Magnificent Sevens
New Zealand is the current world series champ in Sevens. Not even the current World Cup Sevens holder.
Which is still more than can be said about our 15’s team but that’s another story.
New Zealand also hosts one of the premier events in the Sevens series – the Wellington party.
You could excuse the way the NZRFU have exploited Wellington’s love for the Stadium (don’t call it the CakeTin!) given that we’ve won it the last couple of years.
However the chickens are coming home to rest this season and they’re bringing the footy equivalent of the bird flu.
The NZ Sevens team has been beaten in the quarter-finals at the first two tournament.
“Titch” has made major changes to the team to try and come up with something ie replacing one bunch of no names with another bunch.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to think that the team will struggle to replicate its previous successes.
Likewise, the Commonwealth Games will expose the fact that we’ve taken for granted out Sevens dominance and it’s about to blow up in our faces. Give Titch access to at least some of the top players and we can continue to dominate at least one flavour of footy.
I hope I’m proved wrong … but the chances aren’t high.
The NZRFU have taken from the sevens – Lomu, Cullen to name just two – but have failed to put anything back in.
It will be sevens next weekend but not seventh heaven for Black supporters.
