Hong Kong Sevens : les Bleus sans faute, les Pumas sans jus
Vainqueurs du dernier tournoi à Los Angeles, les Français ont signé une première journée parfaite à Hong Kong, avec notamment une victoire à la dernière seconde sur l’Australie, tandis que l’Argentine, leader des HSBC SVNS Series, a perdu ses deux rencontres du jour.
Les Pumas débarquaient pourtant en Asie avec la possibilité d’entériner leur sacre. Pour assurer la coupe avant même la dernière étape du circuit, il leur fallait maintenir leurs 20 points d’avance. Mais en perdant tout d’abord 14-10 contre les Etats-Unis puis 22-0 par la Nouvelle-Zélande, l’Argentine s’est mise sous pression. Dernière de la poule B, elle doit absolument battre le Royaume-Uni, pour son dernier match, si elle veut garder son ambition intacte.
De son côté, la France mène le bal dans la poule A, après avoir battu de justesse l’Australie (19-14) dans le dernier match de la journée. Les Fidji, qui affronteront les Bleus demain dans le choc au sommet de la poule, se sont rattrapé en écrasant le Canada 45-5, peu de temps après avoir perdu contre l’Australie.
Dans le même temps, une Afrique du Sud en pleine rédemption a signé un deux sur deux pour s’installer en tête de la poule C.
Poule A : les Bleus renversent l’Australie
Avec deux victoires, sur le Canada puis l’Australie, la France a logiquement pris les commandes de la poule A. Elle peut remercier Nelson Epée, qui a trouvé l’espace nécessaire pour déborder la défense ‘aussie’ sur l’aile droite et offrir un succès presque inespéré à son équipe. Plus tôt, les Bleus avaient dominé le Canada 31-0, grâce notamment à un doublé d’Aaron Grandidier, qui avait planté 11 essais ici même l’an dernier, un record.
Cinquième au classement, l’Australie a performé en dominant les Fidji, troisièmes. Pour la première de Michael Hooper à VII, les Australiens ont gagné 12-0 au terme d’un véritable bras de fer.
Mais les Fidji n’ont pas dit leur dernier mot. En battant le Canada de manière convaincante (45-5), ils peuvent encore croire aux quarts de finale. Il faudra pour cela battre la France ce samedi.
Poule B : des Pumas inoffensifs
Un doublé de Perry Baker pour les États-Unis a surpris l’Argentine, leader du circuit, qui n’a pas réussi à revenir au score pour son premier match du tournoi. Baker a marqué dès la première minute, puis a fait parler sa vitesse de pointe pour doubler la mise. Les Américains ont résisté après la pause pour s’imposer 14-10.
La Nouvelle-Zélande a débuté la défense de son titre hongkongais par une remontée victorieuse sur la Grande-Bretagne (12-7). Le finaliste de LA menait de sept points à la pause, avant de se voir leurs voisins les rattraper, puis les dépasser. Ross McCann avait mis les Britanniques devant, mais ces derniers ont été incapables d’inscrire le moindre point après la pause.
Les Néo-Zélandais ont continué sur leur lancée face à l’Argentine. Face aux leaders du circuit, ils ont signé une victoire nette et sans bavure, 22-0. Fehi Fineanganofo a ouvert le score, puis Santiago Vera Feld sauvait un essai tout fait d’un geste défensif incroyable.
Moses Leo a eu l’occasion de creuser l’écart avant la pause, mais a laissé passer un essai qui semblait évident. L’Argentine n’a cependant pas réussi à trouver la faille qui lui aurait permis de revenir dans le match, les All Blacks Sevens marquant trois essais en deuxième période pour s’assurer un bilan parfait en cette première journée.
L’Américain Kevon Williams a marqué son 100e essai sur le circuit de Sevens lors de la victoire de son pays sur la Grande-Bretagne 26-14, pour le dernier match de la journée dans la poule B. Les Britanniques menaient de deux points à la mi-temps, mais Team USA a marqué deux essais après la pause sans que son adversaire ne réagisse. Le match Etats-Unis – Nouvelle-Zélande, le dernier de la poule, sera décisif.
Poule C : Les Blitzboks signent un sans-faute
A 6, l’Afrique du Sud a tenu bon pour commencer son week-end à Hong Kong par une victoire 22-17 sur l’Irlande, deuxième au classement. Sous la houlette du nouveau sélectionneur Philip Snyman, les Blitzboks menaient 17-0 à la mi-temps. L’essai de Ryan Oosthuizen au retour des vestiaires a augmenté leur avance de cinq points, avant que le carton rouge adressé à Justin Geldud ne vienne redistribuer les cartes. Bryan Mollen et Niall Comerford ont rapidement marqué pour l’Irlande, qui a manqué d’un peu de temps pour réaliser le come-back parfait.
Les Blitzboks ont doublé la mise lors de leur deuxième match contre l’Espagne. Le remplaçant Shaun Williams a notamment inscrit un doublé lors d’une victoire 24-10. L’Afrique du Sud menait 12-7 à la pause, mais Tobias Sainz-Trapaga a répliqué pour ramener l’Espagne à deux points, avant que Williams, en interceptant une longue passe espagnole, ne rapproche son équipe d’une qualification pour les quarts de finale.
De son côté, l’Espagne a poursuivi sur sa lancée californienne en comblant un débours de sept points à la mi-temps pour battre les Samoa 17-14. L’Irlande a également renoué avec la victoire contre les îles du Pacifique en s’imposant 12-7.
Comments on RugbyPass
Good player, but how could anyone have filled RM’s shoes.? Also, I hope Razor implements better & indeed more legal tackling, the AB’s concede way too many cards. Looking forward to the new regime though.
6 Go to commentsGood article, NB. I’ve quite liked the speed and skill levels of Tom Ahern from Munster. I read he was a fullback until late in schools rugby and suddenly shot up to 6 foot 9. Another guy born in 2000 who seems to be able to play out in trams on both sides of the ball is Juan Martin Gonzalez of Saracens. Thanks for the article.
46 Go to commentsShould not even be in the thought to bring Barrett back,the team is going well and remember 2 season ago when the blues were going well & got out thought & out played in the final all Barrett did was needlessly kick away posession again and again, pass to players in worse positions as to avoid contact and for the Blues and AB proved costly in crucial games.
1 Go to commentsBarbarians will be preparing for fiji starting end of this week but fiji will be preparing only 1 week b4 the game…..so unfair
1 Go to commentsI believe it was the Wallaby Nick White who opened the floodgates - earning his team a yellow card against SA and getting Faf binned for 10. Nick White. The original soft pr1ck, diving git. Owen Farrell is growing on me.
2 Go to commentsTo be honest this result was not that seismic as shock, Canada are a very good team and very few teams fear the Black Ferns anymore. The rankings give a good picture, the top four ranked teams are the top four teams in women’s rugby with England ahead the other three can exchange places at any given time. Despite the USA result I still think Australia are ahead of the rest. WXV will show how big the gap is between nations.
9 Go to commentsFarrell playing in France next season better get use to play acting .
3 Go to commentsNot sure I see the magic. Solid flanker but the aggression and lack of bending at the hips leads to boo boos
6 Go to comments100%. Thank you, Andy.
2 Go to commentsFabulous player. Don’t know if people outside of Ireland appreciate his vision and genius. I wish he got more time with the National team. We will never know how high he could have soared. Super season to end with!
1 Go to commentsIf he's playing well enough to be in the top 2 or 3 open sides, then pick him. Essentially nothing else should come into it.
1 Go to commentsBe really surprised if Beale is considered for a WB squad, let alone a match day 23. Feel there are too many younger players in all positions in the backline now who should be developed. These upcoming games this year should be used to develop the players of the future, for building towards next RWC.
2 Go to commentsI think this all came from Fozzie immediately anointing Cane as captain when he became coach, well ahead of when any team was to be named. Then he seemingly felt unable to retract the captaincy as that would have been an admission he was wrong initially. Sam Cane was a good AB and a good captain. Through his injuries and some loss of form he maybe didn't deserve selection but Fozzie couldn't ever make that hard call which led to Cane copping it.
6 Go to commentsThe extra weight that Fraser put on over the off season is really showing. The word is 7/8 kgs heavier than last year. Feel he is now carrying into contact a lot more powerfully, which makes him a bigger threat playing in the sh position at lineout time. I do feel however that he is still too easily moved off the ball at the breakdown unless he is in really early. Comparing him to the top current guys such as Tommy Refell, and past supremos like Pocock and McCaw, I would hope he will develop more in that area. The rest of his game is way out front. His speed around the field as a support player is top notch, and his defence is very sound, apart from the front on tackle on the bigger men sometimes. I also would see him as a future WB captain. He does a lot of quiet encouraging, and for sure can lead from the front. Of the other three NZ lads on the stats. table, would think it may be Papalli’i who gets in. I do like Lakai. Is Blackadder not more a 6/8 player ? Actually really rated Lachlan Boshier, but he was not ever getting anywhere, so now in Japan. Would love to have seen how he went in a AB jersey. Excellent article, Nick…….most thought provoking
46 Go to commentsAhh too many OK 7’s out there at the moment, would have loved to have Harmon (and Boshier from Panasonic) included on that list (although I don’t know what I’m looking at with those stats!). I would love to see another 7 come through like Cane (who VdF has molded off), who was a real attacking machine before his neck injury and inability to turn his head/upper body to pass or catch properly forced his style to change. No sure McReight is it, he looks more like a canny McCaw than the blasters Hooper and Cane were. The real issue is what use can Schmidt mold out of his ability and skills in just two short seasons. I think Cale could do a lot of the more skillful stuff. McReight is probably best to knuckle down and do the core duties a modern day Cane performs for the other two loosies (if he’s the best Schmidt has to play with at 7).
46 Go to commentsI’ve little doubt that England is comfortably the No 1 team and not only beat other teams but beat them easily. Not so sure about France. They should be No 2 after winning 3 of last 4 matches against NZ and only a straightforward missed kick prevented it from being 4 out of 4. However, then they inexplicably lost to Canada and Wallaroos in WXV. I thought the NZ match was their “cup final” and they took the others lightly, but they were not particularly impressive in 6N except in flashes. I think they have stood still whilst Canada and England have moved forward but I don't think Canada has the depth and their team is ageing. I agree NZ not moving forward. What will be interesting is how the Wallaroos fare against NZ and then again in their September match against Ireland and then in WXV2 against other 6N teams. I was surprised they lost to USA.
9 Go to commentsI don't know why peoplenare upset here. If foreign fans think they are poor for their clubs and back it up with stats then it's probably true. Snyman would have been a legend in the NH if he was fit though. He just transforms Munster into a winning machine. Pollard is 100% the most disappointing one and his win rate outside world cups gives a good indicator. For all his clubs his average win rate is around 52%, inbetween world cups for the Boks it's 55%. Compared to other elite flyhalves who have 70%+ win rates for their clubs. If anything Manie is a far better investment if you looking for a flyhalf given that when he is on the pitch teams on average win 76% of games.
71 Go to commentsWhich captains were not human?
6 Go to commentsIt left him open to savage sledging most memorably POMs ‘Sh1t McCaw’ comment which prompted a national NZ meltdown. Cane was later substituted in that game. He had some redemption in the RWC quartfinal against Ireland but unfortunately he will be remembered for torpedo-ing his team with that red card in the final with NZ already 12-3 down.
6 Go to commentsThere should be a smaller number of teams cut off to play finals after the regular season, of course. However, with all due respect, the Crusaders aren’t playing well enough to even make that cut. They may have a late rally, if they can get some key players back from injury, but this is still a speculation as it stands. They will still have to rely on other results going their way too - their season is now entirely out of their control.
10 Go to comments