Roar Rookie
Joined January 2013
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Grown up on AFL and will be a Carlton fan all my life, but I have developed a passion for Rugby over past few years that I just can't deny - especially Sevens. I was the inaugural Sports Editor for Huffington Post Aust in 2015, wrote for Cricket Australia on Women's Cricket across the Summer of 2015/16 and was a feature writer for SBS Zela. I am a sport journalist, Media and Communications Consultant, Sport for Development advocate. I love sport and like to write about it and the people involved in it. I also follow - NRL (Storm, Maroons), ARU - both Sevens and XVs, Cricket, tennis and much more. Strong advocate for the growth and development of Womens sport.
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The Australian men's sevens squad selection has been announced for the first two rounds of the 2016-2017 HSBC Men's World Series which gets underway…
On a cool Spring evening in the parklands around Albert Park Lake, where the permanent remnants of the annual Melbourne F1 Grand Prix linger,…
It's safe to say injury is part of a sportsman’s lot. But there must come a point at which the next niggle, the next…
It's not often we can say a women's sports team outshines its male counterparts both on and off the field, but for the Australian…
The Wallaroos have set out this week on perhaps the biggest assignment in the history of this team. In Australia there are four national…
The knowledge that she wasn't done yet, plus the lure of the Olympic dream, were all Nicole Beck needed to fight for her place…
With a year of unexpected inconsistency and injury now behind them, the Australian women are looking ahead in pursuit of their ultimate goal. The…
Fighting like a tiger, Sloane Stephens belied her age and inexperience on the big stage and took the Australian Open women's second semi-final right…
Two years ago in Dubai, the men got to the final after a thrilling extra time win over Fiji coming back from a 19-5 deficit at h/t… It was beautiful to watch. Last year – with an interim coach and a severely disrupted preseason – they lost the Plate Final to Sth Africa (ie: 6th) … And today’s team is totally different to either of those lineups… So it’s really about just seeing what they can do on the park before any assessment can be made as to where they slot in in a very different world sevens landscape post-Olys.
For the Aussie sevens men, the journey begins in Dubai
Andy Friend is very much leaving the gate open as I say in article. Not only is this his first full season as coach but he’s lost a huge amt of experienced talent and has to start to remould this group anew.
If he states publically Top 8 and they get top 4 – brilliant… But if he says the aim is Top 4 and they get 6 for example… The pundits (and the ARU) will be ruthless.
I think it’s a smart statement which he can get away with at this point!
For the Aussie sevens men, the journey begins in Dubai
In fairness they finished 4th in last WS after an horrendous 12months of behind the scenes disruption in what was an increasingly competitive landscape.
The talent was always there but the consistency wasn’t – they are a team that plays on confidence gained from success rather than belief which has more often than not been their undoing.
For the Aussie sevens men, the journey begins in Dubai
Absolutely agree Ralph – just a shame she leads a team which is not given the best possible pathway to be competitive with the world’s best.
The extent to which they contained the Black Ferns today was pleasing and impressive.
Aussie sevens men: Rebuilding in the shadows
Didn’t get to watch the game closely as I was at the Central Coast 7s tournie doing all the online/social media work. But had it on in the background and caught some out of corner of my eye… but believe she was great.
Aussie sevens men: Rebuilding in the shadows
Shop…
There are a few fmr Wallaroos in 7s Team who would like to put their hand up for 2017 RWC but have prioritised 7s for recent Olys & now for next World Series as title holders. So may have to see… Coach has said he’ll leave it to individuals.
The Wallaroos take first steps on biggest journey
Couldn’t agree more Dani. These young women are on a mission and a very impressive group.
Really looking forward to Wednesday and Thursday coverage of the 7s from Pac Games via NITV. I’m hoping we’ll get complete LIVE coverage.
Sevens IS one of the most popular sports at these events.
Determination is the key for sevens star, Nicole Beck
Hey… I’d like to get some feedback from GURUS on general opinions towards Rugby7s as part of the rugby landscape and its growth/development into the future given its now Olympic status.
A straw poll, if you will. What’s the general feeling of Rugby experts, pundits, followers out there on Sevens?
Australian rugby needs a grassroots national cup competition
Agree. And that is the crunch point. ARU is low on funds and not dealing with the situation very well. Fortunate a small ‘windfall’ has come out of the new SANZAR deal but still needs to get its house in order to put better programming/planning structures in place.
Unfortunately the ARU is known for its poor in-house management and hierarchy to the detriment of the game and its future moving forward.
Australian rugby needs a grassroots national cup competition
Some really great thoughts here. The one thing the ARU is definitely struggling with is a good connection and structure with regards development and competition pathways between its local/state unions and the top level. I’ve been constantly assured its something they’re working on but hard to see a clear plan.
Australian rugby needs a grassroots national cup competition
Thanks for the feedback.
Our Aussie Rugby Sevens teams get much less exposure and therefore credit than they deserve.
Now an Olympic sport (debuting next year in Rio), Sevens is exploding internationally in both popularity, participation and most importantly quality.
Our women have already qualified for Rio and, as of today, have sent a compilation team to PNG for the Pacific Games to blood more talent through on-field tournament time.
The men, while just missing out on auto Olympic qualification, really ARE among the best in the world, with just a one day performance anomaly in the Tokyo round of the HSBC World series proving very very costly by season’s end.
For some reason, the media support and thereby the public support and awareness is not as prominent as it perhaps could and should be.
But, as I say, watch this space!
Aussie sevens women looking ahead with anticipation
Not sure if you’ve actually looked at the team list for next week.
There are 5 debutantes, then 4 who are young with minimal international rep games and just 4 of the ‘old guard’ … Not sure how much more youth and inexperience you could expect Andy to select.
As for time – he only took over team officially after Sydney7s which meant he had six tournaments to play with the team lineup and all focus was on Olympics with ARU pressuring him about selecting XVs banner names like Cooper, Speight and Cummins.
Since Aug he’s done nothing but look at youth at every opportunity.
Due to contracting conditions, Sevens just can’t cherry pick XVs players and all skill sets are not quickly transferable to 7s. You’ll find Super Rugby franchises are loath to let Sevens staff near their players…. That was half the problem created in 2015 when trying to recruit for new depth ahead of the Olympics.
Let’s just give this talented group a chance to learn and develop.
I’ve had several conversations with Andy Friend this year – as recently as 4weeks ago ahead of this selection – and his thinking to the future is good just needs the time to re-form a team given the massive talent loss post Olys.
For the Aussie sevens men, the journey begins in Dubai