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 in Dubai on Friday.
Coach Andy Friend has picked a 13-man squad, catering for the two-tournament fortnight with Cape Town following on from Dubai.
The men’s series has twice as many tournaments as the women’s with ten rounds
over six months visiting five continents across the globe. The travelling squads generally consist of 13-14 players to allow for injury and attrition as the tournaments are scheduled in pairs.
Despite finishing fourth in the last World Series, the Aussie coach has drawn a line under the past and stated the squad is now in a rebuilding phase and his goal is to finish Top eight in this series.
There are five World Series debutants on the list but all have performed well in recent outings including at the Central Coast Sevens and Oceania Championship tournaments.
Sam Myers has been given the opportunity to lead the team as tournament captain in Dubai, adding to his growth and development as a key player, and will no doubt benefit from the support on tour of former long-serving captain Ed Jenkins.
Newly appointed captain Lewis Holland has had to take a broader leadership role due to his long-term leg injury – although he won’t be far away from the action having been given a coaching opportunity with the Australian Development side, which will be taking part in an invitational competition in Dubai.
The core of experienced players will be supported by the proven and explosive talent of young Henry Hutchison and by the addition of bright prospects for future development of the squad such as Sam Caslick, Charlie Taylor and Simon Kennewell.
While Caslick will no doubt have to endure the initial constant reference to being ‘the brother of Charlotte’, he should eventually create his own place in the big picture of Aussie Sevens as is warranted by his talent and his selection for the opening World Series rounds.
Andy Friend may appear to some to be underestimating the team’s potential when he talks of the rankings goal, but his realistic approach to the season ahead perhaps pre-empts the possibility of unrealistic expectations from both the ARU and a public buoyed by a new awareness of sevens through the success of the Aussie women.
Following the Olympics, there have been many significant coaching and player changes in the ranks of the world’s top Sevens teams which has created both anticipation and uncertainty as to what complexion the new season and the tournament results will produce.
It is perhaps the most open series yet in terms of emerging talent and developing nations with a very strong sign leading up to the Olympics that the gap between the traditional top four or five teams and the rest is closing rapidly.
As for the imminent contest in Dubai, Australia tops the Pool D list and will be sharing Day One competition with Kenya, France and Japan, making this an imposing group – although none of the four pools look to be an easy proposition.
While Fiji will still be the current yard-stick by which all teams take their measure, it will be interesting to see what difference, if any, a new coach has made in the short period since the Rio Olympics. Add to that the departure of legendary coach Sir Gordon Tietjens from the All Blacks Sevens equation and the anticipation leading into next weekend’s tournament just grows.
It is a new era for sevens, no more so than in Australia, and the men’s team have a whole new page to write on for the annals of Australian rugby.
Campese
Roar Rookie
Its not a case of running a straight line speeding there is a lot more to it. Some interesting facts of the 7s player.... Engine of an AFL midfielder. Explosive speed. Physicality of a NRL forward. Pain tolerance of an ironman. Speed is number one in 7s but you also need other skills. A very sound aerobic base. Skills in passing, tackling, off loading,side stepping, drop kicking as well as a extreme fitness level and stamina. Speed Endurance. Beep Test. Vision and reading the game. Ability to work through 7s fatigue with vision and composure Not all players have these natural skills. You just can’t hide in sevens, It’s all fairly simple: with less people on the field, you have to do a lot more. You can't afford to make mistakes either. Measured by GPS units, sevens players will run an average of 1.5km to 1.8km per game. Total distance on a weekend is similar to one 15s game but the big difference is how much is done at “high intensity” levels — which the ARU measure at 6.7 metres per second. Sevens players clock up 8 per cent of total distance at high intensity — double or triple the normal level of a 15s player in a game. Most sevens players will hit top speed (nearing 10 metres per second) several times, whereas 15s players often won’t hit it at all. It’s shorter but sevens players are involved in far more contacts per minute than their 15s counterparts too Mind: Ability to keep going when exhausted, both in a game and in a six-game tournament with ad-hoc recovery facilities. Strength: Weights programs similar to Super Rugby players for the physicality to dominate collisions and make tackles. Engine: Must possess aerobic fitness of elite AFL players Fitness: No room for extra weight so junk food is out Skills: Sevens players must possess impeccable ball skills and evasion Speed: Quick skinfolds are 35 to 43mm, they have big tanks, great aerobic capacity and they’re quick and they have to be able to produce high intensity efforts over and over again.” Happy to see youth in the new side and there is speed there
BrainsTrust
Guest
The only thing in sevens rugby that doesn;t exist in fifteens is the FIjian introduced style patient attack, backpedalling and passing it from side to side.This would also be a product of playing in Fiji without the benefit of lights tropical heat in daytime would allow this style even in 15's.I would imagine rather than being scared of players being influenced to backpedal and pass it from side to side in 15's like Fiji , they would be just trying to make sure sevens don't poach their players, even the fringe ones. If the 15's will poach everyone then find someone more suited to sevens that 15's. You can see at the end of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R23-bR7ach8 , there is a speedster out there and he doesn't even seem to fully get in top gear for that length of the field try.
Jill Scanlon
Roar Rookie
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.
Daveski
Guest
Going to be a very interesting tournament with a lot of teams losing players to 15s and other factors. And big unknowns as you say over the new coaches in Fiji and NZ. I reckon the Poms might catch a few teams napping and win this one, with Sth Africa the main threat.
ClarkeG
Guest
did you post this in your sleep
BrainsTrust
Guest
WHat is the story with Mitchell Felsman who scored for Brisbane City. He looks like a straight line speedster who would be really a top player in sevens even if they aren't any good in 15's. Why is Stannard still in the squad, its a very long stretch to say he has got any sort of skills he can pass along to the new guys.
correct sometimes
Guest
wake me up at the next olympics
Rugger
Guest
Australian 7s team has lacked ex-factor, speed and athletes for as long as we can remember. Why is it taking Friend this long to inject youth? QLD Reds team had some ex-factor and I am sure so did other teams yet we have familiar looking team for Dubai. Selection has been boring, lacking ambition and we have results to match to date. After all doing same things and expecting different results always ends up in tears.
Jill Scanlon
Roar Rookie
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.
Jill Scanlon
Roar Rookie
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!
Working Class Rugger
Guest
I honestly do not understand the Top 8 target. We finished 4th last series and that should be our new minimum for the 16/17 circuit with top 3 being the idea.
Jill Scanlon
Roar Rookie
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.
MatthewSkellett
Guest
A whole new page eh? That would be because their history up to now is pretty sad