'It's a relief': How the ABs 7s stunned RSA in Cup final
The All Blacks Sevens walked down the North-West tunnel at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium with heads hung low following a painful defeat to fierce rivals South Africa on Saturday.
After last weekend’s painful defeat to Argentina in the Hamilton Sevens Cup final, the New Zealand Men’s team travelled across the ditch for a chance at redemption.
New Zealand began their Sydney Sevens campaign in red-hot form, as they registered big wins over minnows Uruguay and fallen giants Kenya.
But their biggest challenge was yet to come.
Another enthralling chapter in the rivalry between New Zealand and South Africa was set to be written; the victor would claim top spot in Pool B, as well as bragging rights.
Sevens veteran Joe Webber opened the scoring, as he sidestepped his way through the seemingly immovable Blitzboks defensive line.
While a Shilton van Wyk try helped South Africa level the scores soon after, the two teams would trade another seven-points each before a dramatic finale was written into the Sydney Sevens script.
Dalvon Blood converted a penalty attempt with time up on the clock, which gave South Africa a 17-14 win at Allianz Stadium.
The crushing defeat to their fierce rivals risked defining their campaign in Sydney, ahead of a quarter-final clash with Samoa.
But the All Blacks Sevens’ honoured the legacy of the jersey throughout their next three matches, as their desperation to win spoke volumes about the teas character.
After beating Samoa and France, New Zealand had one opportunity to right the wrongs from the day before; they’d face South Africa in the Cup final.
And it wasn’t even close.
New Zealand were unrelentless as they unleashed a point scoring onslaught on their helpless opponents; the All Blacks scoring six tries, and kept South Africa to zero – winning 38-nil.
In their third straight Cup final, the All Blacks Sevens were finally champions once again – and hoisted the Sydney Sevens trophy alongside the Black Sevens, who were also victorious.
But after receiving their medals and thanking their supporters with a haka, the significance of the result began to sink in for sevens veteran Joe Webber.
With his gold medal around his neck, and his HSBC Player of the Final trophy in hand – his first in 12 years on the World Series circuit – Webber revealed what his team did differently in the final.
Nothing.
“Not much. We just stuck to the same game plan, same everything, same group,” Webber told RugbyPass.
“We knew we were so close to putting out a performance like that, we just (had some) silly errors and it was always our mistakes.
“We knew once we tidied that up and tidied our attack up, we could put a good performance together.
“I think our D has been unreal, like the whole tournament we’ve had not much tries scored against us so our D really gets us going.
“Unreal, it’s a wicked feeling.
“Especially after last week. We’ve been in three Finals, I’ve been in how many Finals; I haven’t won one since 2020, 2020 Hamilton.
“Been so close but it’s relief to finally get one, get the monkey off the back.”
New Zealand claimed an incredible World Series double at Allianz Stadium, as the Black Ferns Sevens also won their final – beating France 35-nil.
In both finals, the Kiwis had kept their opponents to naught.
New Zealand’s north island has been drenched with heavy rainfall and flash flooding this week, but as Webber discussed, the All Blacks Sevens are “thinking about” everyone back home.
“We’re always thinking about them, we’ve been thinking about them the last couple of days so hopefully that puts a little smile on their face,” he added.
“Send our love and just be safe, and hopefully everyone sticks together and helps each other out.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
22 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to comments