The last Tournament in the 2014 calendar year for the HSBC Sevens World Series of 2014 / 2015 took place in Port Elizabeth at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens tournament was played over 2 Days, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 December 2014.
When play started on Day 1, France scored within 14 seconds against Fiji, but Fiji rallied to demolish France by 45 / 5.
Canada surprised by beating Scotland 14 / 12 in the 2nd game.
A number of more surprises followed on Day one, but what remained firm was the South African Blitzbokke resolve as they monstered their way to 3 excellent wins, and only conceeding a solitary try in the process.
Apart from South Africa, the other big Sevens nations – New Zealand, England, Fiji and Australia were joined by USA, Scotland and Argentina in the Cup Quarters on Day 2.
South Africa advanced to the Final, beating England and Australia along the way, whilst New Zealand beat USA to advance to a semi against Argentina, then comfortably beat Argentina, to book their place against the South African Blitzbokke in the Final.
Australia took the 3rd Place Play-off game against Argentina, 34 / 19.
The South African Blitzbokke took Final honours against New Zealand by 26 / 17 and made it back to back tournament wins as well as a successful defence of the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens title!
To Southern Hemisphere rugby interests, this tournament represents the last action in the 2014 rugby season, with their off-season officially starting after this tournament.
In the Northern Hemisphere though, it is all action in December.
The 2014 / 2015 season carries added significance because the top-ranked sides after the ninth and final round in London in May 2015 will qualify directly for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
All times are SA Time (CAT = GMT+2)
Results – Day 1 |
||||
| 13 | Fiji | 45 – 5 | France | 10:30 |
| 13 | Scotland | 12 – 14 | Canada | 10:52 |
| 13 | Australia | 33 – 21 | Portugal | 11:14 |
| 13 | Argentina | 31 – 5 | Zimbabwe | 11:36 |
| 13 | New Zealand | 24 – 7 | Samoa | 11:58 |
| 13 | England | 45 – 0 | Japan | 12:20 |
| 13 | South Africa | 26 – 0 | USA | 12:42 |
| 13 | Wales | 29 – 5 | Kenya | 13:04 |
| 13 | Fiji | 26 – 7 | Canada | 13:46 |
| 13 | Scotland | 19 – 12 | France | 14:08 |
| 13 | Australia | 50 – 0 | Zimbabwe | 14:30 |
| 13 | Argentina | 14 – 7 | Portugal | 14:52 |
| 13 | New Zealand | 29 – 0 | Japan | 15:14 |
| 13 | England | 22 – 7 | Samoa | 15:36 |
| 13 | South Africa | 38 – 7 | Kenya | 15:58 |
| 13 | Wales | 12 – 38 | USA | 16:20 |
| 13 | France | 24 – 21 | Canada | 17:04 |
| 13 | Fiji | 19 – 12 | Scotland | 17:26 |
| 13 | Portugal | 19 – 7 | Zimbabwe | 17:48 |
| 13 | Australia | 21 – 31 | Argentina | 18:10 |
| 13 | Samoa | 14 – 17 | Japan | 18:52 |
| 13 | New Zealand | 5 – 0 | England | 19:14 |
| 13 | USA | 33 – 5 | Kenya | 19:36 |
| 13 | South Africa | 36 – 0 | Wales | 19:58 |
Fixtures & Results – Day 2 |
||||
| 14 | Wales | 24 – 22 | Samoa | 10:51 |
| 14 | Canada | 22 – 5 | Zimbabwe | 11:13 |
| 14 | Japan | 12 – 26 | Kenya | 11:35 |
| 14 | Portugal | 7 – 42 | France | 11:57 |
| 14 | South Africa | 31 – 7 | England | 12:19 |
| 14 | Fiji | 19 – 31 | Australia | 12:41 |
| 14 | New Zealand | 28 – 7 | USA | 13:03 |
| 14 | Argentina | 26 – 19 | Scotland | 13:25 |
| 14 | Samoa | 21 – 14 | Zimbabwe | 14:07 |
| 14 | Japan | 15 – 24 | Portugal | 14:29 |
| 14 | Wales | 14 – 24 | Canada | 14:51 |
| 14 | Kenya | 14 – 12 | France | 15:13 |
| 14 | England | 0 – 31 | Fiji | 15:55 |
| 14 | USA | 26 – 19 | Scotland | 16:17 |
| 14 | South Africa | 19 – 10 | Australia | 16:39 |
| 14 | New Zealand | 29 – 0 | Argentina | 17:01 |
| 14 | Samoa | 14 – 19 | Portugal | 17:43 |
| 14 | Canada | 24 – 5 | Kenya | 18:08 |
| 14 | Fiji | 14 – 21 | USA | 18:33 |
| 14 | Australia | 34 – 19 | Argentina | 18:58 |
| 14 | South Africa | 26 – 17 | New Zealand | 19:30 |
HSBC Sevens World Series Standings prior to this tournament:
| Team | AUS | DUB | RSA | USA | NZL | JPN | HKG | SCO | ENG | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiji | 22 | 17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 39 |
| 2 | South Africa | 15 | 22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 37 |
| 3 | Australia | 10 | 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 29 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 13 | 15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 28 |
| 5 | Samoa | 19 | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27 |
| 6 | England | 17 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27 |
| 7 | Argentina | 12 | 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 25 |
| 8 | Wales | 10 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 20 |
| 9 | Scotland | 5 | 12 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 17 |
| 10 | France | 7 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 14 |
| 11 | USA | 8 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 13 |
| 12 | Portugal | 5 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 |
| 13 | Canada | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 |
| 14 | Kenya | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| 15 | Japan | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 16 | Brazil | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 17 | American Samoa | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
Having said that, I’m delighted that Treu is with Province/Stormers. We’ve been talking about fresh ideas in die kaap for ages.
I think it’s time for Fleck to take a break.
@ IAAS:
Have to agree.
As an outsider, I never rated fleck as a player – always running sideways or backwards and his fellow back line never saw the ball once he had it.
Paul Treu will make a big difference, players looking to create space and releasing devastating runners like seabelo and kolbe.
Stormers could be a force in s15 next year – if AC gets his tactics right for a change.
298 @ charlesm:
I agree with you. Paul gave us the foundation for Powel to build the team on. A man with a vision might not pay off immideately but will pave the road to greater things.
303 @ MacroBok:
By that reasoning, does it mean that Rudolf Streauli & Harry Viloen laid the foundations for Jake The Snake White to coach the Springboks to a win in the 2007 Rugby World Cup?
Does that mean that Jake White built the foundations for P-Divvie (Snorrie) to win a Tri Nations Championship? Fark, bad example, that one might indeed be true!… hehehe
Does it mean that Frans Ludeke built the foundation for the Bulls to achieve nothing in recent years… hie hie hie?
Did John Plumtree build the foundations for Jake White’s Sharks to choke at the final hurdles?
I recon Paul Treu initially did well, but then stagnated and that vital new blood was needed, to achieve greater things.
The improvement in the Blitzbokke is just too radical, to ascribe all the plaudits to Paul Treu. Neil Powell MUST get credit for shoring up defence, exponentially increasing the abrasiveness… and generally getting things right!
Similarly Johan Ackermann must get huge credit for pulling the Lions out of quite a quagmire and along the same vein Gert Smal must get credit for changing the Stormers / WP game plan around from only defence, to a better all round type of game.
Frans Ludeke is now at that stage where he has gone extremely stale and where NEW BLOOD in coaching is materially needed at the Bulls!
Life, rugby, work.. all these things work in cycles… and sometimes it is just time to move on.
A change is often as good as a holiday, as the saying goes!
Charo wrote:
Running sideways?…. None of the current bok centres can even dream to step like Robbie did when he was playing.
304 @ grootblousmile:
Totally disagree with you on that one.
Yes, the Boks have improved drastically under Powell but it was Treu’s work ethnic and disciplined style that laid the foundation for Powell who had no previous coaching experience.
But there is no doubt that the AB’s and Fijian 7’s teams form has regressed which is making the Boks look good.
In my humble opinion…
@ MacroBok:
Agree.
@ grootblousmile:
Disagree with most said here.
Don’t be cruel to a hearts that Treu. 😆
@ Jeraldjay:
Good post. @ Charo:
It’s time for renewed energy. I feel Fleck has served his time at the Stormers.
I do believe Paul Treu brought the necessary structures and professionalism to 7s in SA to drag it into the 21stt Century. Up until then it relied purely on the individual skills of some brilliant 15s players… thrown together with little foresight, planning or systems.
Paul Treu pretty much set up the 7s academy and structures… that the commentators always rave about… that not only identifies young stars who we have never heard of in 15s and shapes them into a cohesive unit that understands the systems and each other and who play for the collective. We seldom see a 7s player go for the glory and stuffing up badly when there is another player in a better position, as we so often see in SA 15s.
Treu also made the Bilitzies consistently competitive… but not consistent winners.
So… Paul Treu… IMO… definitely deserves credit for laying the foundation of South African 7s rugby.
Neil Powel also deserves huge credit for successfully building on the foundations laid by Treu instead of attempting to build different structures on the established base. He must also get credit for taking everything up several notches and improving those facets that Paul Treu was weak at such as defense and abrasiveness as mentioned by several guys already.
So no need to credit one by discrediting the other. Both have contributed to the success of SA 7s… and both deserve recognition for that.
Lets hope Neil takes the team all the way to the Gold Medal.
306 @ Jeraldjay:
JJ… I must respectfully disagree with you about Fiji and the ABs having regressed… making the Blitzies look better than they are…
Under Ben Ryan, Fiji has shown far more discipline, structure and consistency… and have improved their all round game including defensive structures etc…
Whereas before they relied purely on the size, speed and individual skills of their players…
I also don’t think the ABs have gone backwards… Gordon Tietjens has been around so long and kept the teams right at the top… He is too much of a perfectionist to let the guys slide.
But while the Blitzbokke were always competitive we often let ourselves down against them in terms of skills and self-belief. But with Neil’s guidance and the new head doctor the players really do believe in themselves and our defense just rattles most teams… including the ABs… who just seem to have no answers at the moment…
So… IMO… which is often wrong… I believe that New Zealand has remained the same, or stagnated, while Fiji has actually improved… and South Africa has improved even more… to the point where they are the most consistent team on the circuit at the moment… and… at this point in time… clearly better than the rest…
Of course that could all change next week… and my personal fear is that we will not be able to sustain the focus and self-belief all the way through the commonwealth games…
I hope like heck we do…!
Ahhhh UFO.
A pleasure to read as always.
@ IAAS: 308
@ ufo: 309
In both your posts there is points that need to be addressed in the 15 code too
ufo wrote:
ufo wrote:
charlesm wrote:
I was specifically referring to promoting guys like Dobson upwards, as Rudi said. He is one of the better coaches around and we are going to lose him, all because of Thelo’s nepoptism.
That’s a shame to me.
@ ufo:
308
Good morning all.Scrumdown made an excellent
analogy when comparing the enjoyment and
skill required for the traditional 15 man
game of rugby and the 7,s game.
He used 20/20 cricket as a comparison to the
traditional 5 day game.
Whilst I am in full agreement with his argument,
I dislike what rugby has evolved into.
Endless kickfests,reset scrums,officious
match officials,thuggery,biased commentary .The list continues.
Up until recently I truly loved the 15 man
game.Would settle down in my club chair with
a libation.In my excitement,the chair would
often end up some distance from where I originally
sat.Forget growing old with serenity.
For me,rugby now is only exciting when the team
supported by me is involved and the score
is in doubt until the last few minutes.
Griquas playing the Bulls would only excite their
supporters.
I remind everybody how after 80 minutes
we had a score of Reds 3 Sharks 3
Cannot say that I was held in thrall,and know that
I contradict “own team” comment above.
If wewant a global game this was probably the
worst of MANY examples.
Yes,I know that defences have improved.So too,should the attack game have improved.
And yes Charo,I agree that our national
backline coach used to run sideways.
I am quite happy to PVR games now,andselect
those I want to watch.Maybe I am too discriminate.
There are not a lot of those.
Regards Rye
306 @ ufo:
Hi ufo. Always a pleasure to read your point of view especially when you keep it down to 7 paragraphs. 😆
Forbes and Mickelson the AB 7’s stalwarts have aged a bit so I believe they have stagnated.
We haven’t played Fiji in either Dubai or PE and historically they have always had our number so let’s wait and see how the series progresses.
@ Stormersboy:
Nepoptism?
Is this a reference to Thelo’s extraordinary appetite?
@ grootblousmile:
No it does not. Strauli and harry left the springboks in shambles and in a spin.
When paul treu left the blitzbokke were in a good space, but they wanted fresh new ideas and brought powel in.
I have no idea what you were smoking when you mentioned those other poor examples. I would maybe say carel dup layed some sort of foundation for mallet. Mallet was just the right guy to take carels freedom and drive it home.
No one is taking away any credit from powel. But how can you compare treu to harry viljoen?
@ Stormersboy:
I heard on the radio (in a sports’ report) this morning that Treu has been appointed as “defence analyst”.
We have all discussed the value of Dobbo……but do you think he’ll be happy to analyse the defence?
I know we need to keep John but in a role that will suit him and the strengths that he brings to the table.
@ MacroBok:
I agree about Straeuli and Viljoen. Treu, apart from the systems he put in place, has at least won the series…unlike the other 2 that have won nothing
@ charlesm:
Well Charles, I do value your opinion, so will take it as you have said it and hope that he is able to gel well and add the value. I think that the pattern of play is looking much better than at the beginning of the season, we are playing a better attacking brand of Rugby and the defense has sharpened up as well, so hopefully we can continue the upward curve.
Our squad looks solid this year, some of the youngsters have come through nicely.
310 @ gunther:
shot gunther…!
314 @ Jeraldjay:
hi jj… apologies for not greeting you in my post… was in a rush…
hehehe… hi jj… my name is ufo… and i’m a recovering lengthy poster…! a work in progress you understand…
agree that forbes and mickleson have been around for ages… but tietjens has been so good at introducing and integrating younger players over the years… that he shouldn’t have too many hassles bringing in their sons…!! 😉
indeed… we didn’t play fiji… so chatting about their regression is a bit premature… i believe currently they’d give us a much tougher contest than new zealand…
but time will tell… as it always does…!
313 @ ryecatcher:
hey rye… how’re you doing pal…? great i trust…
there is just way too much rugby to watch every game as most of us used to in the early super rugby days… and the poor quality of some games sure doesn’t encourage us to do so either…
hopefully teams will play more attractive rugby and the officiating will improve and have us all having ‘traditional’ all day braais watching all the games…
but i wouldn’t light the firelighters just yet…!
😆
cheers all… have a great restofyourweek…!
@ ufo:
Good to hear from you.
Rye
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