New Zealand hold off England in the Edinburgh Sevens Final

New Zealand held on in the face of a spirited England fightback in Scotland yesterday, to defend their Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens title 24-14, and finish their IRB Sevens World Series defence on a high.

In a supremely physical match the kiwis went out to a commanding 19-0 lead through Solomon King, David Smith and Chad Tuoro but England hit back just before the break through giant wing Uche Oduoza to trail 19-7 and enjoyed much of the possession in the second half.

Ollie Phillips slipped a tackle to bring the score back to 19-14 but the kiwis' renowned fitness, conditioning and peerless defence saw them home, captain DJ Forbes an inspiration up front and the likes of Kendrick Lynn and David Smith proving that coach Gordon Tietjens has lost none of his knack for unearthing new talent.

With the clock winding down, Nigel Hunt put the game beyond doubt for New Zealand, who have now won eight of the nine IRB Sevens World Series titles under coach Gordon Tietjens.

Note: With thanks to the IRB Sevens website


Time: 05:30

:: Related Posts ::
South African end New Zealands winning Sevens streak
Classic Encounters - Wellington Sevens Final
New Zealand vs Fiji - George Sevens Fnal

Share

Tweet

Portugal upset Australia at the London Sevens

In one of the highlights of the weekend for the neutral, day one of the London Sevens produced an amazing upset that will bring pride and encouragement to smaller rugby nations the world over.

Portugal booked themselves a place in the quarter finals for the first time after impressive victories over Australia and Canada.

The men in red surprised Australia early on day one by scoring three unanswered tries after the game looked close at 7-5. They showed great confidence and ran the ball with style and excellent handling, ultimately making the Aussies look a little bit shell shocked.

The 28-12 victory over Australia gave the Portuguese outfit the boost they needed, and despite losing to Fiji, they beat Canada and found themselves in with the world's top rugby nations in the last eight.

Diogo Mateus, the Portugal captain was ecstatic at the way his team performed.

"We came here with no expectations, we just wanted to start with a good game and start evolving from that because we have the World Cup qualifying coming up and we want to get there as best as we can. We brought a very young team, already full of experience but still young, and we just played for the fun, for the team."

As for Australia, they bounced back well and went on to win the Bowl Final against Wales.

We'll keep bringing you highlights of the Sevens as we get them, so please be patient and if you have a specific request, please post it here and we'll see what we can do.


Time: 04:54

Share

Tweet

Last minute controversy as Samoa win the London Sevens

This weekend saw Samoa beat Fiji 19-14 in a bruising final at Twickenham to win the London Sevens title, their third ever World Series Cup title.

Lolo Lui scored a quick fire hat trick of tries to give Samoa an early 19-0 lead and although Fiji crossed just before the break through Timoci Matanavou, and then in the second half through Sailosi Rabonaqica, it proved too little too late.

The great comeback was nearly complete as Nasoni Roko dived over for the late try to equalise, only to be called back by referee David Keane after a late tackle in the build-up was ruled by the touch judge.

Heartbreak for Fiji who had done so well to get back into the match, and almost win it. Congrats to Samoa though, who proved once again just how lethal they can be on the day.

As for the crucial final decision, marginal, or the correct call?

Note: Despite having just posted the final, we'll continue to bring you various other quality moments from the London Sevens, so please bare with us if they get posted in drips and drabs.
Time: Nice full highlights for you guys with good bandwidth - 09:10

Share

Tweet

Edwin Cocker hit from the London Sevens - NZ vs Arg

The London leg of the IRB Sevens World Series kicked off today at Twickenham with a game that could have so easily gone wrong for champions New Zealand.

Argentina, despite conceding an early try, pushed them all the way and were leading 7-5 until a last minute try from the All Blacks stole the victory and broke the hearts of the men in blue.

Despite being close, the game itself wasn't great, so we've picked out this big hit from New Zealand player Edwin Cocker (pronounced Coacker kids).

It looks to be a vicious shoulder but the referee doesn't see it that way and allows it. He did wrap his one arm around as much as possible, while off balance, so maybe the intent wasn't there. I'm sure opinions will be varied though, as the commentator for one seemed to think it was 'a shoulder into the face'. Peculiar.

Note: We'll do our best to bring you the rest of the top action from this weekends Sevens in London, so keep a lookout for it throughout the next few days.

Share

Tweet

South Africa end New Zealands winning Sevens streak

New Zealand's Sevens team can be beaten. Since December 2006, we all thought those words would never be uttered. But, on the weekend in Adelaide, South Africa finally ended the men in black's 47 match winning streak in the Australian leg of the IRB Sevens World Series.

A classic match that saw the Boks having to gang tackle and defend like men possessed when needed, South Africa succeeded in denying New Zealand too much ball and avoided the confrontational, physical type of game on which they have thrived all season.

Unbeaten in the last 7 tournaments, the New Zealand side are big, strong, and incredibly fast. Led by DJ Forbes and mentored by legendary Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens, the multi-talented teams winning streak, that looked to last all season, was broken by the determined resistance of the Boks.

Veteran Sevens superstar Fabian Juries was the hero of the day, with Juries scoring twice, including the vital final winning try. Young flyer Robert Ebersohn also featured prominently. The 19 year old looks a real prospect for the future of SA Sevens.

The incomparable Victor Vito scored another unstoppable try for the men in black, which we're becoming used to from the big guy, but it was the Springboks who came out on top and celebrated a historic 15-7 win in front of the 17 000 strong Adelaide crowd.


Time: 5:04

Share

Tweet

Party Time at the Hong Kong Sevens 2008

This years Hong Kong Sevens leg of the IRB Sevens World Series dished up another helping of superb rugby action, as well as it's fair share of great atmosphere and talent in the crowd.

The girls go to watch the rugby, and the guys go to watch the girls, or something like that. Fancy dress, dancing, and supporting your team is what it's all about. The Sevens circuit worldwide has grown to become a platform for new rugby fans, male and female, to have a good time and watch a bit of rugby in-between.

As we saw in Wellington, if you're going to attend a Sevens tournament, make sure you have your costume planned beforehand to get yourself on tv.

With the Adelaide, London and Edinburgh legs coming up, who knows, perhaps you'll end up making it on tv yourself. First prize to anyone who gets on with a huge Rugbydump poster...

Note: 4:13

Share

Tweet

Uche Oduoza scores an incredible 98m try vs Fiji

In all honesty, until watching the San Diego Sevens two weeks ago, I had never heard of young Worcester and England Sevens star, Uche Oduoza.

But after literally the first minute of the England vs Fiji game, I sat up and took notice. Oduoza scored this incredible try direct from the kickoff, beating the hapless Fijian players who, in all honesty, didn't look like they wanted to tackle the big guy when in full flight.

Oduoza is fast, agile, and from the look of things, very strong. His profile on the Worcester Warriors website says he only weighs 100kg, despite looking a lot bigger, and after seeing this try, he looks to be a powerful runner who no doubt has a great career ahead of him for both Worcester and indeed, England.

A name to remember for the future perhaps.

Share

Tweet

Todd Clever quality try against Wales - USA Sevens

USA Eagles hardman Todd Clever was recently featured on RD for his big tackle against the Welsh at the San Diego Sevens. After the tackle, Clever got a bit worked up and lashed out at the Welsh players. None of the punches connected too well, therefore he stayed on the field.

A few comments were made about the USA and about Todd himself, all of which were unwarranted. I personally have seen a lot more of Todd playing than most, and believe me, he's a quality player.

Hard, physical, and with immense talent, Todd is a stand out performer in every game he plays. He also happens to be a helluva nice guy who, along with his teamate Chris Wyles, recently sent me some pics of them at the Wellington Sevens in their new Rugbydump T-Shirts.

I'll say it again, although they have a long way to go, the USA are on the up and deserve the same respect as any other minnow. With the correct structures in place, I have no doubt they'll be genuine competitors in years to come.

Against Wales in the same game as the big tackle, Todd scored this brilliant 80 meter try that set the stadium alight and showed that's he's more than just a physical player.

Fantastic speed, step, and power. The massive 'Don't argue' is becoming somewhat of a trademark of his. That hand-off is lethal, just ask Butch James.

Share

Tweet

Todd Clever brings the pain in San Diego

Hard working USA Eagles and Rugbydump fan Todd Clever impressed the locals at this years leg of the San Diego Sevens in the USA last night.

Chasing a kick off that was perfectly weighted, Clever put a great hit in on the Welsh receiver as he caught the ball and landed. Something happened on the ground though, big Todd took exception to it, and a scuffle ensued.

I don't often say this, but the referee handled it really well, himself even stating that it was a great hit and everyone just needed to calm down a little.

Great to see Todd keeping up with his tradition of making massive hits at the USA Sevens.


Time: 01:38

Share

Tweet

Fantastic party atmosphere at the Wellington Sevens

Hippies, Romans, porn stars, frogs, cowboys, pirates and naughty nurses are among the crazy characters that flooded the Westpac Stadium in Wellington for the New Zealand leg of the IRB Sevens series last weekend.

The sold out event attracts thousands each year and has become renowned for it's party atmosphere which sees most of the people who attend going there not necessarily to watch the rugby, but to have a good time.

Tickets are sold out within minutes of going on sale, and come matchday, creativity is key as supporters adorn themselves in well planned themed costumes to transform the stadium into a sea of colour and imagination.

Commentator Keith Quinn says the combination of 'Mardi Gras' atmosphere and high standard of play make the Sevens one of the year's most exciting tournaments:
"As someone who's been lucky to go to all the major sevens locations in the world, I would say that Wellington is the noisiest and the brightest."

"When we first started, each match was covered like a rugby match," says Quinn. "Now we also cover the crowd, the colour, the singing, the dancing, the costumes, and the atmosphere in the stadium. It's a lot of fun!"

The USA leg kicks off this weekend in San Diego, so if you're in the area be sure to get down to PETCO Park and join in the festivities of one of the most entertaining forms of the game.

NOTE: Thanks Sam - the song is 'Eagle Rock' by Daddy Cool, an Aussie band. I've had it in my head the whole day and I'm pretty sure you're going to be humming along to it soon too.

Share

Tweet

Classic Encounter - Wellington Sevens Final 2008

The Wellington leg of the IRB Sevens series produced one of the most outstanding finals in Sevens rugby history. A true classic, the meeting between hosts New Zealand the last years winners, Samoa, was a game that had the neutral viewer and the 35 000 strong crowd on the edge of their seats.

A last minute try by hometown hero Victor Vito sent the more than vocal crowd into hysteria, with the conversion simply a formality that from what I saw, they didn't even bother taking. Vito, who was compared to the great Lomu when scoring one of this tries, is fast becoming one of the more dangerous players in the incredibly talented New Zealand side.

Not to take away from Samoa though. The title holder put up an amazing fight, and after a dramatic start to the game were actually in control at one stage. The scorer of the first try, Mikaele Pesamino, looks to be an amazing find and with speed like that and age on his side, we're sure to be seeing a lot more from him in years to come.

For me, an absolutely classic match that either side could have won. As Keith Quinn labelled it, "The most dramatic final you could ever see."


Time: 07:48

Share

Tweet

Best Tries from the 2007 USA Sevens

Last year at the USA edition of the IRB Sevens World Series we saw some fantastic action which produced some of the biggest hits and best tries seen in Sevens for a while. This year the action will take place on the 9th & 10th of Feb at the ideally situated PETCO Park in San Diego.

With the support and attendance for the tournament growing each year, the festival atmosphere is something worth experiencing if you've never been before.

Watch 16 of the world's best rugby sevens teams playing in 44 matches over the course of the weekend . I personally won't be able to make it, but some of the Rugbydump team will be there, as well as a few players who will be sporting the Rugbydump Merchandise, so look out for that.

In this clip you'll see some of the best tries from last year, including that massive hit by Todd Clever against Kenya, a swinging arm on Ryno Benjamin, and most importantly some of the incredible tries that show exactly why Rugby Sevens is such an exciting form of the game.

The Tries in order are:
1. Fiji vs. New Zealand | 2. Kenya vs. Australia | 3. Samoa vs. France | 4. New Zealand vs. Canada | 5. Fiji vs. Samoa (tournament final) | 6. England vs. USA | 7. France vs. Canada | 8. USA vs. Kenya | 9. Samoa vs. Fiji (tournament final) | 10. USA vs. England | 11. South Africa vs. Fiji | 12. England vs. New Zealand.

Visit usasevens.com to get your tickets, more info about the tournament, and a little bit more about San Diego.

Share

Tweet

Takudzwa Ngwenya great try for the USA Sevens

Takudzwa 'Zee' Ngwenya was probably the most talked about player at the recent Rugby World Cup 2007. His try against the Springboks when he ran around Bryan Habana created a huge amount of hype, and was later named IRB Try Of The Tournament.

Ngwenya was inundated with phonecalls, interviews and received overs from a few clubs in Europe. He later chose to sign with French Top 14 team Biaritz and if all goes well, his star will continue to rise.

I watched him play for them on the weekend, and there's no doubt that he has electric feet. Whenever he got the ball there was a buzz and he managed to normally step past the first defender. I do feel he still needs to work on other aspects of his game though - his hands being one of them. But that will come with time and experience.

Before heading to Biaritz though he managed to travel with his country's Sevens team to the George leg of the IRB Sevens last month.

Against Canada, in the same game that we saw this huge hit, Ngwenya came on fresh off the bench. With literally his first touch of the ball he scored.

The large crowd who were keen to see him in action weren't disappointed, and with his little inside out, he's shown that he's no one try wonder.

Share

Tweet

New Zealand vs Fiji - George Sevens Final

Having seen off the challenge of the Fijians' late comeback in Dubai a week earlier, New Zealand once again looked like the team to beat in this years George Sevens Tournament in South Africa last weekend.

Last years winners met Fiji in the final again in George, and after getting off to a flying start and leading 29-0 at one stage, were just too strong for the Fijians who had two players sent off once again.

A whole new crop of young talent is streaming through, and with players like Israel Dagg, Victor Vito, DJ Forbes, Zar Lawrence, and Lote Raikabula, New Zealand look an extremely strong outfit that will be difficult to beat throughout the rest of the Sevens World Series.
Interested in sports betting?

Fiji came back with a consolation try from Neumi Nanuku, but it was too late, and the men who've now won the last four finals of the IRB Sevens Series went on to lift the trophy with a convincing 34-7 final score.

The traditional shirtless Haka after the victory followed, with mixed reactions from the crowd who stayed to watch it.

Wellington is the next stop on the Sevens circuit, and you can bet that New Zealand will be a tough prospect in front of their home crowd.



Note: The quality isn't great but we thought we'd post it anyway.

Share

Tweet

Malifa makes a big tackle in the George Sevens - USA vs CAN

The IRB Sevens World Series got under way in Dubai recently. New Zealand took the honours there, and in George we saw them trounce the fatigued Fijians. We'll hopefully secure some footage from the final for you soon.

One of the highlights for me from the the weekend in George was this huge tackle by Nese Malifa from the USA against Canada. As you can imagine, the rivalry between the neighbouring countries is strong, and before this game the USA hadn't beaten Canada in Rugby Sevens since 2002.

Thanks to huge efforts from playmaker Malifa, hard working Todd Clever, and the unpredictable World Cup superstar Zee Ngwenya, the USA are making great strides in the odd shaped balls game, and managed to pull off a 15-5 victory against the men from up north. They have now scored more points in this tournament than they did in the whole of the 2006/2007 Series.

The men from the potentially largest rugby playing nation in the world went on to lose out narrowly in the Plate Final to Kenya by just one point. This was after providing one of the shock upsets of the tournament when they beat Samoa in the Plate semis by 24 points to 19.

Lets hope we see more great action like this from the USA in the future. Growing the game in a country their size can only be good for the World Game, and hopefully we'll see plenty more big hits from players like Nese Malifa in the future.

Share

Tweet

Naqelevuki red card at the London Rugby Sevens

Sireli Naqelevuki, the Fijian flyer is no stranger to bizarre ill disciplined behaviour. Here he punches Steven Yates on the floor at the London Sevens, resulting in a red card.

Referee Stuart Barnes spotted the punch as it happened right in front of him. He took no time in sending off the big Fijian, who was apparently provoked.

"Like any other rugby player, Yates understood it was a spur of the moment thing and accepted Sireli's apology. He actually admitted he was being cheeky and understood why Sireli did what he did during the final," team manager Epeli Lagiloa said.

"In the end they made up and like brothers shared a laugh over the incident. Yates said he had intimidated Sireli and resulted in being punched up," he added.

New Zealand won the match 29-7.


Time: 0:59

Share

Tweet

USA Sevens - HUGE hit effects the try

A big tackle by the States' Todd Clever at the San Diego Sevens sends them on their way to a try after the ball gets jarred loose with the impact.

Apparently Clever made a whole heap of massive hits at the tournament. Impressive stuff.

Update: Vid was down briefly.. back up now though.

Share

Tweet

Serevi magic vs NZ - Hong Kong Sevens 2007

Waisale Serevi displayed some sublime skill at the recent Hong Kong Sevens tournament. He's been doing it for years, and continues to impress.

With seconds left on the clock, the 38-year-old Serevi shows why he is rated as the best player in Sevens history by running circles around the younger Kiwis. Putting his teammates into gaps, he then receives the ball again and scores the winning try.

Tomasi Cama junior can't take it and dives on him very late. He gets a few pats on the head for his troubles. Funny, cos his father (Tomasi Cama senior) would have played with Serevi. Bit of history there, as you can tell by the way the Fijians act towards the young 7's All Black.

Share

Tweet

SA win Dubai Sevens

The South African Sevens side who looked dead and buried at half-time of the Emirates IRB Cup final in Dubai, produced a stirring come-back - Fijian style - to romp to a convincing 31-12 victory over New Zealand on Saturday.

Five unanswered second-half tries sealed the Boks’ seventh title in Sevens Rugby and now extends their winning streak against New Zealand to three games.

Thanks to sarugby.com for the write up.

Share

Tweet