Sevens World Series/7's News

[carbonero Profile]

@ArmchairFan Fair enough. He does come across as an asshole in those excerpts. The dig at the lack of prospects of the women’s team is particularly shameful.

However, Spain needs some sort of development plan going forward. You are basically asking for an uptick in WR’s high performance subsidies without any high performance plan in place. What Pichot has to realize is that qualifying for the next RWC could open revenue streams to fund those types of development programs.

Steering the conversation back to 7s, the FER stumbled into those results. All the credit goes to the players and staff. You described their faulty preparation before Hong Kong. If I remember correctly, the training camp ahead of the Olympics was in part funded by the players themselves. Let’s not pretend that the FER gave any sort of priority to the 7s project. They are already following Pichot's guidelines in that code.

Wait, did they really intend to tour Spain in August? Three months after the local league was over? Really?

August is probably the only time of the year when that tour can happen because it doesn’t overlap with your league. Your clubs would revolt if they took their players for a couple more weekends in the fall. I’m sure they are delighted with the return of the SWS.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Yeah. To prepare the Olympics, players were contracted thanks to Olympic grants but their trip to Fiji in February 2016 was partially funded by the staff. FER doesn't give a priority to 7s but can't afford to leave it too unassisted compared to XV: government funds come because rugby is an olympic sport. If we pull the plug off 7s, there goes the money.

I don't agree with all what FER does and I don't disagree with all what Pichot stated. I just share the fact there is a real tension between Pichot and our union and that nations like Brazil were explicitly mentioned as in a better position than us.

Regarding that August games against Argentina XV, I'd be totally grateful if they had come, but I fear the team would have a been a disaster. It's like the issues we already have every June, but two months later and out of shape. And yeah, club supporters have already voiced concerns about sevens. Invitations to Paris and London series are particularly a pain in the arse since they overlap with league play-off rounds. But they were only sent after the calendar was approved.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Today a press conference was held in Spanish Sports Council with Pablo Feijóo and Ángel López:
- Ángel López confirmed his retirement, aged 25. He got injured in Hong Kong semis and will begin to work as a doctor in a few weeks time.
- Pablo Feijóo admitted Paris and London "will be a disaster"
- He wants to implement a development side and a national championship
- He is pressuring a lot his own father (FER president) in the media and that press conference wasn't an exception

[Sables4EVA Profile]

What this proves is that a 2nd Tier World Series would be competitive and exciting.

In competited sportsmarkets like Germany etc, nobody wants to watch second stringers competitions , here you want compete with the best !
That would be a stupid idea

Of course you want to compete with the best. All I said was that a 2nd tier series would be competitive, nothing else. So as far as you are concerned, failing to make the World Series means that there is no point in competing? What, you just give up and hope to do better at next seasons Hong Kong qualifiers???

Or do you improve your exposure and game by playing the next best nations in a tough series so that when you do get promoted you are better prepared???

Makes you wonder if any other sports have come up with the concept of 2nd divisions and lower levels of competition...... Oh hang on wait.......

[RugbyLiebe Profile]

What this proves is that a 2nd Tier World Series would be competitive and exciting.

In competited sportsmarkets like Germany etc, nobody wants to watch second stringers competitions , here you want compete with the best !
That would be a stupid idea

Of course you want to compete with the best. All I said was that a 2nd tier series would be competitive, nothing else. So as far as you are concerned, failing to make the World Series means that there is no point in competing? What, you just give up and hope to do better at next seasons Hong Kong qualifiers???

Or do you improve your exposure and game by playing the next best nations in a tough series so that when you do get promoted you are better prepared???

Makes you wonder if any other sports have come up with the concept of 2nd divisions and lower levels of competition...... Oh hang on wait.......

So which one has a closed shop second division? I'm really curious to find that out. The problem is finances. Nobody wants to see it, nobody wants to sponsor it.
As we Europeans are concerned the 2nd division is the annual Euro Grand Prix Series. The general level should be higher than in the World Series qualifier with some World Series teams competing in it (Portugal finished 7th in 2016 - as a just relegated RWS participant and three more divisions (Trophy, Conference 1, Conference2) down from there.

I do agree though, that the change of just 1 team is probably not enough and a too big bottle neck. Maybe cut down the guest teams and have a relegation/promotion of two teams per season.

[Neptune Profile]

Does anyone know how the finances of the world series work?

Who gets the money from the events? Almost all the legs seem well attended, its constantly on TV in the UK at some pretty good viewing times so will surely get some decent money there, they have a decent array of sponsors.

Someone said earlier that World Rugby pay travel costs, is there no prize money?

This is the second year in a run that Hong Kong wont have prize money. Previously, the prize money was 150K dollars.

http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/hong-kon ... oney-55524

WR caters for travel and accomodation for all the core teams in the series. The host unions make money from broadcast rights, betting rights and gate collection. The players income comes from their respective unions, since they are contracted players, but in the case of Fiji, the Hong Kong prize money is part of their income, sadly it has been withdrawn by the HKRU.

That seems a very unequal set up to me. The host unions take all the risk so it is right and proper that they benefit from their events financially but it seems that the participant-only nations get very little at all, in practical terms nothing at all to pay players or support staff. No wonder nations like Scotland were/are considering their investment in 7s since losing a leg.

Yep, Life is unfair. Most of the money belongs to the host union.

[Neptune Profile]

All the best to defending champions Kenya and the other teams as they play the Singapore 7s this weekend.

[Sables4EVA Profile]

What this proves is that a 2nd Tier World Series would be competitive and exciting.

In competited sportsmarkets like Germany etc, nobody wants to watch second stringers competitions , here you want compete with the best !
That would be a stupid idea

Of course you want to compete with the best. All I said was that a 2nd tier series would be competitive, nothing else. So as far as you are concerned, failing to make the World Series means that there is no point in competing? What, you just give up and hope to do better at next seasons Hong Kong qualifiers???

Or do you improve your exposure and game by playing the next best nations in a tough series so that when you do get promoted you are better prepared???

Makes you wonder if any other sports have come up with the concept of 2nd divisions and lower levels of competition...... Oh hang on wait.......

So which one has a closed shop second division? I'm really curious to find that out. The problem is finances. Nobody wants to see it, nobody wants to sponsor it.
As we Europeans are concerned the 2nd division is the annual Euro Grand Prix Series. The general level should be higher than in the World Series qualifier with some World Series teams competing in it (Portugal finished 7th in 2016 - as a just relegated RWS participant and three more divisions (Trophy, Conference 1, Conference2) down from there.

I do agree though, that the change of just 1 team is probably not enough and a too big bottle neck. Maybe cut down the guest teams and have a relegation/promotion of two teams per season.

We would still need to qualify for the 2nd Tier Series so it wouldn't be a closed shop.

It would be a step up form the Euro Grnad Prix with teams like Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tonga, Chile, Brazil and many other non European teams.

[germanbullsfan Profile]

Not worth to think about it . That would be a finacial , logistic nightmare, not to speak from a free place in the calendar

[TheStroBro Profile]

Seems Singapore 7s is as well attended as Wellington...

[YamahaKiwi Profile]

Keith Quinn, commentating in HKG, said there are strong rumours Singapore's leg will go back to Tokyo next year.

[victorsra Profile Website]

It would be a step up form the Euro Grnad Prix with teams like Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tonga, Chile, Brazil and many other non European teams.

There were strong rumours a couple of years ago that World Rugby was planning a 7s second division series.

[vino_93 Profile]

Maybe someone can help me ? I'm looking for who were core teams in the past. I can't find informations before 2007-2008 season.

From my guess, and from what I've seen in the pools of tournaments :
1999-2000 : 6 (NZ, AUS, FIJ, SAM, RSA, CAN)
2000-2001 : 8 (NZ, AUS, FIJ, SAM, RSA, ARG, ENG, CAN)
2001-2002 : 8 (NZ, RSA, ENG, FIJ, AUS, SAM, ARG, WAL)
2002-2003 : 6 (NZ, ENG, FIJ, RSA, AUS, SAM)
2003-2004 : 8 (NZ, ENG, ARG, FIJ, RSA, SAM, FRA, AUS)
2004-2005 : 11 (NZ, FIJ, ENG, RSA, ARG, SAM, AUS, FRA, SCO, CAN, KEN)
2005-2006 : 11 (NZ, FRA, SAM, FIJ, AUS, RSA, ARG, SCO KEN, CAN)
2006-2007 : 11 (AUS, FIJ, ENG, FRA, RSA, ARG, SAM, NZ, SCO, KEN, CAN)

Thank for your help

[vino_93 Profile]

It would be a step up form the Euro Grnad Prix with teams like Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tonga, Chile, Brazil and many other non European teams.

There were strong rumours a couple of years ago that World Rugby was planning a 7s second division series.

I guess, in this case, something short. I mean, there's no need for a 10 round series. Only 3 or 4 events. F.e. one in Europe (Oktoberfest 7s ?), one in Asia (Sri Lanka ? Malaysia ? South Korea ?), one in America (Brasil ? Chile ? Uruguay ?), and maybe one in Africa (Zimbabwe ? Uganda ? Tunisia ?). Trying to do this on easy places to travel.
You shall only organise event in countries from where teams are qualified for the competition.

You don't even need many teams. To qualify, through regional qualifications :
2 europeans
2 oceanians
2 asians
2 americans (merge north & south)
2 africans
+ two others : or you give a spot to specific region, based on last year results (so, if we imagine for next year, one more spot for Europe, and one for America - if we consider there's no place for a minor oceanian nation, with funding problems).
+ on each tournament, 4 wild cards (3 from the region, one from outside), who would give opportunities for everyone to reach other continents' teams.

Or :
3 europeans
3 asians
3 americans
3 africans
2 oceanians (due to fund problems)
+ or 2 wild cards / or one wild card, one core for last year continent winner / two spots for last years 2 best region teams.

That might work, and not cost too much. Not need to create a proper second tier series with many rounds and many travels.

[Ser Podrick of Payne Profile]

I see that the SEA 7s was concurrent with the WSS. Singapore A beat Malaysia 19 - 7 in the final though I can't find a complete list of results.

Thailand, Laos, Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia were also innvolved.

[Sables4EVA Profile]

Not worth to think about it . That would be a finacial , logistic nightmare, not to speak from a free place in the calendar

World Rugby think it is a viable option or they wouldn't be considering one.

[thatrugbyguy Profile]

All North American cup final in Singapore! That has to be the first time in Sevens history that a final involves two T2 nations!

[YamahaKiwi Profile]

WOW!WOW!WOW! Fantastic performances by the boys from North America!!!! First ever SWS final USA v CAN...Can you believe it??! LEEEEEEEEEETS GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!

[Ser Podrick of Payne Profile]

Can't believe that USA - Australia scoreline!

[thatrugbyguy Profile]

Yay Canada! Congrats!

[nick511 Profile]

I see that the SEA 7s was concurrent with the WSS. Singapore A beat Malaysia 19 - 7 in the final though I can't find a complete list of results.

Thailand, Laos, Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia were also innvolved.

It's on the Singapore Union's website. No Major upsets, Singapore had three teams involved.

Congrats Canada too on the win well deserved!

[Ser Podrick of Payne Profile]

I see that the SEA 7s was concurrent with the WSS. Singapore A beat Malaysia 19 - 7 in the final though I can't find a complete list of results.

Thailand, Laos, Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia were also innvolved.

It's on the Singapore Union's website. No Major upsets, Singapore had three teams involved.

Congrats Canada too on the win well deserved!

My antivirus programme won't let me access the site!

[grande Profile]

Holy shit! I couldn't watch the games, as they were in the middle of the night, but like... What happened? Were Canada & the US just firing on all cylinders yesterday?

This is a great result... It's good to see Canada's men doing well.

On another note, I just realised, NZ haven't won a cup at all this season; not since Vancouver 2016, over a year ago. They're currently in 4th, their worst position since 08-09. Pretty crazy.

[Coloradoan Profile]

Holy shit! I couldn't watch the games, as they were in the middle of the night, but like... What happened? Were Canada & the US just firing on all cylinders yesterday?

This is a great result... It's good to see Canada's men doing well.

On another note, I just realised, NZ haven't won a cup at all this season; not since Vancouver 2016, over a year ago. They're currently in 4th, their worst position since 08-09. Pretty crazy.

Congrats to Canada.

For NZ, they could still even finish 5th. USA only 9 points behind them with 2 legs left.

[grande Profile]

Watching the highlights... Not a great turnout in Singapore. Not a great turnout for the Sunwolves there, either. I wonder how many people will be at that Scotland/Italy game this summer?