IRB Sevens- Oceania teams aim to end on a high.
Australia are on the up. photo Zoomfiji
Samoa speed. photo Zoomfiji
Vereniki Goneva is hard to bring down. photo Zoomfiji
Sevens teams from Oceania launch their assault on the Scotland Sevens, after a mixed season expectations are to end on a high.
This year on the IRB Sevens Series has scene more unpredictability than global warming throws up around the globe. With this in mind there really is no reason at all to sense that Scotland will not add another freaky result to the mix.
In watching this year minnows have toppled so called un-beatable, and the big guns have fired without gunpowder. Realism is that in seven minutes things can happen fast. With a confident mind, a wee bit of luck with the ball and all of a sudden it is nearly all over and you have a chance to win. At this point pressure kicks in big time, and with this cracks, mistakes and panic can all come to the surface. Now on the other side of the coin, confidence, belief and pride all rise too as one team senses they may be on the edge of something sensational. Watching both sides of this always makes for superb rugby, it also captures fans for life with what unfolds.
Like Samoa did in the Sevens RWC in Dubai, they believed they could beat England and they did. Fiji had a dire time of defending their world title, but in Hong Kong they found the gift that only Fiji has when they play with their hearts. Australia too is on the rise; they are hovering in the quarterfinals contentions at regular intervals and seeing this young team glow means golden times are on the horizon.
It is quite incredible that New Zealand this season have not raised the winning trophy, especially after their complete dominance last season. What ever happened in the off-season has been simply surreal. All the other teams must have been sick and tired about getting pasted on the field, it seems they have worked a lot on weaknesses and laid their own challenge this season. Super coach Titch has contended with a new thing this year, loss. In London they were painfully close to putting a grin back on his face, but then England came back with a slap.
What ever way you look at the IRB Sevens Series in 09 it is all good, there is so much excitement, so much given by all the teams and here is hoping one of our Oceania teams can go all the way and end a mighty season with a grin for us.