2016-2017 World Sevens Series

Dates set for 2016-17 Men's World Rugby Sevens Series:

The 2016-17 series retains the same schedule as this season, kicking off in Dubai on 2-3 December, visiting 10 cities across five continents before concluding in London on 20-21 May.

The 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series schedule is as follows:

The full schedule for the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series will be announced shortly.

http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/163532'>http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/163532

Scott Curry, Sam Dickson, DJ Forbes, Mikkelson, Sione Molia, Regan Ware, Joe Webber re-sign with NZRU

The core of this year’s All Blacks Sevens squad headed by veterans DJ Forbes and Tim Mikkelson will anchor the side through the next World Rugby Sevens Series after re-signing with New Zealand Rugby.

The players – Sam Dickson, Forbes, Mikkelson, Sione Molia, Regan Ware, Joe Webber – join captain Scott Curry who has already signed through to the end of 2018.

Dickson, Mikkelson, Molia and Webber have signed to 2018 and Forbes and Ware, through to the end of 2017.

Dates set for 2016-17 Women's World Rugby Sevens Series:

Note: It is intended that a sixth round will be added to the schedule in due course.

Edited to add the 6th tournament (Las Vegas)

So this kicks off in under 2 months and still no replacement for Titjens - good to see the NZRU are taking sevens more seriously after the Olympic debacle.

@rotated said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:

So this kicks off in under 2 months and still no replacement for Titjens - good to see the NZRU are taking sevens more seriously after the Olympic debacle.

Yes, both teams have no coach at the moment (as far as I know). The women's coach - Horan - gave up coaching the women, because he wants to be the next men's coach. Interviews for the men's coaching gig early this week (according to the article below) and appointment expected next weekend. No word on where things are at for the women's coaching role.

The article says that the main candidates for men's coach are Horan and Waldrom. I personally think they should go for Horan, because of his 4 year experience with the women's team and the success he's had. Waldrom seems a bit of a light-weight for that role. Wonder whether he may end up becoming the women's coach?

Not sure if it's true, but Samoans seem to be spreading the news that former all blacks 7s coach has signed with Samoa 7s

Either that or he's there for a holiday:

I'm sure Kenya thought they were getting him too.. maybe he's just checking to see if it's worth it

Tietjens confirmed as Samoa Sevens coach:

Looks like the rest he's had from his retirement after the olympics has recharged his batteries....

@canefan said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:

Looks like the rest he's had from his retirement after the olympics has recharged his batteries....

I know some media reported that he was retiring, but he never was. He just stepped down from his NZ Sevens role.

So this season coming will be the fittest Samoan 7s side anyone's ever seen.

Eliota loves being in the headlines. Idiot.

@mimic Yes, he's a professional whiner. Too full of himself and his own opinions.

@mimic said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:

Eliota loves being in the headlines. Idiot.

The guy is proof that a law degree doesn't in any way necessitate intelligence.

He's a parody of himself now, I'd be interested in knowing what other people involved in Samoan rugby think of him.

@mimic he reminds me of Hone Harawira - he makes some really good points, but they often get lost in the seemingly pointless and often racist rants he diverts onto.

Eight silver medal winning sevens players re-commit to NZ Rugby:
Captain Sarah Goss, 2015 World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Portia Woodman, Gayle Broughton, Kelly Brazier, Kayla McAlister, Ruby Tui, Terina te Tamaki and Niall Williams.

No news about a men's and women's coach, yet.

On the news the other night, they indicated Chad Tuoro was a candidate for coaching the Men's Sevens team.

Allan Bunting, assistant coach of the Black Ferns Sevens team since 2012, has been promoted to the team's Head Coach role.

No news yet about who the next men's head coach is going to be.

@Stargazer Another ex-Bay man at the helm ....

Am surprised that the NZR isn't releasing Titch to coach Samoa 7s for the 1st couple of of series..
It's not like Samoa are the dirty English or Aussies

Clark Laidlaw is the new NZ men's coach, but ...

Laidlaw will take up his new role from 1 June 2017

Our priority was getting the right coach with the long-term vision to win Olympic gold. So while we would have loved Clark to start straight away, we are happy to wait until next year because he is the best person for the job to build a winning sevens team over the long term.

New Zealand Rugby has also announced that experienced sevens coaches and former All Blacks Sevens players Scott Waldrom and Tomasi Cama will form the coaching team for the upcoming World Rugby Sevens Series tournaments starting in Dubai in December.

It's going to be a bit rough if Scooter and Cama get the team firing well then have to step aside.

@Crucial you'd hope there will be a lot of communication between them to ensure that transition is smooth and everyone is on the same page....that said, it is the people side of things, you can be hugely technical and be a genius but if you suck at people skills, aint gonna help much

I hope this new guy is good because NZR seem to be bending over to accommodate him

Three week preparation for the season. Seems reasonable.

I really hope the Olympics doesn't become the whole point of Sevens as it is way too random a format to spend 4 years building towards. The point should be to win the world series as that is measure over a number of events and kind of smoothes out the random nature.

@KiwiPie said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:

I really hope the Olympics doesn't become the whole point of Sevens as it is way too random a format to spend 4 years building towards. The point should be to win the world series as that is measure over a number of events and kind of smoothes out the random nature.

I agree with you, although there are also the RWC Sevens and the Common Wealth Games, which both take place in 2018.

@KiwiPie said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:

I really hope the Olympics doesn't become the whole point of Sevens as it is way too random a format to spend 4 years building towards. The point should be to win the world series as that is measure over a number of events and kind of smoothes out the random nature.

This. Even when we dominated 7's we didn't win every tournament.

First All Blacks Sevens squad named for the 2016-17 season (Dubai Sevens (2-3 December 2016) and Cape Town (10-11 December 2016)):

Scott Curry (Captain)
Tim Mikkelson
Antonio Kiri Kiri
DJ Forbes
Dylan Collier
Beaudin Waaka
Iopu Iopu-Aso
Rocky Khan
Sherwin Stowers
Jonathan Ruru (new cap)
Isaac Te Tamaki
Sione Molia

This selection seems to confirm my suspicion that Kaka may no longer be available for 7s (unless he's injured). There was some talk a while back that he was considering a return to XVs, although he has been playing several sevens tournaments in Asia the last few months. It will be interesting to see whether he's going to play club rugby to work his way back into the Magpies squad, or whether he'll re-appear in the sevens squad for Wellington and Sydney.

Apart from Kaka, also missing are Joe Webber (who has re-signed with the sevens squad), Teddy Stanaway, Lewis Ormond, and Regan Ware ....

I had hoped for a few more new names and not so many Olympic rejects, but awesome to see Ruru in the squad, who had a really good Mitre 10 Cup season with Otago.

@Stargazer Any juice on Ruru? What position?

Noted absence of Dickson, is he injured?

Gee Kaka is quite a loss too, especially with Ware not in the squad.

@Bones said in 2016-2017 World Sevens Series:

@Stargazer Any juice on Ruru? What position?

Noted absence of Dickson, is he injured?

Ruru plays halfback in XVs. I wonder whether he's replacing Kaka, but unsure. I can't remember what position he played for the Hawke's Bay team that won the Central Region Qualifier last year.

You're right, Dickson not in the squad either. No idea whether he's injured, but I guess he must be as he's also one of the players who has re-signed.

Waaka was a forgotten man this year. He'll assume the role as playmaker and goalkicker.

The first Black Ferns Sevens squad for the 2016-17 season has also been named (Dubai Sevens, 1-2 December 2016):

Ruby Tui
Shakira Baker
Jordon Webber
Niall Williams
Sarah Goss (captain)
Michaela Blyde
Tyla Nathan-Wong
Kelly Brazier
Tenika Willison* (Waikato)
Katarina Whata-Simpkins
Portia Woodman
Rebekah Cordero-Tufuga*

Travelling reserves are:
Jess Drummond* (Tasman)
Danielle Paenga*
*new cap

Several players were unavailable to play in the opening tournament: Kayla McAlister, Gayle Broughton, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Shiray Tane, Stacey Waaka, Terina Te Tamaki, Lesley Ketu and (retired) Huriana Manuel, Carla Hohepa and Honey Hireme.

The Women's Dubai Sevens starts today.
Draw day 1 in NZ time:

Thursday 1 December:
10:06pm: Black Ferns 7s v Ireland

Friday 2 December:
1.02am: Black Ferns 7s v Fiji
3.37am: Black Ferns 7s v France

Those fuckwits from Sky are again not broadcasting most women's games. Only the finals on day 2 are televised.
So if you want to watch these games, you can only watch them on the World Rugby website/YouTube channel. Because the livestream will be geo-blocked, you will need a geo-unblocker or change VPN to a country that is not on the list on this webpage: http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/where-can-i-watch (for example, India, Ireland, Romania and most other Eastern European countries).

I'll add the link to the livestream when it's available.

Apparently, also radio commentary will be available on World Rugby Radio online here

The livestream is here: http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/stage/1719/match/24080. I'm having huge trouble with my geo-unblocker so haven't seen much of the first half.

Halftime: Black Ferns Sevens 17 - 0 Ireland Sevens