Kenya stage big win in San Diego

Kenya beat New Zealand for the first time in 14 attempts to proceed with them and the rest of the top seeds to the Cup quarter finals at the USA Sevens in San Diego.

Los Teros of Uruguay gave the USA Sevens its first shock result by upsetting the Kenyans 14-12 in their opening match, but the African side performed the ultimate recovery job in beating the Kiwis at the end of the day.

The tournament in San Diego provides 15 of the teams in action – all bar Mexico – with a final chance to prepare ahead of the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai at the beginning of March.

IRB.com

Photo: Humphrey Kayanje helped Kenya beat New Zealand in the USA sevens tournament. IRB.com

Argentina win USA Sevens

Argentina beat England 19-14 to win the USA Sevens in San Diego and claim only their second ever IRB Sevens World Series title.

The Pumas’ only previous Cup success also came in California, in Los Angeles in 2004, and this most recent victory blasts wide open the race for the 2008/09 World Series.

England and South Africa are now joint-top on 60 points, eight clear of New Zealand on 52. Argentina lie fourth with 48 ahead of Fiji, Kenya and the USA, who take 12 points from their home event.

In the Cup final Tom Biggs and Ben Gollings both scored first half tries for England either side of one by Argentina captain Santiago Gomez Cora. Trailing 14-5 at the break, the Pumas quickly asserted pressure on the Englishmen after the restart and scored tries through Martin Rodrigues and Lucas Amorosino, before their famous defence kicked in to hold England at bay for five minutes.

IRB.com

Photo: The Argentinians celebrate after defeating England 19-14 in the final of the USA sevens tournament in San Diego. IRB.com

Focus on Dubai

Four years ago in Hong Kong, Fiji became the first nation to lift the Melrose Cup twice following their maiden success at the same venue in 1997, but with Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 now only 16 days away we take a look at some of the interesting statistics to emerge from the tournament’s history.

Thirty-four nations have now participated in at least one of the four previous Rugby World Cup Sevens after Tunisia and Uruguay made their debuts in 2005. That number will increase by only one in Dubai with the Arabian Gulf, as the host Union, appearing on this stage for the first time.

Of these 34 nations, only three have yet to taste victory in Latvia, Netherlands and Uruguay. Chinese Taipei had been in that category going into the Hong Kong showpiece, but they broke their duck with a 28-14 defeat of Italy in the pool stages.

The four Rugby World Cup Sevens to date have had one constant with Sevens maestro Waisale Serevi – the man who lifted the Melrose Cup twice for Fiji – the only player to have appeared in all four tournaments.

Eight others have played in three events – Serevi’s teammate Marika Vunibaka, Samoan star Brian Lima, New Zealand legend Eric Rush, Shinji Ono of Japan and a trio of Koreans in Hae-kyung Sung, Yong Hwan-Myung and Yoo Min-Suk.

Old rivals lead the way in tries

With Serevi having played in four tournaments it comes as no surprise that he is the leading point scorer in RWC Sevens history with 297 after adding another 45 points to his tally in 2005. Serevi’s mark is more than double that of the next best, Vunibaka on 115 with only Lima (101) and New Zealand star Amasio Valence (100) boasting three-figure totals.

Serevi has also kicked nearly three times as many goals as next best with 101 to Samoan Anatelea Aiolupo’s 30, while the maestro has scored 19 tries for Fiji, only four behind the top try scorer, his teammate Vunibaka, with Lima two scores behind Serevi.

Fiji, unsurprisingly, therefore share the top try scoring record with New Zealand at 153, although the 2001 champions actually have a slightly better average at 5.1 tries per game, compared to the Fijians 4.9. By contrast, Latvia and Netherlands have scored the fewest tries in the tournament’s history with five apiece in their only event in 1993.

Serevi’s side had sat top of the try scoring chart on their own going into the 2005 tournament, but New Zealand scored 45 tries – four more than the side that beat them in the final – to draw level. New Zealand’s tally in Hong Kong was nine times that of the hosts.

In all there were 498 tries scored by the 24 teams in Hong Kong, taking the total across four tournaments to 1,839 and raising the question, who will score the 2,000th try in Rugby World Cup Sevens history in Dubai?

One thousand reasons to celebrate

Delve a little deeper beyond Fiji and New Zealand at the top and you discover that Argentina, the 2001 semi finalists, need 17 tries to become only the seventh nation to reach 100 tries, while Portugal will reach 50 with four tries and Uruguay’s first try in Dubai will take them into double figures.

A total of 11,630 points have now been scored in the tournament’s history after the 24 teams involved in 2005 added 3,084 points to the overall tally, with New Zealand the top scorers in Hong Kong with 287 across their eight matches.

The opening day in at The Sevens in Dubai will witness a new milestone in Rugby World Cup Sevens history with both New Zealand and Fiji within touching distance of becoming the first side to score 1,000 points.

Fiji currently sit top on 993 with New Zealand on 985, but Gordon Tietjens’ men will be in action before their long-time rivals and will be favourites to claim that honour, needing to score just three tries in their opening match against Italy. If they fail to do that, Fiji will pip them to it when they face Georgia.

Who will score New Zealand and Fiji’s 1,000th point and who will make their mark on the fifth Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai – the first to feature a women’s competition running alongside the men’s event?

IRB.com

Photo: Serevi and son Junior hoist the Melrose Cup in Hong Kong after the 2005 championship. IRB.com

D-day for FRU

With the poor performance by the national sevens team in Wellington last weekend, the FRU need to make good on their decision for changing coaches in mid-season.

Either the team make the semi-finals in San Diego or give dumped national coach Waisale Serevi another chance to lead the team to Dubai next month for the Rugby Sevens World Cup.

Seems like the team had used up all the gas especially for the match against Samoa in last pool play in Wellington and had nothing left in the tank to defend well against England in the quarter final.

National 7s coach Iliesa Tanivula has proven locally that he has what it takes to coach in the full code and shouldn’t be thrown into the abbreviated code all of a sudden to keep him away from the 15s limelight.

But going back to the favourite adage by the FRU heads; “no one is indispensible in rugby” should be applied to them this weekend.

If your firing and hiring is not working get a taste of your medicine and get the gangplank ready for whoever made the call if the team doesn’t emulate Serevi’s record for the first two tournaments.

Serevi is well versed with the whole set-up and has been there.

He makes constant changes with the players give all the squad a run as well as saving the resources to go all the way to the dying stages of the tournament.

Caption: Last run? Serevi wants to have a last run in Dubai. IRB.com

US 7s receives broadcast boost

Organisers of the USA Sevens have announced that ABC will broadcast highlights of the USA Sevens Rugby Tournament, presented by Bridgestone, as a one-hour special on 22 February.

Since moving the American leg of the World Series from the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles to central San Diego, the event has enjoyed strong year-on-year growth in what remains an untraditional and emerging rugby market.

Organisers have struggled, however, to convince the nation’s major broadcasters of rugby’s appeal to a domestic audience, so this latest development is a major coup for the sport.

“Having a chance to showcase the premier event of one of the country’s fastest-growing sports is an enormous opportunity,” said Ray Peterson, managing director of the USA Sevens.

“Rugby fans across America will now be able to watch their favorite teams compete and many new viewers will also be introduced to the dynamic game of rugby sevens.”

The tournament has over 110 media attending, which will ensure that the global rugby community knows about the USA Sevens.

“USA Sevens is about engaging a new rugby fan base through creating a unique American entertainment spectacular with rugby as its hub,” said Tournament Director, former Eagles captain Dan Lyle.

“Building on the Olympic model of cultural diversity and elite-level athleticism through our participating nations, we’ve been able to capture the imagination of a major TV network as well as the support of the nation’s seventh largest city, San Diego.

“The attendance figure is expected to top 50,000 this year.”

IRB.com

Caption: USA captain Chris Wyles has been one of the outstanding players in the series this year. IRB.com

FRU is a dictator

The Fiji Rugby Union has showed again through the sacking of national sevens coach Waisale Serevi that it has not matured enough to take the game to the next level.

The sacking was described by chairman Keni Dakuidreketi that Serevi had breached his contract by being out of line and speaking to the press against team selection.

Dakuidreketi said no one was above the game and that Serevi could easily be replaced.

Maybe the same question could be asked of the board and the chairman if they were indispensible.

The way the FRU is taking is the same road that we have treaded for so long and reaped the consequences when we sacked coaches left, right and centre because they didn’t tow the line according to FRU’s hypocritical rules.

We had a disillussioned era where we sent mediocre coaches leading half hearted teams losing tournament after tournament for about five seasons at the beginning of the new millinneum.

Enter Waisale Serevi and coach Wayned Pivac to restore Fijian pride in the game to win the 2005 Rugby World Cup followed up by the Fijian runaway performance in the IRB Rugby Sevens series the following year.

What does it have to take to soften the stance by the FRU that this is a democratic         country and the coach, manager or any rugby fan for that matter can have an opinion that doesn’t have to conform to the rule book by the FRU?

We have had burnings and looting in our neighbouring Friendly islands of Tonga recently; the same cases in our close Asian neighbours but we still run headlong into keeping our pride and not caring to hear and listen to what the fans and people are saying.

With the talent in the country for the sport, the FRU should  have already brought home the William Webb-Ellis Cup at least once and had a pool of players that would be unbeatable in the series but we don’t have the capacity in the FRU to streamline our efforts and produce the winning teams that we have the potential to utilise.

The board chairman and members have been at the position for so long they should have already known by now that because of our God given talents and potential the fans demand nothing less from our teams.

They should have developed thick skins to roll with the flow of the temperament of the fans, accept their opinions and allow them to be a thermometer  to see where they are at and address them in their meetings.

If you had worked hard to close ranks with Serevi as the national coach I don’t think there would have been any outbursts in the media; let alone trying to control the coach by including in his contract to keep his mouth shut when the FRU made public statements. Where else in the world is a coach contracted to keep his mouth shut even though he is the national coach?

This is the 21st century and we are still trying to grapple with democracy and trying to stop allowing our people and fans to speak their minds and not having to take offence because as the FRU you have been chosen as an elite group to take our collective opinions and use them to improve our teams.

If you can’t handle the heat then you apply the same rules too. Looks like you stay in your cozy chairs and would not budge when the whole nation is seething with rage.

Serevi by the way is the only living coach that has been able to come in as a rookie coach and beaten New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens in his own domain and dominated the 2006 Rugby Sevens series.

That goes to show that Serevi has what it takes but just needs a little bit of guidance and assurance from the FRU to take the team where it belongs to; World Cup champions and 2009 series winner.

Captions 1: Ex-national coach Waisale Serevi and son Junior hoist the Sevens World Cup in Hong Kong in 2005

2: Fans rooting for the national side in the IRB sevens series in Los Angeles

3: Serevi at his best, playing for Fiji in the abbreviated code

Tabua wants to take Fiji to the top

National coach Ilivasi Tabua said yesterday even though he was facing a lot of flak from the side’s dismal performance in the Pacific Nations Cup competition he knew what he was getting into when he took up the job a year ago.

“Fiji is a rugby mad nation and when things are going well everyone is behind you but when things go wrong you face the brunt of their wrath,” he said referring to the rugby fans in the country.

The team started well defeating Samoa in their first match of the PNC but was placed fourth overall after the competition losing three matches against the New Zealand Maoris, Australia A and Tonga, winning one more against Japan.

The Wainibuka native had been thrust into the position after predecessor New Zealander Wayne Pivac resigned and left the country a few months away from the Rugby World Cup after preparing the squad for three years.

Tabua stepped into the fray, selected a squad and had a month long camp before heading off to France where the team brushed aside critisism and won a quarterfinal berth after an upset win over Wales in their last pool match.

The side lost 20-37 to eventual winners South Africa in the quarterfinal returning home as heroes emulating the feat by the national side coached by Jo Sovau in the inaugural championship in Australia and New Zealand in 1987.

“It’s not an easy job; you lose a lot of sleep but I have a job to do and I believe I can take Fiji to its rightful place in the world,” Tabua said.

Caption: National coach leads the team during the Rugby World Cup in France last year

RKS has a team to deliver

Even though I am a former student of Ratu Kadavulevu School, I was surprised by the form and enterprise adopted by the school’s Under 19 side that disposed of the bigger Grammar side 21-19 at Churchill Park on Saturday.

Their enthusiasm from their running onto the paddock and united effort in defence against a more bigger and better organised Suva side was a game to enjoy.

Ably led by wily halfback Henry Seniloli, the team showed glimpses of the Fijian xvs team at its best in the 60s and 70s.

Ridding itself of fancy football the side ran on the field bristling with confidence to do battle, and played creative rugby for the whole game both in attack and defence.

Without a care in the world the team brought the crowd to its feet and played with such unabandoned passion to outplay a side fancied by many to take home the coveted Deans Trophy this year.

The team displayed character throughout the match and got down on their knees to give thanks at the end after a hard earned win over a worthy opponent.

The FRU I believe need to go back to the future and study these matches to get some clarity and why our forefather won matches and hearts locally and overseas by the RKS outfit.

The 16,000 crowd at the Lautoka stadium got their money’s worth and the climax match alone would have been worth what they paid to watch the day long extravaganza.

The secondary school organisers got a winner on their hands and if marketed well would be a bigger spectacle than the Coke Light Games.

The Suva crowd will be in for a treat to watch the Tailevu school take on the Nausori champions at the national stadium.

For the high blood pressure fans bring enough pills to calm you down from the big hits and the fast pace of the match that RKS will try to impose on the Davuilevu scholars.

Tonga sign off with first victory

 

 

Tonga finished their IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2008 campaign on a high by defeating Fiji last Friday 27-16 at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa, securing their first win of the season to the delight of the watching King Taufa’ahu Tupou V of Tonga.

 

The Tongans had lost on the road to New Zealand Maori (20-9), Japan (35-13) and Australia A (90-7) before collecting a first bonus point in losing 20-15 to Samoa last weekend, but they had never lost to Fiji since the PNC began in 2006.

 

Both sides made their intentions clear early on with a hard and fast start to what was an entertaining and heart-stopping match, Fiji enjoying the wealth of early possession and perhaps ruing their failure to score a try or two in the opening 15 minutes with Taniela Rawaqa’s penalty their only points on the board.

 

Tonga dug deep and seized their first real opportunity when hooker Ephraim Taukafa scored the games opening try in the 23rd minute, one converted by Pierre Hola. However Fiji went in leading 13-7 at half time after centre Saula Radidi’s try and Rawaqa’s conversion and penalty.

 

Fiji did play their running game and continued to punch holes in the centres, although this flair caused the home crowd to go wild and produce even more noise when a robust Tongan ended the movement with a great tackle.

 

Tonga trailed though until the last quarter, Vungakoto Lilo’s penalty on the hour reduced the deficit to three points before wing Seti Kiole touched down to edge the hosts ahead, only for another Rawaqa penalty to put Fiji ahead 16-15.

 

The home side seemed to get more bulletproof as the game went on, the chance to impress on home soil kept them charging and in the end Tonga were simply too strong, their impressive pack laying the platform for the victory with captain Nili Latu scoring his side’s third try.

 

Epeli Taione also caught the eye in the centre, carving up the metres to earn his reward with a late try to put the gloss on a Tongan victory that was followed by scenes of dancing and hugging as the crowd joined their heroes on the pitch in celebration.

 

The final round of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2008 continues with Samoa entertaining Japan at Apia Park on Saturday before Australia A and New Zealand Maori clash in Sydney to determine who gets their hands on the silverware.

 

* irb.com

 

Photo: Tonga number 8 Samiu Vahafolau on the charge against Fiji – Photo: Zoomfiji

 

SANZAR hold expansion talks

 

SANZAR (South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby) officials met in Wellington on Tuesday and Wednesday with representatives from the Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR), Rugby Canada and USA Rugby to discuss expansion options for SANZAR’s competitions.

 

SANZAR and SA Rugby Chairman Mpumelelo Tshume, SANZAR CEO and SA Rugby Managing Director Jonathan Stones, New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) CEO Steve Tew and Australian Rugby Union (ARU) Deputy CEO Matt Carroll held talks with UAR Council Member Ricardo Garcia Fernandez and fellow UAR representative Agustin Pichot; Rugby Canada Chairman Rick Bourne and CEO Graham Brown; and USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville.

 

Mr Stones said the discussions had been “constructive, open and frank.”

 

“It was very much an information-sharing discussion with all parties. We gave an update on the state of SANZAR rugby at both Super 14 and Tri-Nations level and, in turn, each country presented their capabilities and vision for the future,” Mr Stones said.

 

SANZAR has meetings scheduled with officials from Japan in Hong Kong later this month and with the Pacific Island nations of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

 

Mr Stones said information from the meetings would be discussed at the next SANZAR workshop in Perth, Australia, on 15 – 17 July. Potential scenarios for SANZAR’s future will be developed in more depth at the meeting.

 

SANZAR aims to have a range of proposals to present to broadcasters by no later than June 2009.

 

* Planetrugby

 

Caption: Jonathan Stones . . . bigger is better. Planetrugby