abigail Chamberlain is hoping England can better their best result of the season so far in Brazil last month.
England finished fourth in Sao Paulo in March and now head into the penultimate round of the series fifth in the World standings. They also finished fifth in Dubai and sixth in Atlanta.
“I think the way we played in Brazil and ultimately the result we finished with is testament to what a bit of time together as a squad can do,” said Chamberlain. “We learnt so much about each other and how we wanted to play in such a short period of time. Now, we are building on the lessons we learned in Atlanta and Brazil and we want to keep progressing and getting even better results.”
England, however, once again face a tough pool with Brazilian champions Australia, Ireland and Fiji all to come on day one.
“Tough pools are a given these days,” added Chamberlain. “There are so many teams playing exceptional rugby there are no easy games. We will go into each match knowing we must play to our absolute potential if we want to come out on top.”
England Women's Sevens Head Coach Simon Middleton has made three changes to this team with Rachael Burford, Marlie Packer and Megan Ellery called into the squad.
Wasps' Packer will make her first start in a Sevens shirt for England since the Rugby World Cup Sevens in June last year whilst both Ellery and Burford last played in the opening leg of the series in Dubai where England finished fifth.
“I get excited every time I see our team. There are so many fantastic players fighting for only 12 spots, with absolutely no guarantees. It’s what makes every tournament so special, knowing you worked so hard for the shirt.
Marlie and Rachael are both experienced players who will be great assets to the team. Rachael was a stand out player in the Six Nations, Marlie brings with her a dynamism that threatens any team she comes up against and Megan is a very exciting young talent coming through.”
England Women 7s Squad for China
Natasha Brennan (Richmond)
Rachael Burford (Thurrock) VC
Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond) C
Megan Ellery (Durham University, Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)
Heather Fisher (Worcester)
Francesca Matthews (Richmond)
Sarah McKenna (Saracens)
Marlie Packer (Wasps)
Emily Scott (Thurrock)
Michaela Staniford (Wasps)
Danielle Waterman (Bristol)
Amy Wilson-Hardy(Bristol)
- See more at: http://ur7s.com/news/england-women-sevens-captain-abi-chamberlain-hoping-for-best-performance-of-the-season-in-china#sthash.egk7DkQt.dpuf







England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women 7s captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best result of the season on the Women's World Sevens Series in China
England Women are back in Sevens World Series action this weekend in China and skipper Abigail Chamberlain is hoping England can better their best result of the season so far in Brazil last month.
England finished fourth in Sao Paulo in March and now head into the penultimate round of the series fifth in the World standings. They also finished fifth in Dubai and sixth in Atlanta.
“I think the way we played in Brazil and ultimately the result we finished with is testament to what a bit of time together as a squad can do,” said Chamberlain. “We learnt so much about each other and how we wanted to play in such a short period of time. Now, we are building on the lessons we learned in Atlanta and Brazil and we want to keep progressing and getting even better results.”
England, however, once again face a tough pool with Brazilian champions Australia, Ireland and Fiji all to come on day one.
“Tough pools are a given these days,” added Chamberlain. “There are so many teams playing exceptional rugby there are no easy games. We will go into each match knowing we must play to our absolute potential if we want to come out on top.”
England Women's Sevens Head Coach Simon Middleton has made three changes to this team with Rachael Burford, Marlie Packer and Megan Ellery called into the squad.
Wasps' Packer will make her first start in a Sevens shirt for England since the Rugby World Cup Sevens in June last year whilst both Ellery and Burford last played in the opening leg of the series in Dubai where England finished fifth.
“I get excited every time I see our team. There are so many fantastic players fighting for only 12 spots, with absolutely no guarantees. It’s what makes every tournament so special, knowing you worked so hard for the shirt.
Marlie and Rachael are both experienced players who will be great assets to the team. Rachael was a stand out player in the Six Nations, Marlie brings with her a dynamism that threatens any team she comes up against and Megan is a very exciting young talent coming through.”
England Women 7s Squad for China
Natasha Brennan (Richmond)
Rachael Burford (Thurrock) VC
Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond) C
Megan Ellery (Durham University, Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)
Heather Fisher (Worcester)
Francesca Matthews (Richmond)
Sarah McKenna (Saracens)
Marlie Packer (Wasps)
Emily Scott (Thurrock)
Michaela Staniford (Wasps)
Danielle Waterman (Bristol)
Amy Wilson-Hardy(Bristol)
- See more at: http://ur7s.com/news/england-women-sevens-captain-abi-chamberlain-hoping-for-best-performance-of-the-season-in-china#sthash.egk7DkQt.dpuf







England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women Sevens captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best performance of the season in China

England Women 7s captain Abi Chamberlain hoping for best result of the season on the Women's World Sevens Series in China
England Women are back in Sevens World Series action this weekend in China and skipper Abigail Chamberlain is hoping England can better their best result of the season so far in Brazil last month.
England finished fourth in Sao Paulo in March and now head into the penultimate round of the series fifth in the World standings. They also finished fifth in Dubai and sixth in Atlanta.
“I think the way we played in Brazil and ultimately the result we finished with is testament to what a bit of time together as a squad can do,” said Chamberlain. “We learnt so much about each other and how we wanted to play in such a short period of time. Now, we are building on the lessons we learned in Atlanta and Brazil and we want to keep progressing and getting even better results.”
England, however, once again face a tough pool with Brazilian champions Australia, Ireland and Fiji all to come on day one.
“Tough pools are a given these days,” added Chamberlain. “There are so many teams playing exceptional rugby there are no easy games. We will go into each match knowing we must play to our absolute potential if we want to come out on top.”
England Women's Sevens Head Coach Simon Middleton has made three changes to this team with Rachael Burford, Marlie Packer and Megan Ellery called into the squad.
Wasps' Packer will make her first start in a Sevens shirt for England since the Rugby World Cup Sevens in June last year whilst both Ellery and Burford last played in the opening leg of the series in Dubai where England finished fifth.
“I get excited every time I see our team. There are so many fantastic players fighting for only 12 spots, with absolutely no guarantees. It’s what makes every tournament so special, knowing you worked so hard for the shirt.
Marlie and Rachael are both experienced players who will be great assets to the team. Rachael was a stand out player in the Six Nations, Marlie brings with her a dynamism that threatens any team she comes up against and Megan is a very exciting young talent coming through.”
England Women 7s Squad for China
Natasha Brennan (Richmond)
Rachael Burford (Thurrock) VC
Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond) C
Megan Ellery (Durham University, Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)
Heather Fisher (Worcester)
Francesca Matthews (Richmond)
Sarah McKenna (Saracens)
Marlie Packer (Wasps)
Emily Scott (Thurrock)
Michaela Staniford (Wasps)
Danielle Waterman (Bristol)
Amy Wilson-Hardy(Bristol)
- See more at: http://ur7s.com/news/england-women-sevens-captain-abi-chamberlain-hoping-for-best-performance-of-the-season-in-china#sthash.egk7DkQt.dpuf

Thursday, April 3, 2014

One Day Away from Guangzhou 7s

Seems that is there is one common thread with the women's iRB 7s series this year it is that it has been a battle with the elements. From heat in Dubai, snow in Atlanta, and heat/rain in Brazil, these ladies have dealt with highly varied and difficult weather (and field) condition. China will offer more of the same with rain forecasted for the penultimate weekend of play before Amsterdam 7s May 16th and 17th.

This should be quite the interesting tournament as Fiji, China, and France make their return to the iRB draw. England, Ireland and France are no longer conflicting with 6 Nations and their have their full 7s rosters available. The USA has made a few changes as well with both the roster and the captaincy while New Zealand and Australia both have some new and returning names due to injuries. 

Also worth noting - Canada, France, Brazil, and Ireland each participated in the Hong Kong 7s Women's Invitational last weekend giving them extra time to acclimate to the environment, the time change, and to each other. How it impacts their tournament play in Guangzhou will be worth evaluating. 

Pool A features series co-leaders New Zealand squaring off against China, Brazil and Spain; the Black Ferns have the easiest path to the Cup round. Pool B has the most potential for upsets and surprises between Australia, England, Ireland and Fiji. Pool C features a  "pool of death" with Canada, Russia, USA and France where these teams are currently ranked 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 13th in the standings (France has only competed in Dubai thus far).
Here's more on Guangzhou 7s from USA Rugby followed by 2 pieces on Australia and France from the iRB. Games kick off Friday night at 10pm EST and can be streamed here.

Wet Guangzhou welcomes Women's Eagles Sevens

Wet Guangzhou welcomes Women's Eagles Sevens
GUANGZHOU, China – Ric Suggitt’s Women’s Eagles Sevens are one day away from kicking off the fourth round of the 2013-14 IRB Women’s Sevens World Series – Guangzhou Women’s Sevens.

In what seems to be a common occurrence during the course of the Series, the weather in China has been wet. The Men’s Eagles Sevens almost had a match postponed last weekend at Cathay Pacific HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. The forecast for Guangzhou has a 20-percent chance of rain for Saturday, when the Eagles face Canada, Russia, and France, respectively, in their Pool C matches.

Sunday’s forecast is not as hopeful, however, with Guangzhou expected to see rain throughout the day and night. At last year’s Guangzhou Women’s Sevens, play was suspended before the finals on day two.

The rainy forecast for Sunday means the Eagles need to ensure a good seeding for the knockout round with multiple wins during their pool matches.

“We have three tough, physical games on day one and I believe we have the correct mixture of mental toughness, speed and knowledge to come out of the blocks on the first day,” Suggitt said.

“So far, we have had a great week. The team is on task and has demonstrated excellent focus. The practices have been short and sharp.”

Among the Eagles named for the fourth stop of the Series are Lauren Doyle, Victoria Folayan, Kelly Griffin, Dana Meschisi, Deven Owsiany, Jillion Potter, Rebekah Siebach, and Amelia Villines, who have all featured in the previous three tournaments in Dubai, Atlanta and Sao Paulo.

Suggitt has selected a different captain for his team at each tournament, with Villines carrying the responsibility in Guangzhou.

“Amelia has done a good job as captain this tour,” Suggitt said. “Developing the leadership roles has been a smooth transition from what we have done in the past. Sharing the responsibilities has lessened the stress applied to just one person.”

The Eagles now have experience on their side with the eight previously-mentioned players suiting up for at least a fourth time. There are three new faces, however, with Alev Kelter and Elana Meyers set to earn their first sevens caps in Guangzhou.

Meyers is coming off of a whirlwind two months after winning a silver medal at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games in the two-woman bobsleigh event. Once she returned home, she was offered a one-month contract at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

Hear Elana Meyers' interview with the IRB >>

Kelter was also given a contract at the OTC at the end of February. Suggitt found out about the University of Wisconsin alumna from her former high school teammate, Lorrie Clifford. The Chugiak High School (Alaska) teammates will share the same jersey once again, this time in China.

Read about the Alaskan connection >>

“Alev and Elana are fitting in well and have added a sense of accountability on and off of the field,” Suggitt said. “Both have become quick learners and students of the game of sevens.”

Women’s Eagles captain Shaina Turley is also in Guangzhou, though it will not be her first sevens cap. The Marine, who has been training at the OTC as part of the World-Class Athlete Program, appeared in the 2009 Dubai Sevens tournament. The Eagles lost in the Plate Final in Dubai that year.

“Shaina has been a well-needed addition and, again, with her experience, she has boosted the confidence in the overall team plan,” Suggitt said.

In what was the third stop of the inaugural IRB Women’s World Series last year, the Eagles finished fourth with a hard-fought, 17-5, loss to Canada in the Third Place Match in Guangzhou. They had defeated Fiji and China in pool play, with one loss to England, before beating Australia in the Cup Quarterfinal. Eventual tournament champion New Zealand dealt the Eagles a 24-12 loss in the Cup Semifinal to set up the North American Final.

The Eagles kick off Guangzhou Women’s Sevens against Canada Friday, April 4, at 10:00 P.M. ET. Watch the Eagles live on the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series website and follow live match updates with @USARugby on Twitter.

Women's Eagles Sevens | Guangzhou Sevens Pool C
v Canada - Friday, April 4 - 10:00 P.M. ET
v Russia - Saturday, April 5 - 1:06 A.M. ET
v France - Saturday, April 5 - 3:50 A.M. ET

And a piece on Australia courtesy of the iRB:

Australians ready for Guangzhou challenge

(IRB.COM) Wednesday 2 April 2014
 Australians ready for Guangzhou challenge
Sharni Williams is a driving force behind Australia's success on the Series in 2013/14
Australia’s women are having a good IRB Women’s Sevens World Series.

Winners of the opening round in Dubai last November after an amazing comeback in the final against world champions New Zealand, they repeated the feat in Brazil when they beat their trans-Tasman rivals in the rain in Sao Paulo.

Fitness and conditioning is one part of Australia’s success this season and moving their base to Sydney where they train with the men’s team has been another important factor. But one crucial aspect has been the inspirational leadership of Sharni Williams.

“We were happy with the performance in Brazil, with a couple of new young girls getting a start and obviously with the rivalry we have with New Zealand it was awesome to get one over them,” admitted Williams.

“I just think our preparation was much better than it was in Atlanta.”

Another factor is the youth and sheer exuberance of the team she’s captaining, typified by Emilee Cherry who was named the Most Valuable Player following the tournament in Brazil last month.

“You get experience from every game that you play,” continued Williams. “I think going part-time at Narrabeen has been really beneficial for the young players.

Mental toughness

“One of the biggest things to learn is not getting overwhelmed. If you try and take too much in, you get overwhelmed and you don’t play very good footy. We go out there (in training) and do a lot of game scenarios and that’s definitely helped us in the dying minutes of the game.”

Wise words from Australian captain, who has also focused on mental toughness this season, especially when it comes to facing New Zealand.

“I think it’s more of a mental game and we’re definitely mentally tough these days. I think the mental game is the biggest thing against New Zealand, they’re tough and they are the nation that’s known for rugby, but Australia is definitely getting up there and over that hurdle.”

Australia will need to be “mentally tough” as they face a tough pool on day one at the University Town Stadium in Guangzhou, China, with matches against England, Ireland and Fiji.

AUDIO: HEAR MORE FROM SHARNI WILLIAMS >>

After their victory in Brazil, Australia now sit on 56 points at the top of the standings table alongside their New Zealand rivals and Williams knows a Cup win this weekend could be vital in their quest to be crowned Series champions.

“Guangzhou is important this weekend and making the finals is a must. We have got a couple of new players coming in, so a couple of fresh legs on the tour, and hopefully they can make their mark.”

And a bit on France 7s who add 3 of their 6 Nations champion 15s players to the roster this weekend:

France Sevens can be inspired by Grand Slam

(IRB.COM) Thursday 3 April 2014
 France Sevens can be inspired by Grand Slam
Will France's Sevens team be inspired by the Grand Slam success of their Fifteens' counterparts? 
Photo: I Picarel/FFR
French women’s rugby is on a high after the Six Nations Grand Slam was secured last month and this weekend in Guangzhou, the Sevens team will be hoping to build on that momentum in the penultimate round of the 2013/14 IRB Women’s Sevens World Series.

The Grand Slam was France’s first Six Nations title since 2005 and augurs well for later in the year when they host Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in Paris. Three members of that squad are now in China with the Sevens team in Marjorie Mayans, Koumiba Djossouvi and Camille Grassineau.

“It was first of all an immense joy to win the Six Nations tournament with the Grand Slam,” admitted Grassineau. “This competition is very important in Europe and it augurs especially well for the end of the season. It was also a great satisfaction after many years of training.

“It is very good psychologically and for confidence for us to have been major European nations at Fifteens and to finally win something … perhaps it is the start for us to acquire a winning culture.

“It is always difficult to answer the question of whether the Grand Slam success can be a catalyst for the Sevens team, we will know the answer when we look at our results after the forthcoming tournaments!

“This result offered visibility and coverage for the Women’s Game in France and if we get good results in Sevens it will be the same thing. Only good results will make us progress but for a catalyst, we count in the immediate future on our preparations to have the best performance possible.”

France Sevens coach David Courteix agrees that the Grand Slam success is “excellent news for the whole of French rugby and particularly the women’s Game”, but is also conscious that the Sevens team must develop their own culture and history.

“I am certain the players in Guangzhou that took part in this adventure will have at heart to use this success at the highest level and this experience gained during the competition and training in Fifteens to their benefit,” he said.

Realising what is achievable

“If our Fifteens’ culture is a true advantage, now that we are looking at the Olympic challenge it is also essential that our Sevens culture is reinforced and that our Sevens team writes their own history by getting significant success and results.

“So, to summarise, I would say that the impact of this victory can only be positive but not overly decisive – we must get there and achieve success on the pitch (in Sevens).”

One area Courteix does hope the success rubs off on his players is when it comes to belief.

“I had no doubt about the potential or the motivation or the hunger of the players to win Sevens competitions before this Grand Slam and I have to admit I am still convinced this is the case.

“I think nevertheless that this result can make them realise their potential and convince them a little more that the ambitions that they have and that we share with them are achievable.”

France return to the World Series this weekend for the first time since the opening round in Dubai, where they finished 10th after narrowly losing to Fiji in the Bowl final, with Mayans admitting they are targeting an appearance in the Cup knockout stages.

“This pool is very tough, we know it and we have great respect for our three opponents (Canada, USA and Russia). They are three teams at the top of the IRB rankings with a very physical game but they are also three teams against which we have had great performances in the past.

“The Series is a very competitive event but we wish to perform and finish well.”

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Men's Update from Hong Kong 7s

Hong Kong 7s lived up to its usual fanfare with 3 days (or late nights/early mornings) for those of us watching in North America) of exciting rugby all around in the men's main draw, the qualifier, and the women's invitational. 

As expected, the New Zealand 7s side came out on a mission after placing 4th at Tokyo 7s with losses to Fiji in the semifinals and England in the 3rd place match. Led by captain DJ Forbes, who was named to the tournament Dream Team, the All Blacks ran undefeated on the weekend winning their pool over USA, Samoa and Scotland, then beating Wales in the Cup Quarterfinal, Australia in the Semi and notching a win in a rematch with England (who had beaten Tokyo 7s champion Fiji to make the finals) in the Final match.

England were notably impressive with their calm defense over the weekend, smothering Fiji and preventing that side from having any openings for their characteristic freestyle play and breakaway tries. Fiji did not progress past midfield the entire first half of the match. Even better, they were incredibly balanced in their scoring attack. I seem to recall Bibby setting up numerous tries to speedsters Watson and Norton, big men Burgess and Rodwell had solid efforts, while captain Tom Mitchell played fantastically well. Also worth noting -England is a team that has been down several times in the final minute of the match in both Tokyo and Hong Kong but finds that way to win.

What stood out most this weekend was the officiating... it seemed players were carded at a much higher rate than normal, especially France, with numerous yellows and even reds shown to players. Most matches saw games stopped for referee conferences with their assistants and going to the replay booth - unfortunately 2 USA tries were disallowed in their Cup Quarterfinal against Australia that we ultimately lost

That saw the Eagles into the Plate Semi against South Africa - a game that was truly a tale of 2 halves. The first half saw South Africa in the Eagles half of the field the entire time and we were lucky to come away only down 17-0. The second half was a complete turnaround after South Africa scored once more and the Eagles retaining possession throughout kickoffs, played a very team-oriented game in which nearly every player touched the ball in setting up tries, and we came back to within 24-19 and a very real scoring chance in the referee's time. All of this was despite losing our Dream Team player Zack Test in the match.

The draw for Glasgow 7s in May gives the USA every opportunity to make the Cup round again with Australia, Scotland and the soon-to-be-relegated Spain. We've proven we can top Samoa and hang with the likes of Fiji, Australia, and South Africa but now our Eagles need to get some definitive wins over the posession heavy teams like Scotland and France. Our defense and air game have given us plenty of opportunities to win 50/50 and turnover balls but penalties, often for holding on in the rucks, need to be eliminated. Costly points have put us in deficits hoping for 2nd half comebacks - and we've shown we are a great 2nd half team - but to crack the top 10 the Eagles need wins and a lot of them. While we did make back-to-back Cup rounds they were with records of 2-3-1 and 1-4 respectively.

In the Qualifier draw Japan, Hong Kong, Russia and Italy made it through to the Semifinals. The first semifinal saw Japan in a cracker of a match against Russia. The Brave Blossoms came out with a 19-14 sudden death win to make the finals. There it was all business as they rushed out to an early lead and never looked back, winning 26-5 over an Italy team that had played extremely well with their ground game in a 12-0 semifinal win against Hong Kong. Japan earn a spot as a core team for the 2014-2015 iRB series and also get a spot in Glasgow 7s.

Here's the Hong Kong 7s finals recap from the iRB:

New Zealand triumph in Hong Kong
(IRB.COM) Sunday 30 March 2014

 New Zealand triumph in Hong Kong
New Zealand now sit on top of the HSBC Sevens World Series
By Tom Chick in Hong Kong
New Zealand beat England 26-7 to lift the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, round seven of the HSBC Sevens World Series. 

The win, inspired by captain DJ Forbes, puts them back on top of the Series standings, seven ahead of South Africa who won the Plate with Fiji a further 17 points behind having finished third as the defending champions in So Kon Po. 

“It is a great feeling," said an elated Gordon Tietjen. 

"My captain lead so well from the front, he was simply amazing. And also the other players linked in with him, we played a good final. 

“That puts us back on top now, it’s topsy-turvy now which means we need to start well in Scotland, but this will certainly help in going towards winning that title."
HK SEVENS RESULTS >>
 
Injury-hit SA win Plate
South Africa narrowly held on to beat Wales 19-14 in the final of the Plate to collect 13 valuable Series points thanks to two tries from Jamba Ulengo.  

“It was important for us to win that," said head coach Neil Powell, who lost captain Kyle Brown to injury on day one.  

"We knew when we lost to England in the quarter final we needed to win the Plate to get as many points on the Series log.”
Earlier they proved too strong for the USA 24-19 in the first Plate semi final. 

Turnbull and Johnstone braces in Bowl final
Andrew Turnbull and James Johnstone scored two tries each in the final of the Bowl as Scotland beat France 31-5. 

"Obviously the Samoa game sticks out as a bit of a sore point yesterday but to beat three quality eams today and win the Bowl is great," said captain Colin Gregor. 

"Can't wait to get home now and for the next round of the Series in Glasgow. It is aways a great tournament and hopefully we'll be able to give the fans something to cheer about." 

Earlier Scotland proved too strong for Argentina winning 24-12 while Virimi Vakatawa and Renaud Delmas both scored twice in Les Bleus' win over Samoa.  

Injera fires Kenya to the Shield
Collins Injera moved into third in the all-time leading try scorers on day three as Kenya beat Portugal 17-10 to lift the Shield thanks to the Kenyan's fourth and fifth tries of the weekend.  

“We started on the wrong foot and ended up in the wrong place to where we are supposed to be," said captain Andrew Amonde. "But a positive finish is something we can build on." 

The Qualifier recap from the iRB:

Japan qualify as core side on World Series
(IRB.COM) Sunday 30 March 2014
 Japan qualify as core side on World Series
Japan beat Italy in the World Series qualifier final in Hong Kong
Japan defeated Italy 26-5 in the final of the World Series qualifier to book their place on next season's HSBC Sevens World Series as a core side.  

After victory over Russia in the semi finals of the qualifier competition at the 2014 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, captain Katsuyuki Sakai scored 11 points in the victory against Andy Vilk's Italy,
“We can’t put it into words, now everyone knows Japan can compete at the world level," said an elated Lomano Lemeki after the full-time whistle.  

"We are excited to show what we can do on the next Series. Japan has not been able to compete on the world level until recently and now this is the first step. There is a lot to come from Japanese rugby.” 

Twelve nations set out to qualify on Friday but only one place was on offer as a core team to play all nine rounds of the HSBC Sevens World Series 2014/15. 

Amid high drama in the Hong Kong stadium, Japan overcame Russia 19-14 in sudden death extra time, before Italy out-muscled the hosts, winning 12-0 to make it an Asia-Europe final. 

Last week's hosts Tokyo beat Tunisia 38-7 in the first quarter final with Lote Tuqiri continuing to impress, adding a hat-trick to his tally in Hong Kong. 

Fabrizio Sepe scored the winning try for Italy in sudden death extra time as Andy Vilk's side put out Zimbabwe. 

In the pool stages Japan qualified after adding a 26-7 win against the Cook Islands to their two wins on day one, while hosts Hong Kong defeated Italy 19-0 to maintain their 100% record.