USA Sevens, 10th-12th February 2012.

[Seaton]

Why can't we ever have all these off form teams in our pool. ARGH!

Harrumph, how can one sports broadcasting company in Africa manage to show all the games live, but not one source in the UK is showing a single pool game of this live?!?

 

[Darwin]

Didn't catch many of todays game - happy that NZ made it into the semis after sneaking past England in the quarters.

Tomorrows Cup semis are:

New Zealand v South Africa
Samoa v Fiji

Not great news for the Scottish Sevens fans, with a 1 point loss to Japan in the Bowl quarter-finals....

 

[Seaton]

:/

I swear this is the first sporting event in the history of ever where something being broadcast live doesn't have a single working stream.

It is much more infuriating when your team is doing ****, but you don't where they are most specifically doing ****, and thus cannot moan about them being so ****.

Off to gipey Wales to watch the XV team being ******-******* ***** **** **** :/

 

[Mary7]

NZ / SA Always a hard match to watch in our house. My daughter and I for New Zealand and hubby for SA.....:huh: go New Zealand

 

[Me 1]

Why can't we ever have all these off form teams in our pool. ARGH!

Harrumph, how can one sports broadcasting company in Africa manage to show all the games live, but not one source in the UK is showing a single pool game of this live?!?

Tell me about it, all I ever get to see is the half an hour long highlights on S4C, and I love sevens

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Urgh ... not a fan of the US commentary on Sky.

 

[Darwin]

NZ / SA Always a hard match to watch in our house. My daughter and I for New Zealand and hubby for SA.....:huh: go New Zealand

Should be a very close game too! Not far away now...

Day 3 well underway: Argentina just beat England 21-19!

EDIT: CAAAMMMMAAAA..... NZ 10-0 over South Africa just before half-time. Make that 15-0. South Africa stupidly trying to run there ball from their own tryline with time up on the clock, and a man down

 

[Darwin]

Congrats to Samoa!

Great final, with Samoa defeating New Zealand 26-19 in a very close match. Samoa were leading by 19-5 with only three minutes remaining, but two late NZ tries evened it up at 19-19, then Samoa scored with time up on the clock to win the match.

I was very impressed with Samoa's defense, with NZ really struggling to break the line. NZ really missed the power and pace of Frank Halai, who missed the final through injury. This certainly can't be used as an excuse though, as Samoa themselves were missing Uale Mai, who is equally (if not more) important to Samoa as Halai is to NZ. I thought Samoa's work at the breakdown was exceptional at times too - I believe one of the keys to defeating NZ is to match them at the breakdown (which very few teams do), and I thought Samoa had the edge at the breakdown in this match.

Bring on Hong Kong in two weeks!

 

[Aedaphon]

Highlights from every day of each series can be found on the IRB's channel:



Dramatic final, well done Samoa!

 

[Mary7]

What a final, well done Samoa, heartbreaking stuff!!!

 

[Sam Owen]

Highlights from every day of each series can be found on the IRB's channel:



Dramatic final, well done Samoa!

Thanks for the highlights. I didnt even know we won. YEAH!!....its been awhile but YEAH!!

 

[Seaton]

Great stuff for Samoa, and Canada further putting down the Aussies and winning the Bowl Final.

Kenya winning the Plate as well, with the Pumas putting in a decenet shift.

No one interested why I asked a biologist to help with geography?

 

[LittleGuy]

Canada is now ahead of three core teams and all the rest of the non core teams even having played one fewer event than the core teams. We aren't invited to Japan though and might be stuck in the B tournament in Hong Kong which should allow the core teams to catch up. Canada and Tonga should just be handed the two core spots out of three that are up for grabs while everyone else battles it out for the last one heading into next year's events.

 

[Darwin]

Canada is now ahead of three core teams and all the rest of the non core teams even having played one fewer event than the core teams. We aren't invited to Japan though and might be stuck in the B tournament in Hong Kong which should allow the core teams to catch up. Canada and Tonga should just be handed the two core spots out of three that are up for grabs while everyone else battles it out for the last one heading into next year's events.

There is no doubt that Canada warrant one of the three core spots that are up for grabs next year. I was particularly impressed with Canada in Wellington, where they first topped there pools, then got within 3 points of heavyweights Samoa and South Africa on day 2. I'm sure they are now one of the teams that the top teams want to avoid, as they have shown of the last couple of weeks an ability to match it with anyone.

 

[LittleGuy]

Canada and Tonga look like they are much ahead of the rest of the non-core teams in level of play at the moment, with Japan and maybe Portugal being marginally competiitive, if somehow Canada or Tonga get knocked out in the qualifiyng by a nation like Uruguay or Papua New Guinea the upset victor could struggle mightily being in every single event.