Sevens granted Olympic status
9 Oct 2009
An overwhelming vote in favour of rugby sevens has seen the sport admitted to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The International Olympic Committee announced the admission of rugby sevens and golf on Friday. Golf returns after 112 years, while rugby was last played at the Olympics in 1924 in its 15-a-side form.
IOC Members voted 63-27 for golf, and 81-8 in favour of rugby. IRB president Bernard Lapasset said this was an important moment in rugby’s history.
‘The Olympic Games will be the pinnacle of the sport for all our athletes and the rugby family. The best men’s and women’s players in the world are excited to be able to showcase their talent on the world’s greatest sporting stage.
‘We are now looking forward to working in partnership with the IOC to develop and implement a rugby sevens tournament in Rio that will reach out to new audiences and inspire a new generation of sports fans around the world,’ said Lapasset.
Paul Treu, whose Springbok Sevens outfit captured the series title earlier this year, said this decision will change the face of the code forever.
‘I have been waiting for this for a long time and have got plenty of plans, some that I have already started on. Obviously we’ll need buy-in from the national sports departments but I’m confident of that.
‘Governments are now going to be pumping in so much money into the sport in order to get gold, so you are going to get that many more countries starting to play sevens.
‘In fact I was talking to one of the US Sevens management guys just yesterday and he was a bit disillusioned about lack of funds and plans etc, and I told him to just wait until the announcement, things will take off then.’
Treu added that he expects the USA to become a bigger force in the build up to rugby’s Olympic return in 2016.
‘The US has a vast pool of talent. There are NFL guys out there who just can’t make the cut, but they run close to sub 10-seconds for the 100 metres. Imagine [the possibilities] once you harness that talent.’
161 Comments
9 Oct 2009, 14:14 pm
Great News for Rugby Dragons all over the World.
And for Golf too. The greatest of all Games.
9 Oct 2009, 14:17 pm
Golf, what a crock of ****. The least amateur sport ever, it’ll be ridiculous like soccer and tennis. Stoked the 7s made it, those guys need some credit.
9 Oct 2009, 14:18 pm
The reigning Olympic rugby champions? USA…
9 Oct 2009, 14:25 pm
Great news. They obviously new that we would send it our heavy artillery aka Percy, the fighter to sort them out if they said no.
9 Oct 2009, 14:26 pm
new = knew
like in I knew, but I forgot
9 Oct 2009, 14:33 pm
#2 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR):
Golf….. next to Basketball, Tennis, Ping Pong, Athletics, Soccer and Gymnastics, the most truly International Sport in existence.
One that can be played by Amateurs and Pros.
One, that can be played on a Handicap System, that (could) make a true contest between Cane and Tiger, or Ratal and The Shark a reality.
A Sport that is competitive to many from ages 16 to 69.
9 Oct 2009, 14:37 pm
Great news,
Pity though that the 15-man format cannot be squeezed into a 2-week tournament. Sevens is too much a toss of the coin sometimes.
9 Oct 2009, 14:42 pm
Thankfully the Boks will have to pick the country’s best players and not Super Rugby rejects from the Vodacom Cup.
9 Oct 2009, 14:44 pm
We must start to breed a team of speedsters now! Young, injury-free okes
9 Oct 2009, 14:48 pm
#6 cane: Etiquette is needed to play the game ……. therefore, thankfully we won’t see ratel anywhere near the fairways !!!
9 Oct 2009, 14:51 pm
The eagles currently 36/6 against NSW, need another 109…..look like rank amatuers with the bat !!
9 Oct 2009, 14:53 pm
#8 Simon:
Sevens suggestions
Paul Treu should be allowed to select the best-possible SA side for the Sevens World Cup in Dubai.
Treu’s current group of players has won two IRB tournaments in a row and axing some of them for the game’s showpiece event would be harsh. But professional sport is all about winning, and if South Africa want to become Sevens world champions in March they must give themselves the best possible chance of doing so.
Imagine how much interest would be generated in South Africa if Treu called up Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen, Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski for the Sevens World Cup. Sure, they would miss a couple rounds of the Super 14, but isn’t a major international competition supposed to take precedence?
As some of you on this site know, I have always had a love-hate relationship with Sevens. I love the fact that the game, like T20 cricket, provides fans with plenty of action in a short space of time and allows minnow rugby nations, like Kenya and Portugal, to be a lot more competitive than they are in the 15-man arena.
However, I hate the fact that the best players do not take part. In South Africa, only those who aren’t good enough to play Super 14 rugby (with the exception of the talented Robert Ebersohn) are picked for the Sevens side. And while these guys tell everyone how much they love Sevens, it’s obvious they’d rather be playing 15-man rugby. Hell, even Fabian Juries, our greatest-ever Sevens player, turned his back on the abbreviated game this season when the Cheetahs included him in their Super 14 training squad. So much for him being a Sevens specialist.
The reality of the situation is that the SA Sevens team consists of Vodacom Cup-standard players, and because of this, I think they devalue the Bok jersey. Let’s be honest, do the likes of Mzwandile Stick and Marius Schoeman really deserve to wear the green and gold? My answer is a resounding no. I think the SA Sevens side should play in a different jersey, perhaps with gold being the dominant colour, and be called the Proteas. This would give the team its own unique identity and prevent the Bok jersey from being cheapened.
Take the Australian cricket team, for example. Would the famous baggy green cap be as special if their T20 players were also allowed to wear them? Of course not. Only those who are picked for Tests — the pinnacle of the game — have that honour.
Finally, I think SA Rugby should be doing everything in its power to get Sevens rugby televised on the SABC. Our Sevens team is full of black players, and black South Africans — many of whom do not have access to SuperSport — should be able to watch them throughout the year. Sevens is also a great way to introduce people to the sport, and they’d soon become fans of the 15-man version too. Hopefully, SuperSport would consider the bigger picture and share their TV rights with the national broadcaster — starting with the Sevens World Cup.
By Simon Borchardt
This entry was posted on Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 8:01 am and is filed under Sevens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
9 Oct 2009, 14:56 pm
#8 Simon: what are you on about?
didnt our sevens boks win the series this year?
i dont see the all blacks playing their 15 man stars in the tournament simon.
9 Oct 2009, 14:58 pm
The 7′s World Cup is now being abolished to make Olympics the pinnacle of 7′s. Of course my neighbours and work colleagues like to remind me Boks are only world 7 series champs, but Wales are world champions and by the look of it will be last ever world champions.
9 Oct 2009, 15:01 pm
#14 gecko: I take it Wales, Scot and England wil compete as the UK?
9 Oct 2009, 15:02 pm
Great news!
Chuffed about this
#14 gecko: Agreed..
9 Oct 2009, 15:03 pm
#15 Beertjie: They should… Should be a decent oufit. Not many Scots or Welsh will make it though…
9 Oct 2009, 15:03 pm
#14 gecko: and well done to wales!
remind your neighbours and work collegues who hold the 15 man wc, the 3n and the s14 and then say “wales are an amazing rugby country though” with a smile.
you will be insufferably magnanimous and unplayably sporting all at once.
9 Oct 2009, 15:07 pm
Ranger, off course can’t compete in TN or S14. But the Welsh love their Lions tours. I’ll live of the last one for the next 12 years.
9 Oct 2009, 15:09 pm
Yes it will be British team. Ireland players from Northern Ireland can choose between Britain or Ireland for games 7′s.
9 Oct 2009, 15:10 pm
Prediction: Olympic gold is so valuable that the US and China will be ranked in the top 4 Sevens teams come 2016.
9 Oct 2009, 15:10 pm
#19 gecko: the welsh are wonderful people in my experience.
i had to console a few after the test in durbs
9 Oct 2009, 15:11 pm
#20 gecko: Why wouldnt they choose Ireland
9 Oct 2009, 15:13 pm
#12 Pearl Rose: What a brilliant article that was.
9 Oct 2009, 15:14 pm
#19 gecko: gotta go, cheers man!
9 Oct 2009, 15:16 pm
WP, just making to point they can choose either. Think of it, if you are from Ulster you can play for Ireland but only be British in nationality. Although how it would impact IRB rules on being eligible is a question.
9 Oct 2009, 15:17 pm
#8 Simon:
I will back team that is specialists in sevens to beat a team made up 15 specialists playing sevens anyday.
Anybody who has ever played sevens before will tell you that it is not easy to play and is very technical.
Sevens rugby is a skill and requires specialists.
9 Oct 2009, 15:17 pm
#24 Simon:
Self-promotion
9 Oct 2009, 15:24 pm
#27 Sonito: And an insane fitness base.Even Jonathan Mokuena said he can’t anymore.
9 Oct 2009, 15:32 pm
#28 WP Till I Die:more like self-delusion…
#24 Simon: why did you delete the your first response simon? Ha ha ha lmao
9 Oct 2009, 15:32 pm
Yeeee Haaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
Good stuff!!!
9 Oct 2009, 15:43 pm
#24 Simon: are you still of the notion that the world series winners of 2009 are k@k? And nothing but a bunch of vodacom cup rejects? What am i asking? That’s what you post #8 spell out…
Paul Treu should not pick, habana, spies p, pietersen, kankowski, lest he be told that his side too was built by jake white! Ha ha ha
9 Oct 2009, 15:53 pm
#26 gecko: ok sure. They would surely play for the country of their birth..
9 Oct 2009, 16:14 pm
#32 Pearl Rose: Get seven top Boks (Habana, Pienaar etc), hold a three-week Sevens training camp and they would beat the current Bok Sevens side. Give them another month together and they would pump them.
9 Oct 2009, 16:15 pm
Ah but you see WP, Ireland a bit tricky. Rugby is only united thing between the two Irelands. And the republic will give passports to anyone born north of the border in Northern Ireland which is in UK. Man the politics there just as complicated as in SA or Palestine.
9 Oct 2009, 16:19 pm
#35 gecko: Oh I see how you’re looking at it. Oh I get it now. Ulster is in Northern Ireland… hence in the UK. Ok, so they would be confusion there…
9 Oct 2009, 16:19 pm
#6 cane: #10 justrugby: What I am getting at is the complete farce the Olympics is becoming. I believe only sports that have the Olympics as their pinnacle should be played. Athletics, swimming, 7s etc olympic gold medals will be the pinnacle. Whereas for sports like tennis, soccer and golf the olympics is like a little sideshow. WC trumps it, Wimbeldon trumps it, all the majors will trump it, so I won’t give a **** who wins it. You tell me who the reigning tennis (male and female) and soccer olympic champions without using google. I certainly don’t care. Do you? Will golf be any different?
9 Oct 2009, 16:21 pm
#34 Simon: I agree with you, and think that the best players should play in the Olympics. But isnt it a little hard on those who would have been playing all year round on the 7′s circuit, for the Boks as regulars.
9 Oct 2009, 16:23 pm
WP, go to the Guardian newspaper website. guardian.co.uk look in sport and blog and today’s Joy of Six article. Read number 4 about the two Irelands.
9 Oct 2009, 16:24 pm
#34 Simon: If they want to play in the Olympics they should sign as 7′s players. Isn’t that what is really important about this decision? Finally 7′s will be on the map. Players like Brent Russel wouldn’t have to look at the 15 man game for employment?
9 Oct 2009, 16:25 pm
#37 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): I agree with all you are saying, I suppose it’s more the players of these codes that will love the title “olympic champion”, plus the medal that goes with it.
It also gives us a realistic chance to increase our gold medal tally
9 Oct 2009, 16:28 pm
#39 gecko: Will do. Thanks boet. Cheers gecko. I’m outta here
9 Oct 2009, 16:31 pm
#38 WP_: If they’re not good enough, they’re not good enough. Is the Bok Sevens team a charity team?
9 Oct 2009, 16:47 pm
great news…!!
now we can add Olympic Gold Medals to our catalogue of rugby honours..!!
9 Oct 2009, 16:48 pm
Pick the best players in the country for the Olympics…
9 Oct 2009, 16:57 pm
#43 Simon: not good enough for what simon? They’ve just won the world series…your statement is devoid of any logic!
9 Oct 2009, 19:14 pm
#44 ufo:
7s needs a totally different approach than the 15 man game. To be effective it would mean pulling our top players out of the 4N, S15 and tours in order to train and learn the differences. We just couldn’t select our top Boks and hope they’ll adjust for the olympics.
9 Oct 2009, 19:23 pm
saru just needs to come in & say “if you don’t have a sevens contract you can’t play in the olympics, period” guys like stick spend the whole year grafting to make the springbok sevens team the best, now when gold medals are on offer the 15-man okes want in, nonsense.
The olympics has boxing, but you don’t see floyd mayweather sweating a gold medal.
9 Oct 2009, 19:24 pm
Also, they’ll probably put an age limit on the players, as they do in soccer, with an allowance for a couple of more experienced players.
9 Oct 2009, 19:30 pm
#49 David: precisely! Plonkers like simon have been treating sevens like the step sister, now that there’s a ball coming they want to be first in line to greet the prince. Lol
the can be only one cinderella.
9 Oct 2009, 19:32 pm
Simon, have you considered who would pay these players? The salaries of our top guys are way, way higher than anything our Olympic athletes currently receive from the Olympic committee.
9 Oct 2009, 19:52 pm
Doesnt mean anything to us.
The ANC will just use it as a political tool for AA and BEE.
Try again.
9 Oct 2009, 19:55 pm
#52 BlueBlood:
?
9 Oct 2009, 20:03 pm
Julle manne moet bietjie rugby-chat dot com try – glad nie kak nie.
Hier is nie eers ‘n Bulle score nie.
9 Oct 2009, 20:12 pm
#54 Blouste:
I agree, Keo’s screwed up badly by treating the game as being of no interest, even though the result is a forgone conclusion.
9 Oct 2009, 20:21 pm
very poor that no score or no interest in Bulls Leopards game. So what is the score?
9 Oct 2009, 20:28 pm
#52 BlueBlood: i wonder who is “us”?
9 Oct 2009, 20:32 pm
#56 skopskiet: Last I saw 54 -17 to the Bulls.
9 Oct 2009, 20:32 pm
#56 skopskiet: Sorry, Hiya Skop, fun lunch??
9 Oct 2009, 20:34 pm
Now 61 – 17 to the Bulls
9 Oct 2009, 20:36 pm
Nice lunch thanks Carol
Hope u fine
9 Oct 2009, 20:37 pm
Bulls running away with it. Was to be expected
9 Oct 2009, 20:40 pm
See what your hero been upto over the weekend, naughty boy. She’s too forgiving, should throw the book at him, but she probably knows he’ll crack up and she’s no monster. An angel more like. Booze the root of all mayhem and disaster
9 Oct 2009, 20:41 pm
64 – 24 Think game over.
#61 skopskiet: Yip, fine and dandy thanks.
All good in Cape Town!
9 Oct 2009, 20:46 pm
#57 Pearl Rose: Noone cares what tinkerbelles think. Go and pack your handbag for tomorrows breakfast at Tiffany’s.
9 Oct 2009, 20:53 pm
#63 skopskiet: Don’t be fooled by all those legs and that lovely long hair, she has been round the block a few times and Percy is putty in her hands!! She must have been very tiresome for him to snap like that!!
9 Oct 2009, 20:54 pm
Cape Town still afloat. Life ticks on as its designed to do. Most people scurrying around like ants making hay while the sun shines. Sun don’t shine forever, for every day time also got to be a night.
9 Oct 2009, 20:57 pm
Percy will just have to try grow up a little. He’s simply not in her league but maybe she’ll bear with it for better or for worse. As we all have to do.
9 Oct 2009, 21:18 pm
#68 skopskiet: Don’t forget ‘For richer and for poorer’ and who is the meal ticket in the Montgomery household!!
9 Oct 2009, 21:21 pm
#66 carol:he found her wearing his prized white boots & she gardening & spreading manure, that’s when percy lost it
#65 BlueBlood: now i’m even more confused. Oh well.
9 Oct 2009, 21:24 pm
She don’t need any money from Monty be absolutely sure of that. If anyone is the beggar here it most certainly ain’t her. Boots quite on the other foot in this case. Dunno if Percy going to be able to step up to the mark but if anything he better die trying else its skid row from there on out. This chicks in another class and its not about looks, or money, Percy just a lightweight in comparison.
9 Oct 2009, 21:30 pm
#70 Pearl Rose: Now that would be a sight to behold, I very much doubt Mrs.M does gardening!! Heheheh
9 Oct 2009, 21:31 pm
#71 skopskiet: I think husband No.1 was probably quite well off, I understand he died, is that right?
9 Oct 2009, 21:37 pm
Please guys, do we have to discuss Percy on every thread? The guy lost it and everything else is pure speculation. According to the statement, nobody was actually physically assaulted. Whether that’s true or not we’ll probably never know. Monty is just a high profile rugby player, nothing else.
9 Oct 2009, 21:38 pm
Don’t know nothing bout no husband no.1. Just know Mrs Montgomery is high quality in every aspect. Dunno how Percy got it right to cross the bridge to that side of the tracks but he did, now he going to have to learn how to stay there. And lay off the g’damn booze for his own sake. If he can at least do that much.
9 Oct 2009, 21:42 pm
Easy to ride high, just as easy to fall flat on your face. Roller coaster of life aint no joy ride. Razors edge of reap as you sow is a real reality whether anyone realize it or not.
Tiptoe through the tulips that should be most high profiles motto’s.
9 Oct 2009, 21:43 pm
#74 David: and now he is a wife clobbering plonker too!
9 Oct 2009, 21:50 pm
#77 Pearl Rose:
If he did. My point is that these threads and the comments are more akin to a Hollywood gossip column than a mature rugby blog.
If Percy’s guilty then Tasmin should take him to the cleaners, but for us to focus on this for the best part of the day is just commenting for the sake of it.
9 Oct 2009, 21:56 pm
Poor rugby players they just not equiped for real life. Big bravado little boys with ego’s that are untamed. Poor buggers simply don’t know what to do or how to handle the real world of emotional reaction, specially when its the woman that really wields the whip when push comes to shove. James Small, Dalton, Percy, big he men on the rugby field till the lady shows who’s boss then they crumble like the bags of puffed up huff n puff pride they are. Like little boys in a heap on the floor.
Real world much tougher than those 4 white lines where gladiators think they the tough nuts when back at the ranch they just marshmallows.
9 Oct 2009, 22:00 pm
#24 Simon:
Just glad to see Keo gave you a talk down earlier in the week i.e. spent time with the bloggers and defend your views (if you can)
#74 David:
According to Joost’s statement afterwards, he never knew the girl, regardless of the photo’s.
9 Oct 2009, 22:01 pm
#79 skopskiet:
I’m surprised that you haven’t commented on the fact that 7s rugby is now an Olympic discipline.
9 Oct 2009, 22:03 pm
#80 nama1:
I’ve never mentioned Jooste, not in that post or any other time. I think you may be confused.
9 Oct 2009, 22:05 pm
Not much else to be blogging about unless you like to discuss Betelgeuse that might go or may have already gone super nova. Or else whether Iran’s nuclear warheads could spark off the real Armageddon.
Could always swap koeksuster recipes instead though. Or speculate who’s going to be Jakes lackey coach at winning ways Leeutjies.
I did see that Pdv said on Tv3 news that he’s real disappointed with most the Cc coaches and management for hiring foreign players instead of developing our own, and that no one gbs even bothered consulting him about the cause or effects of it all. Poor show Cc coaches, poor f.ng show indeed. All of these big spending pro palooka’s.
9 Oct 2009, 22:16 pm
Nice that 7′s rugby will be an Olympic discipline in 2016 and 2020. Thats if this civilization gets through the next 7 years in one piece. I’ll go gaga when I see it happening, though for me Olympics should be about athletics, swimming, wrestling, boxing, rowing, archery, weight lifting, gymnastics, board diving, volley ball, table tennis, fencing, judo, and probably a good few more real intense skill sports.
Not for soccer, tennis, rugby, cricket croquet and all these other pom pom sports.
Though I do think 7′s rugby could well be a welcomed inclusion, far better than soccer, tennis and cricket.
9 Oct 2009, 22:20 pm
#82 David:
I also did not mention Jooste.
9 Oct 2009, 22:25 pm
gbs – has . Blame it on the auto spell memory on this phone key pad.
9 Oct 2009, 22:26 pm
#83 skopskiet:
As a red dwarf, Betelgeuse was always going to implode. The star, not the character in Hitch hikers Guide.
I don’t believe that any team game should have Olympic status, if one is taking a purist attitude.
9 Oct 2009, 22:28 pm
#85 nama1:
80. nama1 :
October 9th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
#74 David:
According to Joost’s statement afterwards, he never knew the girl, regardless of the photo’s.
Sober up.
9 Oct 2009, 22:37 pm
Well David according to Schwartz a prominent astro scientist who’s been studying Betelgeuse the Red Giant star in normal condition before nova more than 1000 times the size of our sun and only a meager 400 light years away which in cosmic terms is right next door, its going or has gone super nova within the 400 light years that is its distance from here. According his assessment if thats the case, this entire solar system is history. Humanity as we know it, in fact this entire little neighbourhood of planets is history, black hole here we come. Poof ! back into the cosmic soup. All over Rover, lets start again, don’t collect your get out of jail card as you pass by go. Fini mon ami. Klaar gelag.
9 Oct 2009, 22:38 pm
#88 David:
There’s a difference between Jooste and Joost’s. Maybe your’e the one not so sober any more.
9 Oct 2009, 22:41 pm
Awfully quiet around here, maybe the defection is now complete, all those highly knowledgeable rugby fundi’s all signed up and approved on rugby talk.com
I still say nothing short of cowardice, but then thats just my little assessment of the scenario.
9 Oct 2009, 22:44 pm
#89 skopskiet:
Red giant is right. Astronomy was a passion of mine when I was a kid. Orion used to dominate the view from my bedroom window in winter in the NH.
I’ll be gone long before then anyway. It took me a while to accept that I’d never see the future of mankind, and that was when I was 12.
9 Oct 2009, 22:46 pm
#90 nama1:
So which post of mine were you referring to?
9 Oct 2009, 22:52 pm
hey intergalactic skop i’m entering east london on my to the transkei, any old mates of yours i should say “what’s up” to?
9 Oct 2009, 22:53 pm
#89 skopskiet: so when’s it all over?
9 Oct 2009, 22:53 pm
#91 skopskiet:
The break was on the cards for a while. In fact it existed long before it happened. If you want more info, mail me at david@crm2 dot co dot za with your cell number. I’d like to chat anyway.
9 Oct 2009, 22:58 pm
#83 skopskiet: I guess PDV is annoyed Pienaar isn’t getting game time 10 ahead of Hernandez
9 Oct 2009, 22:59 pm
#89 skopskiet:
LOL, thats one of the funniest i’ve read yet. come on, whats wrong with a bit of mayhem? besides, what if we get off this rock before it goes boom? they even exploding rockets into the moon to check for water – it should all be ok providing your great great great grand-kids are happy living in another solar system.
9 Oct 2009, 22:59 pm
#93 David:
“I’ve never mentioned Jooste, not in that post or any other time. I think you may be confused.”
See 82.
9 Oct 2009, 23:04 pm
#92 david. Your knowledge of astronomy far outstrips mine. Though I’m pretty fascinated by this universal existence and the immense grandeur of it all. What fascinates me is that our known history stretches how far back, yet if this theory is correct we could be facing a complete dissolution of this little corner of the Milky Way within the next 400 years or sooner if Betelgeuse already started its nova state within the last 400 yrs which we’ll only know when that light reaches here.
We might think that our total conscious existence begins and ends with birth and death into and out of this human frame, but I believe otherwise. Now if we accept that evolution is a proven theory, then what theory supercedes it if all this evolving simply gets snuffed out by a neighbouring star that goes boom, or a meteor hits. Where we reckon our origin begins or ends? We might have some kind of false sense of permanence that this body is the be all and end all of our existence when in fact its probably furthest from the truth. But ultimately if Betelgeuse has or is going boom then all this creating and evolving and coming and going from one species to the next seems all in vain, or is it? Hmm, rather bigger considerations and concerns to my thinking than who’s the next Lions coach or who’s going to win the 2011 RWC or the 2016 Olympic 7′s gold medal.
9 Oct 2009, 23:06 pm
Hello girls.
9 Oct 2009, 23:07 pm
#100 skopskiet: And here I am just trying to make a living, see the Boks win and drink some fine wine and eat some good foods and enjoy my time with my wife & kids.
If it’s all over I think I will have to step up the dopping.
9 Oct 2009, 23:09 pm
Bloody fantastic to see 7′s in the Olympics. Now the IRB better do a great job to promote the game and keep it there, which they won’t because the never do.
But it will be interesting.
Take the 7′s specialists or let Spies, Kankowski, Habana, Mentz, Adams loose?
9 Oct 2009, 23:10 pm
#100 skopskiet:
we’ve got bigger problems than battlegoose, there’s an asteroid set to come close in 20 years time, far more likely to get wiped out by that sort of thing imo unless there’s a global pandemic or human creation which does so before then.
its happened many times before, the dinosaurs were top of the food chain and perhaps if the asteroid had not hit, they’d be tapping away on their pc’s contemplating the mystery of it all, such as will Jake take over the Lions. Will you have a drink to celebrate?
9 Oct 2009, 23:11 pm
#91 skopskiet: “I still say nothing short of cowardice”
Why would you care?
9 Oct 2009, 23:12 pm
#103 SodaJoe: I wonder who is actually better at 7s, the specialists or the gifted 15s players?
Matthew Tait is lethal at 7s but Ollie Phillips is the IRB 7s player of the year, I know which would I would least like to play against.
9 Oct 2009, 23:15 pm
#104 cab: Battle Goose. That’s quite a terrifying thought.
Not as bad as Combat Ready Parktown Prawn.
9 Oct 2009, 23:15 pm
actually matthew tait was hugely talented cented, just a bietjie bangbroek.
9 Oct 2009, 23:17 pm
#100 skopskiet:
The key is “our concious existence” as you put it. It presupposes that our existence is defined by our physical identity and our awareness of it. If all matter is eternal it doesn’t mean that it’s form is eternal. We may be immortal but rather like a drop of water, lose our concious identity in the ocean of the universe.
9 Oct 2009, 23:17 pm
#107 SodaJoe:
yes i went to go watch that, wickus turned into a prawn, the poor okie.
9 Oct 2009, 23:19 pm
#106 Big Hit: I am beyond excited about 7′s being an Olympic sport.
But if we’re truly honest it is second best to 15 man rugby – in all nations.
Which means that the Habanas, Spies, Kankowski’s don’t play. And those guys would be lethal.
Quite a while ago, when 7′s really hit it’s stride with Hong Kong Sevens – NZ in particular would blood a lot of youngsters in 7′s and they would play both “codes”.
But now there’s much more rugby and therefore a false “specialization”.
The very best players play 15 man – and get paid well for it.
There may well be some 7′s specialists that are just better, Eric Rush comes to mind, but my personal view is that the better players are playing professional 15 man rugby.
9 Oct 2009, 23:19 pm
#109 David: yeah that would really suck, although I guess suicidal people would gladly like to lose their conscious identity
9 Oct 2009, 23:20 pm
#109 David: Wow, you don’t hear that everyday. I have been saying the same thing for years. Just seems to fall on deaf ears.
9 Oct 2009, 23:20 pm
#109 David:
yessus where did that come from? its too much, i need a drink.
do you think heinke/rallapelle/cj would make a good lions frontrow?
9 Oct 2009, 23:21 pm
#103 SodaJoe:
Hi Soda, I think the argument is rather moot. The Olympic committe will put restrictions on the level of player, as they have in soccer.
9 Oct 2009, 23:21 pm
#110 cab: Good movie, as usual not as good as the hype.
But my overwhelming impression was that Joburg had really gone to ****.
9 Oct 2009, 23:21 pm
#114 cab: The answer is yes.
9 Oct 2009, 23:22 pm
#115 David: No problem with me. I wish they did that for all sports – basketball, tennis, as well.
9 Oct 2009, 23:25 pm
#111 SodaJoe: I think you’re right, the stars from the 15 man code are better. This was the shortlist of best 7s players this year,I might be wrong but I think it’s mainly players who aren’t great at the 15 man code.
The 2009 Nominees for IRB World Player of the Year:
Renfred Dazel, South Africa
With a quick thinking rugby brain and lightening fast acceleration, Dazel has been a key man behind South Africa’s consistently strong performances this year, helping them win three Series Cup titles so far in Dubai, George and Adelaide. A full time Sevens-contracted player like the rest of Paul Treu’s squad, South Africa’s reigning Sevens player of the year has played in all seven tournaments so far on the World Series, scoring 18 tries and 169 points.
Collins Injera, Kenya
With 35 tries so far this season Injera is the season’s leading scorer, having crossed the whitewash eight times more than anyone else. A constant danger with his pace and power, he is a key reason behind Kenya’s rise up the world Sevens rankings to their current position of sixth.
Humphrey Kayange, Kenya
Injera’s brother and captain, Kayange has proved an inspirational leader for the Kenyans both on and off the pitch. His haul of 16 tries from seven events represents the second highest by a forward and his ball-winning and defensive qualities lie at the heart of Kenya’s vast improvement under coach Benjamin Ayimba. Has led the Africans to four Cup quarter finals, two semi finals and one final on the Series, as well as the semi finals of the Rugby World Cup Sevens.
Mpho Mbiyozo, South Africa
In the absence of Mzwandile Stick, Mbiyozo captained the Springbok Sevens team to victory in Adelaide in April but has been another constant in South Africa’s push for a first ever IRB Sevens World Series crown. Another player to have played in all seven events so far this season, he has notched 13 tries to compliment his ball-winning skills as a forward.
Ollie Phillips, England
England’s captain this season, Phillips inspired Ben Ryan’s side to a first ever Cup success in Wellington in February and a first win in five years at their home London Sevens event at Twickenham last weekend. Another ever-present, he is his country’s leading try-scorer this year with 20 and has been central to the team’s vast improvement on last season.
Emosi Vucago, Fiji
At the heart of Fiji’s rebuilding work under coach Iliesa Tanivula, Vucago wears the number ’6′ shirt vacated by the great Waisale Serevi and Fiji are always a better team with him than without him. His five tournaments played this year have yielded 10 tries and 82 points, including a starring role in their one Cup success this year in Hong Kong.
9 Oct 2009, 23:25 pm
Will do David will mail you shortly, probably not tonight though, email access little limited here.
Hooray cavalry has arrived in form of cab, transie and big hit, thought for a moment back there that the defection had even managed to snuff out some these die hard bright sparks.
Don’t know anyone in East London transie.
All I know is that 400 years is less than a blink of an eye in evolutionary or cosmic time. If its the design of the great cosmonaut that this little cycle (whats it been around 4 or 5 billion years) is about to come to an end just in this galactic neighbourhood, then all these souls inhabiting these 7 billion human bodies and all the rest of the trillion odd inhabitants of other bodily species all got to vacate in rather a little hurry, and vamoose where to exactly? No where to go but back into the cosmic soup and another little round robin episode of coagulation of matter, formation of amoeba, non vertebrates, vertebrates, amphibian, water born, land born, lower reptile, fish, fowl, mammal, primate and man all over again.
Somebody up there must have a hilarious sense of humour.
9 Oct 2009, 23:25 pm
#116 SodaJoe:
yes, it was a strange one, started off a bit **** but then when the prawns got their mothership going it got a bit better – you right tho joburg did not look great, in fact neither did wickus.
9 Oct 2009, 23:26 pm
#115 David: why would they though?
9 Oct 2009, 23:29 pm
Sorry guys, i got carried away for the moment.
Where the hell did you all suddenly come from.? The site was dead, It was a bit like being caught masturbating, by your mother when you think you’re alone.
9 Oct 2009, 23:29 pm
#120 skopskiet: makes it all sound a bit pointless really
9 Oct 2009, 23:31 pm
#121 cab: #120 skopskiet: Geez I might get really despondent if you keep ignoring me. Depressed even.
9 Oct 2009, 23:32 pm
#123 David: Well as Woody Allen said, *** with someone is really great, but you can’t beat the real thing.
9 Oct 2009, 23:33 pm
#125 SodaJoe: Cab you’ve actually been quite nice indulging me and all, just got carried away with disappointment and copied you.
9 Oct 2009, 23:34 pm
#122 Big Hit: There’s usually an age limit which is intended to make the events more sporting and even.
They obviously have never seen the Grey Bloem First XV.
9 Oct 2009, 23:35 pm
#123 David:
actually 109 is one of the most insightful thought-provoking thoughts i’ve read.
but all things have their place, time to disappear into the revelry of paris, best time of the week for whatever reason. late city i guess.
enjoy your weekend.
9 Oct 2009, 23:35 pm
#122 Big Hit:
Read my responses to Simon at the beginning of this thread. If we select our best 15 game players, we’ll have to retrain them to the 7s game. This will totally disrupt the 4N, S15 and tour matches.
Besides, the IOC doesn’t want professional teams to dominate the team sports.
9 Oct 2009, 23:36 pm
another bright spark has arrived in this here constellation in form of sofa joe of Minneapolis hip hip hooray. More the merryer for as long as this earth keeps spinning on her axis.
#109 david, like your thinking here we pretty much on same page in this regard.
Cab if meteor hadn’t struck dinosaur would still be king. But it did strike (if that theory is correct) and Mr Dinosaur is no more, now **** sapien is king, for this little stretch anyway, till next one hits, or Betelgeuse goes boom at least.
Big question still remains. ‘who are we’ or rather ‘who am I’. Million dollar question that should be the first equation on the agenda in everyones priority, cause as we come to notice, f’all is actually permanent in this revolving evolving universe of duality and polarized existence.
9 Oct 2009, 23:36 pm
#125 SodaJoe:
hey, ignoring you? no i aint seen you in ages, figured you went off to the other place to bake melktert of so iets. always good to see you around soda, ok later.
9 Oct 2009, 23:39 pm
#129 cab:
Night Cab, you lucky *******.
9 Oct 2009, 23:44 pm
One more Olympic gold medal headed for NZ, of course.
9 Oct 2009, 23:45 pm
#130 David: I have to say, I’m not sure they’ll have to be retrained such is the talent available in the 15 man code. How much training would a form Shane Williams need for example or a Rupeni Caucau or a Brian O’Driscoll?
#129 cab: later cab
9 Oct 2009, 23:45 pm
#133 TheTackler: one more opportunity to choke you mean
9 Oct 2009, 23:47 pm
#113 SodaJoe:
Frustrating, isn’t it? We might be immortal, but WE will not be around to conciously enjoy it.
9 Oct 2009, 23:47 pm
one my posts been moderated wtf for God or Roy only knows.
Anyway see cabs gone. And I don’t have a copy n paste function on here except just will have to say
#109 david that I appreciate your thinking we pretty much on same page as per this regard. Will mail you sometime shortly when I get to a functioning pc. This phone thingy just not up to the moeita.
9 Oct 2009, 23:49 pm
#131 cab: Actually I only post here, I come to visit with mates, who are seemingly far and few between now.
having to travel more. So less time.
I really don’t get why people are concerned about the guys on rugby talk – each to their own, fine by me. I miss some of the more insightful folks that taught me a lot about the game.
Disappear in to the revelry that is Paris. Now that line made me jealous. Great city, I have enjoyed it immensely every single time.
9 Oct 2009, 23:52 pm
#134 Big Hit:
You need to develop a squad of 7s specialists. The speed and tactics are different to the 15 man game.
Sure, talented national players might be able to adapt, but it will take time, and what happens to the traditional 15 man schedule whilst they’re doing it?
9 Oct 2009, 23:57 pm
#137 skopskiet:
Please do.
Anyway guys, good night.
9 Oct 2009, 23:58 pm
#139 David: Dave – I ahven’t watched a lot of 7′s, certainly not recently. But watched HK 7′s and truthfully – the specialist dealio is a red herring to me.
3 “forwards”
4 backs.
Spies, Kankowski, Brussow at hooker.
Adams, Ludik, Habana, Mentz,
I doubt the current national team would beat this team. But who knows, conjecture at best, because it’s never been tested.
Scheduling however is another matter.
9 Oct 2009, 23:58 pm
#140 David: Night bud.
9 Oct 2009, 23:59 pm
#139 David: it’s interesting you take that view as this is what I was discussing with sodajoe. Ollie Phillips is said to be the best 7s player in the world in 2009 but I still think the likes of Matthew Tait would be easily better despite not playing it often. The level of natural talent is so much higher, Ollie Phillips couldn’t hold down a place on the wing at Falcons.
10 Oct 2009, 00:00 am
cabs gone jolling to Mont Martre or or Champs Ellyses or Moulin Rouge or some such happy spinning venue of human co habitation. Paris the place where the beautiful people show just how beautiful they can be, specially the fairer ***. Gotta make hay while the sun shines cos sooner or later could be night time again.
Yes David except I reckon its much grander than that, ‘who’ will be conscious of that super conscious state of cosmic awareness will still be ‘us’ except not limited by this finite sensual state of insular imperception. The ‘big picture’ is visible but not with the apparati of physical senses.
10 Oct 2009, 00:05 am
everybody come and everybody go. Time to bale out too I guess.
So long folks
10 Oct 2009, 00:06 am
#144 skopskiet: that’s a more optimistic conclusion on the face of it, only problem is in that scenario is that we won’t be aware that it’s ‘us’, that is, the previous ‘us’ limited by physical senses.
10 Oct 2009, 00:06 am
#129 cab: i agree cabbie…david got me thinking there for a second…enjoy paris…
I’m really interested in how the IOC will regulate this one, even SARU for that matter…
10 Oct 2009, 00:06 am
#145 skopskiet: think you right, later all
10 Oct 2009, 00:11 am
#103 SodaJoe:
Ja, just a pity Paul Treu would not be there.
10 Oct 2009, 00:21 am
Skop / David : Eish you guys are outta this world ! and here Im worried bout that farkin mole in my garden.
10 Oct 2009, 00:39 am
#122 Big Hit:
Think Olympic soccer.
10 Oct 2009, 01:23 am
#120 skopskiet:
Skoppie, enjoy your Grant’s.
10 Oct 2009, 04:00 am
Olympic Football is limited to a squad of under 23′s and about 3 over that age I think. I don’t really think there is a need for something like that at 7′s.
10 Oct 2009, 04:06 am
#91 skopskiet:
Why do you care so much about those guys? Leave them kids alone, as Freddie would say.
10 Oct 2009, 04:10 am
#153 lightieThere should be, if we want to spread rugby around the world.
10 Oct 2009, 04:15 am
#153 lightie:
I see that Obama won the Nobel peace prize. What’s your take on that?
10 Oct 2009, 09:31 am
#47 David:
Meant pick the best SEVENS players… players who can play sevens… Those who have played sevens… Juries, Russell etc… if they are still good enough…
10 Oct 2009, 14:52 pm
#156 nama1:
Slightly premature for someone who so far hasn’t achieved anything he set out to do. Really it’s just gonna give the right wing ammunition.
10 Oct 2009, 14:57 pm
#158 lightie: Agree. I think Obama could become a great President, but all the praise can not be good. We all know it only takes 1 “madman”! Not just from the middle east, but within US as well.
11 Oct 2009, 01:49 am
I read WP were interested in signing Collins Injera the Kenyan 7s star (mentioned earlier in this thread)
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