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Britain skipper Robbie Fergusson: ‘It will be a hell of a journey’
It was Wednesday morning in Hong Kong when the dice rolled for RugbyPass. Bagging a spare seat on a shuttle bus to the stadium across on the Island was the quest, with either Britain or Australia the options heading towards 9am.
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The Brits waved us on and the 30 or so minutes that followed were typical of any rugby team bus journey to training.
Pumping tunes. Gossip. A sense of wonder with the commute as it wound its way through the busy Cross Harbour tunnel and then up the elevation towards the stadium, a journey temporarily delayed by a truck with a heavy load negotiating a downhill reverse into a building site.
It was some hours later when RugbyPass caught up with one of the minibus passengers, Robbie Fergusson.
The photo call ahead of this Friday’s start to the Hong Kong 7s had just been completed, the Scot posing for one last snap with GB7s women’s skipper Emma Uren before stopping by for a flash interview and then the commute back across the harbour to the Kerry, the hotel accommodating all 12 men’s teams this week.
"Alright, perfect…"
– It was a captain's call with a difference on Wednesday as players from the 24 teams at this weekend's Hong Kong 7s got into the swing of the famed South Stand party atmosphere a few days early. #HSBCSVNS@SVNSSeries @OfficialHK7s #HK7s pic.twitter.com/0RFJ5i0S3I
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 3, 2024
“This is my fifth or sixth time now in Hong Kong, so I know it pretty well,” explained Fergusson, the 30-year-old Scot who is back on the 7s circuit full-time this season after another XV stint with Glasgow Warriors.
“It’s always a special event and knowing this will be the last in this amazing stadium is pretty cool and will be an amazing thing to be a part of.”
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Britain need to be on it from the off on Friday morning as their three-game pool programme opens against New Zealand, the defending Hong Kong champions, followed by fixtures against the USA and then Argentina.
It was in LA on the last leg when the Brits finally came alive for the first time this season, reaching the final after picking off Australia and Spain in the knockouts.
That has lifted them to ninth in the overall standings with five of the eight tournaments played and Fergusson is now hoping for a repeat of that improved form from five weeks ago.
“Our programme is just sort of developing on the go,” he explained. “We had a bit more time together before the last two events and I guess it’s now push come to shove coming towards the end of the season.
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“Everyone is battling hard for that top eight so that work we have been doing and sacrifice back at home is hopefully paying off a little bit on the pitch, but it’s a really tough group again this weekend. We will fly into that and give everything we have got again.
“You can see from the results in the series that everyone is beating everyone. Form has gone out the window when you look at it. New Zealand were in the final in Vancouver and then they drop out of the top eight for LA.
Silly or Serious?
Our captains are ready for a big weekend at the Hong Kong SVNS
Games start this Friday ? pic.twitter.com/LkmEAVP8Gn
— GB Rugby Sevens (@GBRugbySevens) April 3, 2024
“The consistency is not there other than Argentina. At the moment everyone is beating everyone, so your shot is as good as anyone’s I think.”
Last year, GB7s came very close to success. “We beat USA in the quarter-final and we had a hell of a game against Fiji. I think it ran into extra time and charging down the pitch, the crowd was just absolutely loving it.
“It’s a special place for the Fijians, they get a great following, so the semi-final last year against them was something that will stick in my memory.”
Progress on the HSBC circuit isn’t the only thing on the GB agenda as they have still to qualify for the Paris Olympics. A last-chance tournament in Monaco is coming over the hill in 11 weeks.
“Paris is huge for us. It’s all eyes on the repechage, June 21, 22 and 23, so with ourselves, South Africa, Canada and Spain being on the world series, it’s going to be a hotly contested thing for that last spot.
“It will be a hell of a journey if you book your ticket on the last chance and roll into an Olympics a month later. That is what we have got our big focus on.”
- Click here to watch all the action live on RugbyPass TV
"Our progamme is sort of developing on the go…"
– Robbie Fergusson, with Liam Heagney ?? in Hong Kong, on the Great Britain prep ahead of the #HK7s. #HSBCSVNS #GB7s @SVNSSeries @OfficialHK7s @GBRugbySevens
Follow all the action live on RugbyPass TV https://t.co/fIp2U09bpn pic.twitter.com/ALbATp51e6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 3, 2024
Comments on RugbyPass
The problem is the officiating & changing rulings,& TMOs.Last weekend I saw a 9 penalized for a crooked scrum feed! the last time I saw that rule applied was In about 1975!!!!!!!!.Late or not the incident is history & Australians alleging that Kiwi rugby supporters wear eye patches is a bit rich.Try listening to Australian Commentators.Every new player who has an above average game is suddenly the next great sensation.
19 Go to commentsEvery Irish fan in the stadium celebrated like they had won the tournament after the SA and Scotland games so yeah, the way Etzebeth tells it stacks up. It was definitely ‘In Their Heads’!
52 Go to commentsEtsebeth is right about 1 thing. Boks after winning a RWC have been crap. Only in 2009 did they reach the heights of what a RWC Champion should look like but that was only after 3rd/last in the TriN 2008. Lost a home series in 1996 (vs ABs); didnt win even 1 x Rugby Championship after 2019. ABs and Wallabies and England at least played like Champions after winning RWC.
52 Go to commentsCrusaders will knock one of the top seeds out in the first round, hope it’s not my Chiefs
25 Go to commentsEben really seems like just a deeply unpleasant man.
52 Go to commentsDMac. BB crabs too much at 10.
2 Go to commentsIt is every boys dream to be a Springbok. I managed it in a discipline other than rugby…But rugby, I have always engaged with passion. It does my old heart good to see the mix of people in the team and this displays the possibilities for this wonderful country. The logo “stronger together” says it all. This current edition of the Boks is nothing short of inspirational.
3 Go to commentsIrish people about the best damn people on the planet. OK, in the NH. Fijians are the World’s best happiest friendliest people. But as far as European cultures producing good people, Ireland stands alone. But on the rugby pitch there is a creeping arrogance that has detached from humility. eg Sexton abusing a match referee, and not for the 1st time. He was extremely lucky to make it to the RWC, strings were pulled. And O’Mahoneys sledge to Cane was lowballing, attacking an opposition Captain seems opportunistic and gutter talk. Cane is a real gentleman. Have never seen ABs unleash after the whistle like they did on O’Mahoney after QterF, it was well deserved. Unlike Bok supporters, the Bok players understand history. Massive amount of respect between Boks and ABs is evident, they get on well and have throughout history. Even Pinetree Meads best mate (except his old cobber Kel Tremain) were Springboks, friendships forged after tours. And Meads was always targetted given his star status (he even played 2 x Tests with a broken arm). On the contrary, ABs and Wallabies famously dont get on, bad blood after Aussies not taking offer of beersies postmatch.
52 Go to commentsHaha god NZ journalism is so crap listen to this guy “We’ll be proven in a few weeks if our baseless bs can stick” lol Everywhere else uses experts to write stuff but here they’re just career guys that don’t care about what they write, NOT CONCEDED A TRY IN YEARS lol > “Naturally, you’re looking for performance, sometimes that means you can’t think logically or use evidence to arrive at any sort of clarity of decision. Pretty much sums it up to a tee Paul ignores the articles in here about then runs off each team this year, that Penney is just a yearly stop gap until, who, Ellison is released by ABs, the huge imbalance of the injury front between teams at each end of the table, or who it was that _should_ have been coach. But of course if they actually do evidence and investigative work theyre shy of their article not hitting that sensationalism boundary and lose revenue. Leaving us non the wiser. They look like they would have been best with a geeup coach this year to turn around the razorless depression the clubs obviously going through. Hard to think of someone fitting the Bill to have been chosen instead, the clown Cheika? Id have been tempted to double play and entice O’Gara down. Hell maybe that is who they are waiting for, he wants a international gig and it could be after Scmidt or razor
25 Go to comments_Dan Carter weighs in on who should be Scott Robertson's All Black 10_ Dan: “It’s a toss up between Beudy and Dmac, although Mounga would be nice - but he can’t… so…” The Rugby Public: “Thanks Dan. For nuthin!”
2 Go to commentsEngland did this way back for the Croke Park match in the 2000’s. The shame actually seemed to weigh on them during the match. It will not be easy for Northhampton players to rationalize how their army went into a stadium of a major city of the then United Kingdom and opened fire indiscriminantly into terraces killed 14 and wounding scores. I am sure with a pro setup they will get this balance right. I live beside the stadium. A very old woman on the street remembers as a very young girl the crowds of people filling the street to escape the massacre. A lot of water under the bridge and the match has really little historical relevance for Irish/Leinster supporters any more. Those ghosts were freed in the trashing of England in the 2000’s match. Sure, it will motivate Leinster but Northhampton should not overly consider it or weigh on it in my opinion. Dowson is right to learn the historical importance and Northhampton are indeed giving the occasion due respect. It is important to show respect. But that’s enough for Northhampton. Fair play to them. On to the rugby now.
16 Go to commentsDouble World Cup Champions ? Wow since when did 4 become 2!
212 Go to comments“See you in the final” from a winning (Irish) team is just away of wishing a team well for the rest of the tournament. It’s actually saying I hope we both make it to the final. Etzebeth was the only player who PUBLICLY said that his team would make the final after that match. Does anyone honestly think Ireland who took 100 years to beat NZ and got hammerred by them in 2019 would for the slightest moment not take the perilous threat as seriously as it should be taken? Getting sick of Boks and Kiwis who spend all year every year trying boasting about how great and humble they are and then accusing others of arrogance. Respect people by trying to understand them before hitting a pretty humble people with this crap.
52 Go to commentsThe feelings of gratitude I feel when thinking about the Boks is difficult to describe. It really means a lot to people here. I would flat out ask Ox for a big hug if I met him in person. And then probably pass out after the squeeze. Totally worth it.
3 Go to commentsFarrell seems to be an outstanding coach and Ireland a very well prepared team. But they looked like they had no plan B against NZ. Maybe they really were looking past them, as Eben says.
52 Go to commentsMaybe if you come once in your life in France you won’t writte so much nonsense 🙃
1 Go to commentsWhy did they kill 14 people at a gaelic football match? What had happened earlier that day? Dowson sounds absolutely pathetic, believing what the Irish say about his people, rather than believing what his people say about the Irish.
16 Go to commentsI haven't really experienced the Irish as arrogant but I guess the players maybe got ahead of themselves after a big win. Just thought it being Ireland and their love afair with WC QF exits and it being the ABs maybe they would have taken it a bit more seriously. Maybe they did and just lost anyways, who knows.
52 Go to commentsNot surprising, they tend to get very carried away with themselves very quickly. I’ve never seen a team so devastated at the final whistle than those irish players in that QF, you’d think they had lost the final.
52 Go to commentsJust a roundabout way of claiming to great fun. Self -praise is no praise, frenchie.
1 Go to comments