What a weekend by the Australia Super Rugby teams. While the majority of the focus has been on the Super Rugby, there was also a round of the World Rugby Sevens Series in Toulouse.
Not a big issue in the grand scheme of a year with a World Cup and the start of the women’s inaugural WXV global tournament. But still very significant, especially for the Aussie sevens men.
So, what happened over the weekend?
First up the women, in reality it was a really odd weekend. On an individual level all hail Maddison Levi. In only her second season, broke the all-time season try-scoring record with 57 tries, a record set by Portia Woodman 10 years ago.
It was an odd tournament. They played Ireland and France twice. In terms of team performance, on one hand they lost a pool game to France and probably played one of their worst semi-finals, let alone games, in a long time against the USA. But still finished the weekend with a bronze medal with a win over France. A good way to finish the season.
Despite the bronze it was not one of their best weekends. They seemed scratchy from the second pool game against Ireland.
Their first game was a bit of an opposed training run against Brazil and while the score against Ireland was a 33-12 win, it was not really convincing. The game turned just after half-time with an individual try by Teagan Levi. Up to that point Ireland seemed to have their measure.
Then France, who always seem to cause them problems. The Aussies changed their starting line-up and were just not on, too many missed tackles and dropped balls.
The quarter-final was another battle against Ireland, with the Aussies getting up 17-7.
In the semi-final the Aussies could not play their usual fast game, the USA were again just too big, powerful and slowed the game down. Australia found it difficult to tackle them to the ground quickly. Although do have to mention Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea and Teagan Levi, who matched the aggression.
In the bronze medal game they changed their starting lineup giving players such as Lily Dick, Tia Hinds, and Bienne Terita some game time. Maddi Levi cracked another hat-trick of tries. It clicked and they defeated France 33-7.
(Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Their season is over. Not sure how you rate it, especially if you try to compare it to last season. But this season they came second in the standings, won a gold, three silvers, three bronzes and qualified for the Paris Olympics. It is a mighty fine season. But it cannot be ignored the Series winners, the Kiwis, won the last six tournaments.
They now have a break until the Series starts again in December.
What about the Aussie men?
Last weekend was and next weekend will be all about stress, pressure, anxiety and trying to enjoy playing rugby.
Like the women, last weekend was a really mixed bag. They went through the pool stage undefeated and were looking very good. Winning is what they need to do as the Aussie men are teetering on that final spot to automatically qualify for the Olympics. They needed to go deep into the tournament to obtain as many points as possible and repeat that, next weekend in London.
Come quarter-final time, things went awry when they surprisingly lost to Canada. Not only did they go down to 12-10, they lost Darby Lancaster for the rest of the weekend and probably next weekend in London.
A quarter-final win would have got them into the semi-final to collect more points to keep ahead of Samoa and South Africa who were just one and six points behind the Aussies in the standings.
After the loss to Canada they could have dropped their heads. Instead, they reset for a fifth placed semi-final against South Africa. In the first half South Africa seemed to have all the possession and the Aussies spent a lot of time just defending their line.
At half-time the South Africans were only up 12-7. Not exciting, but Maurice Longbottom’s sideline conversion of the Henry Paterson try proved to be critical in the end. Early in the second half Tim Clements scored, then the old heads of Longbottom and Nick Malouf combined for a try. In the dying seconds captain Malouf made a sensational tackle that resulted in a penalty, the Aussies kicked it out, and took the win 21-19.
If the Aussie men qualify for Paris, they can look back at Malouf’s tackle as being key.
After the win over South Africa they needed to get up again and defeat Ireland for fifth place, which they did 26-21. They looked a bit shaky to start with, a couple of missed tackles resulted in Irish tries. It was 14-14 at half-time but a quick try just after the restart gave them a lead which they kept and built on.
Josh Turner had a good game setting up a couple of tries, with Nathan Lawson getting a hat-trick.
The men are now nine points ahead of both Samoa and South Africa. A bit battered and bruised, on to London this weekend which will decide whether they automatically qualify for the Olympics.
Knife’s edge. Pressure. Anxiety. It is why you play sport and watch it.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep as she was involved also in the Black Ferns 15’s WRWC as well
Atlas
Roar Rookie
A change of scenery for Tyla Nathan-Wong Tyla Nathan-Wong has been released from her New Zealand Rugby contract and will leave Aotearoa as the latest top women's player to join St George Illawarra Dragons in Australia's NRLW, joining former Sevens teammates Niall Guthrie and Gayle Broughton in rugby league and the NRLW. Nathan-Wong, 28, has been a fixture of the Black Ferns Sevens for over a decade, culminating in winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. With 195 tournaments under her belt, Nathan-Wong won the World Sevens Series seven times, as well as an Olympic silver medal in 2016, Commonwealth Games gold in 2018, and two Sevens World Cups - in 2013 and 2018.
Mickelondo
Roar Rookie
The Kiwi women play the game with absolute enjoyment and abandonment!! Pure pleasure to watch. And the combination of youth and experience in the men's team and the women's is magnificent.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Yep will stick to the international sport
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Have to say Argentina have been great, no idea how they have done it but they are playing very well & great to watch.
Anibal Pyro
Roar Rookie
A Pumas 7 mention. The Program is excelent. Now Argentina has replaced Fiyi as usual Abs contender. Bad Luck in the final. But Argentina is there. The trashing 50-0 to Great Britáin, the routine effortless win over Canadá in SF after Canada past Australia. And Moneta, I do not Know why Australia SR sides are not looking for Moneta or Isgro.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Pretty right Hugh, but yes it is a different landscape in Aotearoa womens rugby ATM, with the NZRU throwing just over $22 million into the women's game, thanks mainly to Silver Lake sponsorship. Also it's a pity that we see ATM the French not being able to finance a League world cup, & possibly Australia taking over, seeing that is where the strength of the game is within the NRL. I remember quite a few years ago, that Lebanon fielded a team, in the league WC 7 mostly ALL the players came from around the Bankstown area in Sydney. Quite funny at the time, seeing that. Yeh Hugh apart from that I really do like the international sport so much better, where nations compete against each other, apart from the British who have a habit now of combining nations.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
I would hope Aotearoa is more competitive in rugby than Australia. Here in Oz as I have mentioned we have AFL/NRL whilst predominantly a domestic sport that takes a lot of player talent. I’m no big AFL fan but there are 18 teams, with 650+ very well paid pro players & I appreciate in global terms it is one of the biggest leagues in terms of average attendance and broadcasting $$. As for NRL, 17 teams with top squad of the 30 players each, that’s a lot of top line talent. In terms of sport generally throw in cricket, the domestic players are paid very very well, I think the women average $150k. It was quite a different landscape to NZ. Also as I have mentioned before it is great that Australia provides so many Kiwis (& others) with sporting & non-sporting opportunities so they can achieve their dreams & goals. Not just in rugby either, just look at Supercars & the opportunity for the Kiwi drivers. In regards to Maddi Levi really don’t think individual records mean too much, she is very team oriented,
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
That is the issue from where
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH Hugh, Aotearoa might be smaller but as far as the ' oval ' shaped ball goes the Kiwi's are far more competitive internationally than what Australia is. But then there has been a great input by Kiwi's in all aspects of the game here in Australia, as we've noticed with the Women's 7's team. There's a few te moko's to see that. We only have to look at what is happening with League ( a club game that is only played at the top level on the East Coast of Australia) internationally ATM with France not having enough in the way of finance to run the league WC. Then again, most of other countries players play in the NRL here. Same with AFL which is only a club game played within Australia. With Rugby known as the ' Global Game' there is over 100 nations play the game, in all forms, as 7's , 10's, 12's & 15's. Then it was a great performance by Maddi Levi, in her first season. but as most know, if she stays with Seven's she will find scoring, as Woodman did, a lot harder, with opposition players marking her a lot closer, as that was the case with that speedster in the mens, from the USA, who was very closely marked over the last season or so.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Great write up Hugh! Walsh definitely needs to find some more powerful players from somewhere.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
I expected the Kiwis to win both as a consequence have to admit didn’t watch any of their games, if I was a Kiwi or Australia was playing them I would have. A bit like watching the Oz women’s cricket team or the Australian League team when they win everything, the Aussies love it, everyone else gets a bit bored. The women’s Fiji v Ireland was a great game as that was to decide who qualified for the Paris. For Maddi Levi, still think to break the try scoring record in your second season is pretty special, also I don’t think she will be after Portia’s record she has bigger fish to fry in her sporting career. She was in the AFLW academy and played full season of AFLW in the year before the Olympics. So it will be interesting to see what she does post Paris. As I have mentioned before, I think the Aussie men are doing great, only half the squad is full time. Plus there isn’t the depth talent available with NRL & AFL, NZ doesn’t have that sort of challenge. Also for example Max Burey was in the 7s squad in HK, this week played fly half for the Force. Throw in the men 7s have less funding and the geographical challenges of Australia, the 7s program has to focus on players mainly in Sydney. NZ is small a lot easy to bring players in.
Reds Harry
Roar Rookie
Not writing them off at all, they'll be back given their depth and heritage. What is undeniable is like our womens side, they are well off their 2022 performances.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't write off the Blitzbokke, Reds, as they like many other nations did suffer due to the pandemic & had limited exposure to tournaments played, along with other issues. From what Iv'e been told, they too now, are in another rebuilding stage, as most know some of the brilliant talent we've all seen come from the Republic.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Good read Hugh, but actually the tournament, turned out to be a ' Black out' before the finals were played, as both the BF & AB 7's tied the World Series up for this year before the next tournament in London next weekend. Even though Maddison Levi beat Portia Woodman's try scoring record for the season, she still has a long way to go, as Woodman is well over 220 tries ATM, & is still scoring them this season, whilst mostly coming off the bench. Yes the Aussie girls didn't perform to expectations, being bowled out by the USA in the Semi's, as even I thought it would've been an Aussie v Aotearoa final. The Australian men, have been disappointing this year, as with the tournament winners the AB 7's with their blooding of new talent, that IMO need to be a little more sharper than what they are. I heard Sarah Hirini's, speech after the winning of the tournament, to which she was quite right, in saying how their game had been seriously affected by the pandemic over the last couple of years in having attended limited tournaments, & now being finally allowed to show what they have. So yes a good tournament, & now onto London, for a tournament that has no bearing on this years World Series.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Thanks. The women can compete with the bigger teams if they have possession and play fast, if they drop the ball a few times they find it hard to get the ball back. Yep ALF does a lot of the heavy lifting. The question is, who can they bring in ?. There hasn't really been any new first choice players since coach Walsh took over except Jesse Southwell, who was never going to stay in rugby. Agree may need to see more of Terita but it is more the Williams type in the middle we need to find/ develop. But coach Walsh is smart, am sure he has a plan. The men are great they just battle away, it has been very important that got Nick Malouf back he makes a big difference. Really hop they get their Paris qualification in London.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Thanks, just waving that niche rugby flag
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
I saw that and was just confused.
Harry Jones
Expert
In an alternate universe, this was played at Twickenham. See, Times of London.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Excellent summary and a pleasure to read.