Chile 7s

[Marcus]

Sevens: Preview - World Series Round Two The first international action of 2002 takes place at the San Carlos de Apoquindo Stadium in Santiago, Chile, on Friday and Saturday. It is the second leg of the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series, where New Zealand faces another onslaught from all the best teams in the world. It is a confident New Zealand team, the current World Sevens Series champions, who started preparations in Santiago this week. Not only did they easily win the opening leg in Durban in November, to top the current standings, but they are again at full strength. They are captained by veteran Eric Rush, who also has at his disposal, in a very powerful team, seasoned sevens campaigners like Craig De Goldi, Dallas Seymour and Orene Ai’i. The Kiwis’ strongest challenge again comes from Samoa, Fiji, Australia and South Africa. And then there is England, who came to the fore in the first leg in Durban, and now seems to have serious Sevens ambitions. However, it seems unlikely, based on the respective teams’ performances in the opening round and current team lists, that anybody other than Fiji could seriously challenge them. Rush helped New Zealand to a thrilling 19-17 win over Samoa in the Final of the Durban leg, producing a moment of magic and a lung-searing sprint over half the field to score the winning try. While the Samoans may have been a touch unlucky to lose in the Final, for the Kiwis it had been a cruise to the Final. In the earlier rounds Samoa had drawn with South Africa, whom New Zealand - yet again - smashed. Then Samoa needed extra time to get past Argentina in the quarter-finals. The big star in Durban was Ai’i, who was named Man of the Series. It was truly well-deserved, as he was the top scorer of the series, the man, who more than any other, brought some real magic to the event. The big disappointments in Durban were Fiji and Australia, who both got knocked out in the quarter-finals. South Africa beat Fiji 12-0, while England produced the biggest upset (at least by Sevens standards) by beating Australia 27-7. Australia, who fielded a young team in Durban, have brought nothing special or new with them to Chile. In fact, their rugby league import, Wendell Sailor, will get his first taste of international rugby union only at the annual Brisbane Sevens on 2 and 3 February. But Fiji will no doubt produce a far stronger challenge, having named a stronger team with the return of Waisale Serevi, the undisputed master of Sevens. Serevi has been named as a player/coach, which sets him up for a classic showdown with his old foe, Rush. And Serevi will lead a very competitive team in Santiago as they attempt to dethrone reigning Sevens kings New Zealand. Sadly, Fiji are without Viliame Statala and Filimone Delasau (based in France), Fero Lasagavibau (injured), and Rupeni Caucaunibuca (Blues Super 12 squad). But they do have Marika Vunibaka, the Crusaders' Super 12 flier. Jope Tuikabe, who was named Fijian Player of the Year last week, Northland speedster Fero Lasagavibau and veteran forward Aminiasi Naituyaga are other players who will ensure Fiji will once again give New Zealand a run for their money. Also in the side is the national 15-man team captain Alifereti Doviverata, who returns to the abbreviated version of the game. This of cause is bad news for Samoa, who take with them very much the same team that competed in Durban. And they are grouped with Fiji for the round-robin stages on Friday. They will be hard pressed to repeat their performance of the first round, although they will be very competitive. South Africa’s challenge is unlikely to be any stronger than it was in Durban, where they played well against the minnows in the early rounds, but looked out of their depth in the play-offs. They have also been beset by other problems. Coach Chester Williams was forced to change his squad after nine of his players were ruled out by injury and Super 12 call-ups. Thobela Mdaka and Ashwin Willemse could not make the squad because of groin injuries, Barry Jacobsz is out with a hamstring strain and Marius Schoeman suffered an ankle injury. Egon Seconds was drafted into the Stormers squad, Leon van der Heever joined up with the Bulls squad and Wayne van Heerden was called into the Sharks squad. New Mpumalanga Pumas signing Brent Russell, a late call-up to the squad in the Durban leg, will make his first full tour with the national squad, whilst Boland's Antonius Verhoeven finds himself in the Sevens squad for the first time. Williams will rely heavily on the experienced core of Helgard Brink, Dale Heidtmann and Paul Treu providing the brains, and speed-merchants Fabian Juries and Jan-Harm van Wyk providing the pace. In fact, it is reasonably safe to predict that New Zealand will again cruise into the Final, and the real race is on to see who will meet them there. The Kiwis should have no trouble in disposing of their Group A opponents Wales, Canada and Paraguay. Australia, although favoured to top Group B, could expect the ever-improving Argentineans to give them a run for their money. The Pumas, both at Sevens and the 15-man version of the game, can easily be rated as the most-improved team of 2001. A slightly off-key performance by the Australians and the Argentineans will be able to top the group and have an easier quarter-final draw. South Africa, despite not being at full strength, should again top Group C, where they face England, France and Uruguay. England, based on their recent Sevens form, should be the Springboks’ strongest challengers. South Africa’s biggest problem is their tendency to self-destruct and a serious lack of confidence - not to mention the poor standard of skills levels displayed in Durban. Group D is a straight battle between Samoa and Fiji and if Serevi is anywhere near his best the Fijians will most likely advance to challenge archrivals New Zealand in the Final. Chile and the West Indies, made up of 18 different countries, are likely to get hammered heavily in the Group D round-robin stages, before they will find the Bowl Section a bit more to their liking. [*]The Groups: Group A: New Zealand, Wales, Canada, Paraguay. Group B: Australia, Argentina, United States, Brazil. Group C: South Africa, England, France, Uruguay. Group D: Samoa, Fiji, Chile, West Indies. [*]Fixtures (times are local, GMT –3 hours): Day One, Friday 4 January: 1 C South Africa - France 14.30
2 C England - Uruguay 14.52
3 A New Zealand - Canada 15.14
4 A Wales - Paraguay 15.36
5 B Australia - United States 15.58
6 B Argentina - Brazil 16.20
7 D Samoa - Chile 16.42
8 D Fiji - West Indies 17.04
9 C South Africa - Uruguay 17.36
10 C England - France 17.58
11 A New Zealand - Paraguay 18.20
12 A Wales - Canada 18.42
13 B Australia - Brazil 19.04
14 B Argentina - United States 19.26
15 D Samoa - West Indies 19.48
16 D Fiji - Chile 20.10
17 C France - Uruguay 20.32
18 A Canada - Paraguay 20.54
19 B United States - Brazil 21.16
20 D Chile - West Indies 21.38
21 C South Africa - England 22.30
22 A New Zealand - Wales 22.52
23 B Australia - Argentina 23.14
24 D Samoa - Fiji 23.36 Day Two, Saturday 5 January: 25 Bowl Quarter-final 3rd Group A v 4th Group B 16.00
26 Bowl Quarter-final 3rd Group D v 4th Group C 16.22
27 Bowl Quarter-final 3rd Group C v 4th Group D 16.44
28 Bowl Quarter-final 3rd Group B v 4th Group A 17.06
29 Cup Quarter-final 1st Group A v 2nd Group B 17.28
30 Cup Quarter-final 1st Group D v 2nd Group C 17.50
31 Cup Quarter-final 1st Group C v 2nd Group D 18.12
32 Cup Quarter-final 1st Group B v 2nd Group A 18.34
33 Shield semi-final Loser game 25 v Loser game 26 19.06
34 Shield semi-final Loser game 27 v Loser game 28 19.28
35 Bowl semi-final Winner game 25 v Winner game 26 19.50
36 Bowl semi-final Winner game 27 v Winner game 28 20.12
37 Plate semi-final Loser game 29 v Loser game 30 20.34
38 Plate semi-final Loser game 31 v Loser game 32 20.56
39 Cup semi-final Winner game 29 v Winner game 30 21.18
40 Cup semi-final Winner game 31 v Winner game 32 21.40
41 Shield Final Winner game 33 v Winner game 34 22.30
42 Bowl Final Winner game 35 v Winner game 36 23.00
43 Plate Final Winner game 37 v Winner game 38 23.30
44 Cup Final Winner game 39 v Winner game 40 00.00 [*]Teams: Group A: New Zealand: Eric Rush, Craig De Goldi, Dallas Seymour, Chris Masoe, Jared Going, Amasio Raoma, Orene Ai'i, Damian Karauna, Justin Wilson, Reid Hayden, Rua Tipoke, Tod Blythe. Coach: Gordon Tietjens. Wales: Jonathan Thomas, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Robin Collet, Michael Phillips, Shaun James, Nick Wakeley, Gareth Campan, Liam Roberts, Phil Edwards, Craig Richards, Gareth Swales, Gareth Williams. Coach: Colin Hillman. Canada: Gregor Dixon, Shane Thompson, Jim Douglas, Marco Di Girolamo, Ed Faitrhust, Mike Dansjin, Fred Asselin, Mattt Cohen, Todd McBride, Pat Bickerton, Ali Shebani, Tim Barret. Coach: Ric Suggit. Paraguay: Gustavo Salinas, Mario González, Gustavo Doldan, Mustafá Yambay, Walter Hoppe, Javier Morinigo, Roberto Sánchez, Rodrigo Volpe, Gonzalo Giménez, Oscar Cano, Rafael Boccia, Heberhard Hydel. Coach: Carlos Denis. Group B: Australia: James Couper, Ashley Elphinston, Matthew Giteau, Aaron Hardcastle, Peter Hynes, David Mac Callun, Aaron McInnes, Peter Miller, Timothy O'Brien, Benjamin Petersen, Patrick Phibbs, Timothy Walsh. Coach: Julian Gardner. Argentina: Matías Albina, Martín Gaitán, Santiago Gómez Cora, Juan Martín Hernández, Fernando Higgs, Francisco Leonelli, José María Núñez Piossek, Gustavo Piergenteli, Santiago Sanz, Hernán Senillosa, Lucio López. Coach: Hernán Rouco. United States: Mike Coyner, David Fee, Eddie Galpin, Mike Harvey, Matt Huckaby, Jone Koroi, Alexander Magleby, Jason Raven, Mose Timoteo, Ben Trautwen, Kevin Whitcher, Don Younger. Coach: John Mc Kittrick. Brazil: Antonio Gorios Filho, Adriano Machuca, Anselmo Araujo, Daniel Hubert Greg, Fabio Carvalhaes, Felipe Feri de Barros, Giuliano Fazzio Pasini, Mauricio Carli, Pedro Guedes Pinto, Rafael De Luna Freire, Ricardo Zimmerman, Vinicius Toledo Paro. Coach: Flavio Alves Dos Santos. Group C: South Africa: Anthonius Verhoeven, Dale Heidtmann, Fabian Juries, Helgard Brink, Gerrie Britz, Neil Powell, Jan Harm Van Wyk, Jorrie Muller, Anton Pitout, Paul Treu, Brent Russell, Jean de Villiers. Coach: Chester Williams. England: Mark Cueto, Geoff Appleford, James Forrester, Andy Hazell, James Simpson Daniel, Nick Duncombe, Josh Lewsey, Mike Friday (Captain), Rob Thirlby, Ben Gollings, Richard Haughton, Russel Earnshaw. Coach: Joe Lydon. France: Jeremy Fleurus, Lilian Ducos, Davy Largue, Laurent Baluc Retener, Tomás Soucaze, Jerome Daret, Laurent Diaz, Benjamin Vigneau, Martial Molinier, Damien Albert, Frederic Lartigue, Damien Denechaud. Coach: Thierry Janeczeck. Uruguay: Juan Alzueta, Ignacio Conti, Diego Suárez, Juan Manuel Regulés, Sebastián Salveraglio, Agustín Urrestarazú, Agustín Pereira, Carlos Baldasarri, Alfredo Delgado, Joaquín de Freitas, Francisco Vilaboa v Martín Riotorto. Coach: Alvaro Pérez. Group D: Samoa: Leamy Toleafoa, Ponaly Tapelu, Maurie Faasavalu, Alapasa Cordtz, Gideon Viliamu, Notise Tauafao, Uale Mai, Faatonu Fili, Gaolo Elisara, Ilialio Toa, Alesana Tuilagi, Ron Fanuatanu. Coach: Romeo Ah Chong. Fiji: Waisale Serevi, Jope Tuikabe, Alifereti Doviverata, Aminiasi Naituyaga, Marika Vunibaka, Sikeli Ratulevu, Norman Ligairi, Dale Kacivi, Waisake Bole, Apenisa Valesu, Maika Wainibitu. Coach: Alifereti Cawanibuka. Chile: Bernardo garcía, Sebastián Pinto, Edmundo Olfos, Diego Durruty, Juan Pablo Pannat, Sebastián Pizarro, Benjamín Holmes, Claudio Bennet, Diego Livingstone, Juan Ignacio Irusta, Eugenio Cantuarias, Diego Cárcamo, Rodrigo Coda, Claudio Labbé, Jaime Olfos, Diego Pilasi, Tomás Platowski, Christopher Nielson, Francisco Verscheure, Miguel Llorens, Diego Valderrama, Ricardo Andrade, Matías Vergara. Coach: Cristián Jory.* West Indies: Bobby Hurdle, Joey McGavern, Danny McGavern, Jonathan Cassidy, Ewan Wilson, Geoff Gregory, Mark Hamilton, Brent Barry, Troy Grant, Kurt Johnson, Owen Proverbs, John Evans