Women's World Sevens Series 2015-16

[Rugby7 Profile]

Time and venue for the Women's Sevens Series qualifier has been published by World Rugby.
http://www.worldrugby.org/news/78440

The University College Dublin in Ireland will host the tournament on 22-23 August 2015.

Brazil, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Samoa, South Africa and Wales will all hope to join the series. They will compete for two core places to join New Zealand, Canada, Australia, England, USA, France, Russia, Fiji and Spain in the 2015-16 season.

Locations and dates for the 2015-16 HSBC Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series will be announced by World Rugby in due course.

[NedRugby Profile]

Ireland will be strong contenders to return to the WSWS with that qualifying tournament at home. China and SA will obviously be hoping to retain their places, along with Brazil who was virtually a core team last season. I'm hoping the Dutch will finally come good, but it seems like the other teams are overtaking them. Losing two of their best players (van Harskamp and Franssen) has been a heavy blow and there does not seem to be enough strength in depth to replace them.

[ugrugbychiclet Profile]

http://www.scrumqueens.com/news/hsbc-sp ... rld-series

With HSBC as sponsors perhaps they can now increase the number of teams from 12 to 16?

[johnbirch Profile]

Ireland will be strong contenders to return to the WSWS with that qualifying tournament at home. China and SA will obviously be hoping to retain their places, along with Brazil who was virtually a core team last season. I'm hoping the Dutch will finally come good, but it seems like the other teams are overtaking them. Losing two of their best players (van Harskamp and Franssen) has been a heavy blow and there does not seem to be enough strength in depth to replace them.

The Dutch are still good enough but have an awful tendency to bottle it, even when Frannsen and van Harskamp were around - had never lost to Brazil until Amsterdam in '14 when a win would have got them into the last eight... and they lost. Lost to them again in HK last September when a win would have got them into the WSWS.

Agree Ireland should make it. And watch out for Wales...

[Ser Podrick of Payne Profile]

Pool A: Brazil, Wales, Japan, Samoa

Pool B: China, Netherlands, Kenya, Colombia

Pool C: South Africa, Ireland, Hong Kong, Mexico

~
Netherlands team for Dublin WWSS Qualifier



It seems that Tessel van Dongen, Yasmin Gunner, Nicole Kwee and Tessa Veldhuis have decided to stop playing Ladies 7s.

[ugrugbychiclet Profile]

South Africa http://www.sarugby.net/news/23561?view=news

Lorinda Brown
Phumeza Gadu
Rachelle Geldenhuys
Nosiphiwo Goda
Veroeshka Grain
Zenay Jordaan
Jacqueline Kriel
Sinazo Nobele
Marithy Pienaar
Fundiswa Plaatjie
Mathrin Simmers
Zaandre Theron

[ugrugbychiclet Profile]

Kenya http://www.kenyacup.com/internationals/ ... announced/

Catherine Abilla (KCB-Captain), Camilyne Oyuayo (KCB-Vice Captain), Janet Owino (Kenya Harlequin),Rachael Mbogo (Kenya Harlequin), Sheila Chajira (Kenya Harlequin), Irene Atieno (Kenya Harlequin),Doreen Remour (Mwamba), Celestine Masinde (Mwamba), Philadelphia Olando (KCB), Sinaida Aura (KCB),Janet Akello (KCB),Linet Moraa (Kenya Harlequin)

Non Travelling Reserves
Janet Midecha (KCB), Camilla Cynthia (Kenya Harlequin), Mary Musieka (Kenya Harlequin)

Management
Michael Shamiah (Head Coach), Kevin Wambua (Assistant Coach), Aschin Klein (Technical Advisor),Ben Mahinda (Physio), Sarah Otieno (Team Manager)

[ugrugbychiclet Profile]

Is there a live stream link for this qualifiers tournament?

[NedRugby Profile]

4 more Dutch players have quit since Lisbon. I can't see them doing well in this tournament.

[Ser Podrick of Payne Profile]

Is there a live stream link for this qualifiers tournament?

No word on that yet.

IRELAND
Audrey O'Flynn (TID)
Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere)
Amee-Leigh Crowe (Clanwilliam)
Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum) (capt)
Claire Molloy (Bristol)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians)
Alison Miller (Portlaoise)


COLOMBIA
1 CLAUDIA ALEJANDRA BETANCUR
2 LAURA ISABEL GONZALEZ
3 ESTEFANÍA RAMÍREZ
4 NICOLE ACEVEDO TANGARIFE
5 CAMILA LOPERA
6 SOLANGIE DELGADO
7 CATALINA RAMIREZ TALERO
8 CAROLINA NARANJO
9 ISABEL ROMERO BENITEZ
10 RUTH LOZANO
11 CATALINA ARANGO
12 KATHERINNE MEDINA

[victorsra Profile Website]

Live streaming on WorldRugby.org http://www.worldrugby.org/news/85445

Brazil

Paula Ishibashi (c) – SPAC

Angélica Gevaerd “Binha” – SPAC

Beatriz Futur “Baby” – Niterói

Cláudia Teles “Claudinha” – Niterói

Haline Scatrut – Curitiba

Raquel Kochhann – Charrua

Thaís Rocha “Xuxu” – SPAC

Isadora Cerullo – Niterói

Mariana Ramalho – SPAC

Luiza Campos – Charrua

Edna Santini – São José

Juliana Michele – Curitiba

[Ser Podrick of Payne Profile]

HKRU Women's VII Squad

Royce CHAN Leong Sze (C)
Christy CHENG Ka Chi (VC)
Candy CHENG Tsz Ting
Christine GORDON
Ivy KWONG Sau Yan
LAI Pou Fan
NAM Ka Man
Natasha OLSON-THORNE
Aggie POON Pak Yan
Amelie SEURE
SHAM Wai Sum
Lindsay VARTY

At least the U20s have a majority of ethnic Chinese in the squad Lindsay Varty is male XVs player Rowan Varty's sister with a Portuguese/Chinese mother.

[Canalina Profile]

I fear this will be very tough for Colombia, Mexico and Kenya. Their level seems a step under the others' one

[grande Profile]

The WR site's stream isn't working for me, but this one is.

http://www.irishrugby.ie/live_streaming.php

Ireland just stomped Mexico, 64-0.

[Canalina Profile]

All the scores and standings

http://rugbyfemenino.com.es/resultados- ... rnacional/

Two stimulant and supposedly balanced matches now: Wales v Japan and Samoa v Brazil

[Canalina Profile]

Samoa, Mexico, Colombia and Hong Kong (worst third) should be the four teams eliminated from the quarterfinals

Kenya in, even if tomorrow they should have a terrible quarterfinal against Ireland

[Canalina Profile]

My calculations were wrong, Hong Kong is in and Kenya out

Quarterfinals, in GMT

10.30 Sudafrica – Hong Kong
10.52 Irlanda – China

11.14 Japon – Gales
11.36 Paises Bajos – Brasil

South Africa and Ireland should battle in semifinal for one of the two core places while the bottom part of the quarterfinals appears more uncertain, with Netherlands, Japan and Wales more or less at the same level and Brazil a bit under

[Canalina Profile]

Ireland and Japan are in the W7sSeries 2015/16 after defeating S.Africa and Netherlands in semifinal
Great joy by the irish players, more calm the exultance of the japaneses
Some good minor victories for South America: Colombia def Samoa 12-5, Brazil def Wales 10-5

The six finals in Dublin are
11th place: Samoa v Mexico 22-0
9th place: Kenya v Colombia 5-0
7th place: Wales v China
5th place: Hong Kong v Brazil 0-17
3rd place: South Africa v Netherlands
1st place: Ireland v Japan 12-13

[Canalina Profile]

I think Japan won the final 13-12 against Ireland! Pity to have not seen the match. It must have been decided by a drop goal, a very rare event in women 7s
Several not predicted results in this tournament, the general level is quite balanced and obviously this is a good thing. Also Kenya and Colombia made some good things, just Mexico seems still a bit too far from the rest of the group.

[sjbret Profile]

It wasn't a drop goal but a penalty (kicked in sevens as a drop goal).
The second of the tournament, after a first one the day before kicked by Netherlands Vs Kenya in pools (to go from 19-7 to 22-7 !)

[johnbirch Profile]

Now we know who is in it, anyone care to suggest the likely 1-11 for next year's (very interesting) WSWS? I'll have a go...

1. NZL; 2. AUS; 3. CAN; 4. ENG; 5. RUS, 6. FRA; 7. IRE; 8. USA; 9. FIJ; 10. JPN; 11. ESP

[Thomas Profile]

Doesn't matter how is spinned by WR, it feel that the women's game either XV or 7's is currently an afterthought with no clear strategy. They miss a huge opportunity after England became world champions.

It just feels that the women's game as a whole is missing out. The current 7's game is slipshod at best with no way getting to the grassroots level.

There is no South American Team in next years, No Argentina, No Mexico and despite all the money poured in Brazil is still way behind.

[ugrugbychiclet Profile]

Doesn't matter how is spinned by WR, it feel that the women's game either XV or 7's is currently an afterthought with no clear strategy. They miss a huge opportunity after England became world champions.

It just feels that the women's game as a whole is missing out. The current 7's game is slipshod at best with no way getting to the grassroots level.

There is no South American Team in next years, No Argentina, No Mexico and despite all the money poured in Brazil is still way behind.

There is no African team in next year's series either. While I agree with the present qualification system I feel that it does not give other teams who do not make it a chance to improve. Especially the South American, African and Asian countries that do not have regional competitions that are at a high standard and do not have the financial muscle to attend tournaments in Europe and Oceania where they can find a high level of competition.

After the successful world cup in France I would have expected WR to capitalise on that but so far ... nothing. You are right about women's rugby being an afterthought: WR will only do enough to keep IOC happy so that rugby 7s remains in the Olympics.

[victorsra Profile Website]

I haven't commented yet bu aweful result for Brazil. What makes me think that as other rugby powers are getting more serious about women's sevens more difficult will be things for Brazil. Be among the Top 10 in the world was just a result of lack of competitiveness from other nations. And with the Brazilian golden generation retiring the lack of youth rugby puts I doubt about Brazilian women's team future.

[johnbirch Profile]

Agree, victorsra. Brazil - and China - have been given every possible assistance by WR/IRB. Guest status in most WSWS events (and IRB invitational tournaments before that), home legs in the WSWS, some pretty good coaching (for Brazil), and a great deal of money. But they cannot break through. Its like the Usual teams in World Rugby all had another gear and when it comes to it have simply blown past them. They way first France last year and Ireland this have gone from almost nothing to race past them makes you wonder how internationally competitive the game can truly become.

China are pretty clearly not the No 1 in Asia now (somewhat doubtful they are even No 2). As things stand their only direction seems to be down. It will be also very interesting to see how far Japan get, but I fear that they may have trouble breaking into the top eight.

I do worry about what will happen to Brazilian rugby post-2016. If they are not in the WSWS (and I cannot see them getting back as things stand) the money will quickly dry up. The only thing in their favour is that they are pretty much guaranteed a place in future Olympics as they are so far ahead of the rest of the continent.

The only great hope to break into the current WSWS is probably South Africa. They have a burden of a past with a lack of investment in women's sport (and on-going macho male culture) to overcome, but they have a huge player base of registered players, and the SARU seem to be willing to throw shedloads of cash at the game. With the facilities and rugby culture available surely they will come through in the next 5-10 years?

But is there hope of diversification and the emergence of teams anywhere else? Without an expansion to 16 teams and/or a second tier inter-continental series frankly the evidence from the Netherlands says no chance. Once you are out keeping up with even the bottom of the WSWS is near impossible.