Getting serious about sevens
9 Dec 2010
SIMON BORCHARDT says sevens will never matter to the majority of South African rugby fans as long as the national team is made up of high-school graduates and provincial rejects.
A week ago, a poll on keo.co.za asked: ‘Do you care about the IRB Sevens World Series?’ Of the 994 readers who voted over the next two days, 71% said no.
That didn’t surprise me. After all, why should fans care about a tournament that doesn’t involve top-quality players?
In a recent interview with SA Rugby magazine, Bok Sevens coach Paul Treu told the story of a meeting he had with Rassie Erasmus about calling up two WP U21 players to the sevens squad. Erasmus turned down the request, saying there was a chance they’d be needed in Super Rugby.
You have to feel sorry for Treu. He cannot select any contracted provincial player without the permission of the province, and is forced to rely on youngsters who aren’t yet ready to play professional rugby or older guys who can no longer command a starting place at their unions.
I don’t buy the argument that our sevens players want to be sevens specialists because they prefer the format to 15-man rugby. When Fabian Juries, a sevens legend, was offered a contract with the Cheetahs, he didn’t hesitate to put pen to paper. Ex-SA Sevens captain Mzwandile Stick did the same when Eastern Province – a First Division Currie Cup team – came calling. In this country, representing the national sevens side is a consolation prize and nothing more.
That would change, though, if Treu was allowed to pick Vodacom Cup players for the Sevens World Series and Saru paid those unions compensation. How can a B-grade provincial competition that nobody cares about be a higher priority than an international series?
Treu should also be allowed to pick two or three Boks for the South African leg of the World Series in December. If the event is moved from George to PE or Cape Town next year, the organisers will have to attract crowds of 45,000 a day – not just 8,000 – and will therefore need crowd pullers like Gio Aplon and Ryan Kankowski (two former sevens players who have gone on to bigger and better things).
Before I get an e-mail from Prof Tim Noakes about burnout, Treu obviously wouldn’t be allowed to pick someone who’s played more than 1,400 minutes that season and desperately needs a break. Those who are selected would only play a maximum of 90 minutes of sevens rugby if South Africa reached the final, and sevens is obviously a lot less physical than the 15-man game.
Getting top-quality players (provincial and Boks) involved in the Sevens World Series from the 2011-12 season would make it that much easier for them to be brought into an Olympic Games squad that can realistically expect to win a gold medal in 2016.
Yes, sevens is a lot of fun, but it’s time we got serious about it.
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194 Comments
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9 Dec 2010, 12:47 pm
Getting serious right about now.
9 Dec 2010, 12:48 pm
@iori Yagami : Sorry forgot about the Dragons from the west.
9 Dec 2010, 12:51 pm
So what are you saying in this article? If the value of the sevens game cannot be appreciated by the general SA rugby supporter, the knock-on effect will be felt in the 15 man game.
9 Dec 2010, 13:10 pm
Sevens is a festival type game. Not to be taken too seriously, mild entertainment only. No big contests, the game is over in a flash, really not that much that is amazing about it. Will never, for me, compare to the 15 man game.
It’s like watching a bunch of sportsmen do the “suikerkaskenades” back in the day. Fun when there’s nothing else to watch, but when Die Man Van Staal came on it’s channel switching time….
9 Dec 2010, 13:13 pm
None of the other top rugby nations select their best players Simon.
Sevens rugby is just not that important and will never be!!
9 Dec 2010, 13:24 pm
SA didn’t even have a decent team at the Common Wealth games. SARU don’t give a ratsass about the format.
9 Dec 2010, 13:31 pm
@wpw : It will by 2016 at the Olympics. Can imagine Russia and USA becoming big threats in five years time as they will want to win gold – things will change.
9 Dec 2010, 13:37 pm
@seamus : If that’s the case then SA should just scrap its sevens team.
9 Dec 2010, 13:46 pm
@Simon : I actually think that it has it’s place, but as I’ve mentioned above, it’s possibly even below Currie Cup Level for me in terms of importance. Good for honing running and handling skills, and also tackling as a slipped tackel often results in a try, but it’s for me a “development” role really.
9 Dec 2010, 13:47 pm
@stormersboy : #4 You will never fully understand the importance 7′s plays in skills developement.
As a simple test. Play the best 7 Bok baackline players against the best 7 backline players of either the AB’s or Wallabies.
You’ll soon realise why the Bok wings don’t score as much tries.
9 Dec 2010, 13:48 pm
Sevens is pretty much the same as 20 overs cricket.
People want to see amazing tries and big sixes. the problem however is that amazing tries and big sixes get devalued if they happen 10 times in each game, hence the loss of interest.
9 Dec 2010, 13:51 pm
@pompies2 : Read my post 9. I understand plenty. I just don’t enjoy it. That was what the earlier post is about. As far as it’s importance is concerned, if it had that great an influence, I’m sure the coaches would have them practicing skills drills that mimick 7′s. Oh, wait…….
9 Dec 2010, 13:51 pm
@seamus : Come on guy – SARU (like any company that relies on public support to generate income) has to concentrate on where the money is. I think @stormersboy comment above is how many Saffas feel.
I personally love going to the 7s, its a great day out and great fun, but doesnt come close to intensity or importance of a Union test.
However, we could change that if our 7s team became more competitive and serious. Didnt we win it in 2009? It had a lot more coverage and prestige, and we were proud of the guys.
Didnt that lead to Aplon, Basson, Raubenheimer and a few other guys getting into CC teams and onto Boks?
9 Dec 2010, 13:52 pm
New Zealand picks their players from the ITM cup for Sevens…Hosea Gear has a Delhi Commonwealth Gold Medal. DJ Forbes plays for Counties Manukau, Kurt Baker plays fullback for Taranaki, Save Tokula plays for the Wellington Lions and has turned out for the Chiefs – i think, Zar Lawrence plays wing for Bay of Plenty…
9 Dec 2010, 13:56 pm
A game that i would most definetly watch is prop sevens. the bigger the better.
9 Dec 2010, 13:59 pm
A game i would be interested in is Prop sevens. Bigger is better!
9 Dec 2010, 13:59 pm
@Transformation :
I get what you’re saying but none of those players with the exception of Gear are really top players.
9 Dec 2010, 14:00 pm
sorry, some double posting goodness
9 Dec 2010, 14:00 pm
@wpw : but they’re certainly not high school graduates…
9 Dec 2010, 14:04 pm
@Transformation :
Yeah but Simon is a tool, didn’t you know??
9 Dec 2010, 14:04 pm
@stormersboy : #12 As a point of focus, it would be of huge benefit if the 7′s game is developed at school level. It elimites the size factor (doesn’t mean bigger boys will struggle) and it promotes emphasis on ball possession, defence,running and passing skills.
9 Dec 2010, 14:07 pm
@pompies2 : “Good for honing running and handling skills, and also tackling as a slipped tackel often results in a try, but it’s for me a “development” role really.”
So pretty much what I said then?
9 Dec 2010, 14:10 pm
@stormersboy : You still need to compete at an advanced level though, so that the transition to provincial, franchise or international level is eased without having to worry to much on the players skills. Buys some time to develope other aspects of an individuals play.
9 Dec 2010, 14:12 pm
@pompies2 : 23 fair comment.
9 Dec 2010, 14:19 pm
I remember watching Fabien Juries when he made his comeback to sevens (last year I think) after he had played the 15-man game for a year or so…and he was HOPELESSLY off the pace. I think the fitness requirements between the two are a little different. A winger in the 15 man game can conceivably go some time without really doing anything of much substance whereas sevens is all out action.
9 Dec 2010, 14:20 pm
@pompies2 : @stormersboy : where do the fijians who regularly morer everyone play outside of sevens…
9 Dec 2010, 14:28 pm
@Transformation : Also a fair comment. Who’s probably the best 7′s player of all time? That Fijian Serevi. He was genius back in the day before anyone else knew what a goose step was, but was mostly unable to translate that form into the 15 man game to any real degree.
I think that the examples of great internationals who were first great 7′s players will be the exception only.
9 Dec 2010, 14:34 pm
@Transformation : quite a few of them play in france. Fiji’s approach to the 7′s game is also vastly different to the Boks. They don’t use it as a means to develope players for the 15′s game. Evidence of that can be seen in the age of some of their players. The AB’s have a mix of ‘permanent’ 7′s players and players identified for 15′s who’s skills will be polished.
SA tries a similar approach, but are less effective due to 7′s not really being played at school level
I remember a few years back at the Villagers schools 7′s an top NZ secondary school wiping the floor with all the ‘rugby’ schools in the province. Some of these schools had craven week and SA schools players. In fact, Paul Delport might even have been on the receiving end.
9 Dec 2010, 14:39 pm
The lack of structure in 7′s leads to a simplicity that will always struggle to captivate the masses for an extended period of time.
Personally, and I know Treu would probably stab me for this, but I see it as an alternative route for players who aren’t picked up by the scouts and signed by unions who are looking to get into the Currie Cup and make a sustained living playing rugby. It’s a second route of entry for those with pace and handling skills that didn’t quite cut if first time round.
9 Dec 2010, 14:44 pm
Also, with regard to player burnout in the article, yes the physicality is far less but anyone who’s ever played 7′s will testify to the intense fitness levels required. The games are shorter, but my God do you run! Helluva lot more turf to cover when there’s only 7 of you!
Also, not all players come back better off after 7′s and some DO opt to stay on. Ebersohn opted to play a further season in the 7′s side even when Naka wanted him to stay with the Cheetahs and he had a starting berth secured. Unfortunately that proved “one season extra” too many and he’s never regained the form he found in Super/Currie Cup Rugby.
9 Dec 2010, 14:57 pm
I don’t agree Simon. Most first choice players in the 15-man game will ever CHOOSE to play 7s. It’s a stigma that you can’t get rid of. Not that it is a ‘weaker sport’, but people will always refer to players as ‘the 7s players’, even if they reach Springbok colors in the 15-man game.
For it to become serious, a competition must be created at domestic level… could walk side-by-side with the Currie-cup and even the S15!
What True was saying a few weeks ago is that there are many players who would rather play 7s rugby, if there was a serious career in it. (Heck, I would!)
If provinces created their own teams, seperately from the 15-man game, then you’ll see growth in our 7s. Players should commit themselves to a specific code, and cross-overs should be prevented as far as possible.
9 Dec 2010, 14:59 pm
@Yetirat : Actually Treu will support you in that. He said he wants players to commit to this form of rugby as a career.
9 Dec 2010, 15:01 pm
@Yetirat : Actually Ebehrson had a serious injury that kept him out for a season. So, it isn’t really 7′s fault.
9 Dec 2010, 15:03 pm
@kingrichard : LOL! I’d go with Prop 15s for 80mins! Especially if they love tackling like Os did!
9 Dec 2010, 15:24 pm
I believe that unions should never be able to stop a player from going to a national team, as long as SARU pays their salary during that period. Now that sevens is an olympic sport, unions should not be able to block players from playing Sevens – even if it’s a Super 14.
But you might say that this is not necessarily best for the player’s career. Then let the player decide! A player always has the right to refuse a callup to a national team if he sees it as being the best interests of his career. However, it is the union who should not be able to legally block the player from playing in the national team.
On top of that, the 15′s national coach can also stop a player from going to sevens, because the 15′s Springboks take precedence over the sevens Springboks. However, what point is there for a player to play Super 14 if he will get the same pay for sevens, and has no chance of making the Springbok 15 man team? In that case he should be allowed to play sevens while SARU pays his salary.
Unfortunately this will require central contracts – a concept that is beyond the grasp of SARU at the moment.
9 Dec 2010, 15:31 pm
@Bouts : Are you saying that most players don’t want to be involved in the olympics?
What if SARU payed them the same salary they would be getting in Super 15. Of course players could refuse to play for the national sevens team, but shouldn’t they atleast have the option? At the moment they don’t even have the right to make this decision for themselves because the unions can stop them.
9 Dec 2010, 15:40 pm
@Bouts :
There is already an inter-provincial sevens competition that nobody knows about. I don’t think there is much of a market for such a competition on its own.
Maybe its popularity would receive a boost if matches were played at halftime of Currie Cup matches. This could be a win-win because Currie Cup matches would also receive a boost.
9 Dec 2010, 15:50 pm
Sevens should serve as a development tool, with the Bok sevens team having a combination of full time players, and younger players who are there to hone and develop their skills. I agree fully that a couple of Boks should be selected for the home leg, and also for the World Cup, Olympics, Commonwealth games etc.
The number of players in international rugby, most notably from Australia and New Zealand, who have spent a year or two in Sevens is impressive. Its great for the outside backs as it teaches them how to beat a player and also how to play towards space, rather than the dumb “stampkar” rugby we see from so many backs in South Africa.
9 Dec 2010, 16:11 pm
@WOLFMAN21 : This doesn’t make sense because sevens is now an olympic sport. How many olympic teams have ‘younger players who are there to hone and develop their skills’?
If we are so interested in player development, then why don’t we let the players make their own decisions? If a player wants to play for the national sevens team, while making the same amount of money, then why should he be stopped?
I don’t think a lot of South Africans are clued in to the fact that sevens is an olympic sport now. SA rugby supporters also don’t seem to understand that is now the professional era when players should be be able to make their own choices about what is best for their careers. There should not be a legal barrier between players and any national team.
9 Dec 2010, 16:58 pm
@WOLFMAN21 : 38 israel dagg being a perfect example..
9 Dec 2010, 17:13 pm
Problem is that union will not release players to 7′s squad and this further devalues the 7′s jersey.
besides the money (more money in 15′s & steadier source of income as contracts are longer with specific benefits such as retainers etc),As players are not centrally contracted like they are in NZ & RFU(if im not mistaken) or at least compensated the situation wont change.Players cant be deployed from provinces in bolster the 7′s as well as develop their skill levels which may catapult them to the next level(ex:Dagg,Vito,Messam,Kaino,Muliaina,Rokocoko,Gear,Sivivatu etc of current AB squad are former 7′s players)…EX: Dagg was hardly out of high school when he receeeived his tutelage from Tietjens so age has nothing to do with it.
And provincial rejects such as Cama,DJ Forbes,Raikambula have become superstars in their own rights in the scene….Watch the next star on the horizon is Julian Savea,u20 phenom last yr & played some club rugby in ANZC.But he’ll play 7′s if he doesnt get S14 spot/roster.In SA he would rot in Vodacom Cup
Players such as Gehard van Velze,Siya Kolisi,Nick koster,Earl Rose,Jody Rose,Sias Eberson,Akona Ndungane(to get back his fitness after horrific injuries),Walter venter etc could do with the exposure…Gain back confidence etc Thats how its done elsewhere.(ex: when Rokocoko was off form & earlier Jonah Lomu were sent to play a bit of sevens)
Great to see Boom Prinsloo is squad.If he excells he’ll bhe a star..IN ANY FORMAT
9 Dec 2010, 19:33 pm
7′s really, really?
Hell who gives a toss about little mans rugby – Simon fire up a thread on the Lions awords held last night.
9 Dec 2010, 19:34 pm
The AB Sevens team is also mostly made up out of an assembly of non-Super14 and no-name players. Some show skills on the Sevens stage that get them into a S14 contract and even the ABs proper, but most don’t. Yet they’ve won a swathe of titles under Gordon Tietjens’s tutelage.
9 Dec 2010, 20:06 pm
7′s beats the hell out of skittle sticks as a spectators sport, any day any time, how anyone can get even vaguely or remotely excited over a pathetic poefta so called sport like skittle sticks beats the hell out of me no end.
At least 7′s has non stop action for the 15 or so minutes it transpires, its usually over too soon, I reckon they should extend it at least an extra 5 min each way, but its still a great exhilarating exhibition of athleticism and ball handling skills, speed strength and coordination, unlike that nonentity of an excuse of a sport where poeftas go hang out to get dried called skittle sticks, or as the poms would call it, cricket.
9 Dec 2010, 20:16 pm
This will never be true. Some of the young guns played for the baby boks and hell I think they have a bright future to come. I think its a good platform for some young rugby players. Flankers who have just come out of school can expand there skills in this format and it might even help them reach there target in there rugby careers because of the skills they are learning in this format.
9 Dec 2010, 20:45 pm
@pompies2 :
Agree with you whole heartedly. I posted below on the other 7s thread last night.
Wish more 15?s players had experience of 7?s. It improves your skills immeasurably particularly backline players.
Our guys still battle to beat a player one-on-one let alone a one-on-two situation in the 15?s set-up. In 7?s, it’s expected of you.
And defence, well there is hardly a cover defence to speak of. So tackling is a non-negotiatable.
And a great way to improve your pre-season fitness and sharpness.
9 Dec 2010, 22:10 pm
Sevens is as similar to 15-man union as what table tennis is to tennis.
9 Dec 2010, 22:22 pm
I don’t like table tennis.
9 Dec 2010, 22:27 pm
@PissAnt : Table tennis doesn’t like you.
9 Dec 2010, 22:30 pm
@WOLFMAN21 :
We are sorted then.
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