30 July 2024 #004. Week 1 of the Paris Olympics
A reasonably quiet weekend of 15s worldwide rugby
Good morning of us and welcome to Tuesday’s rugby information. No group of the week this week, I didn’t watch sufficient of the boys’s 7s to do this and, to be sincere, I don’t know sufficient about it to try to do it justice. Karl did a little bit of protection on the boys’s 7s on Monday, I’ll solely add just a little to the dialogue, then a little bit of protection of the Aussie ladies’s video games, and a normal spherical up of reports round Australia and the globe.
Then I’ll fortunately go the baton over to you guys to debate the information of the day, and no matter different random stuff comes up.
A peerless efficiency
This can be a bit off-book for a rugby web page, however in case you love sport basically, and haven’t seen it, please take a look on the the efficiency of Frenchman Leon Marchand right here within the 400 particular person medley ultimate within the pool. It must be one of many extra dominant particular person performances you’ll ever see. Shades of Tiger Woods lapping the sphere in his first Masters victory, or Kelly Slater in his prime. The introductions begin at 4:30 in, and the race begins at simply after 8 minutes. Curious about your ideas, once more, it’s not rugby, however wow it’s spectacular.
The Olympics males’s 7s
The Aussie males put in an ideal efficiency to get to the semi-final, and as mentioned by Karl on Monday, it in all probability exceeds the usual of their season total. It was nice to observe, and a heroic efficiency within the bronze medal play off after the captain Malouf was despatched off. It was a good name, and credit score to the group for getting caught in afterwards. Some fascinating commentary by the coach about funding for the 7s program, I don’t know the way a lot funding they get in comparison with their opponents, and in comparison with the ladies’s group. This could be value some dialogue in the present day.
Final week I requested the next query “One of many huge questions is whether or not Antoine Dupont can lead the French deep into the event on residence soil?” – It seems the reply is an emphatic sure, and whereas it was a group efficiency, he was distinctive within the second half. Let’s hope the photograph is prophetic for the Ladies’s group as effectively.
Olympic ladies’s event
The Aussie ladies’s group obtained off to an absolute flyer in opposition to South Africa with an early rating off the kick off, and so they simply went on with it from there. Madi Levi obtained 4 tries, and the ultimate end result was 34-5 to Australia, with the one draw back being that the Aussie quantity 8 Caitlin Shave was injured in her debut match, and is out of the event. Hopefully it isn’t too severe, and so as to add insult to damage she was yellow carded for a excessive deal with whereas attempting to defend on one leg.
The second recreation in opposition to Nice Britain was one other dominant efficiency by the Aussie ladies, one other hat trick to Madi Levi to steer the group to a 36-5 victory. A real group efficiency, and the squad is exhibiting loads of depth with quite a few frontline gamers out injured.
There have been loads of tries by the Aussies within the first two video games.
The ultimate pool recreation was in opposition to Eire and it turned out to be a more in-depth contest than the earlier video games. A bit like the sport the 2 groups performed in Madrid, it was a tussle. Religion Nathan obtained the group off to the very best begin, splitting the Irish defensive position, and operating 60 metres to attain underneath the sticks. 7-0. Then there gave the impression to be a minute taken for a scrum to be fashioned and gained by the Irish. Very similar to the 15s recreation, scrums do appear to take a number of time in 7s. The Irish managed possession for the following 4 minutes, and after being denied within the nook, they scored subsequent to the posts and with a profitable conversion made it 7-all. The Aussies took the restart, and managed possession for Teagan Levi to attain a attempt 45 seconds into further time. The conversion was unsuccessful, and Australia led it 12-7 on the break.
The second half was additionally an arm wrestle with a attempt to every. Madison Levi scored for Australia after making a attempt saving deal with on the different finish to take Australia out to 19-7. After an damage to Stacey Flood, the Irish managed territory and possession, after which after dropping some treasured time by selecting scrums fairly than fast faucets, they lastly scored underneath the posts with 30 seconds to play and it was 19-14. That’s the place is completed, with Australia securing the kick off and placing the ball into contact. An excellent contest and entertaining to observe, Australia’s capacity to create area and beat defenders was top notch, and their defence was stable, even with a yellow card.
There’s a lot to stay up for within the quarters and additional into it.
All Blacks going again to the longer term
It’s a few weeks till the Rugby Championships kicks off, however there’s been motion within the All Backs camp with coach Scott Robertson recalling former captain Sam Cane to the squad, together with Will Jordan and David Havili. Scott Barrett appears prone to miss the opening video games of the TRC after having surgical procedure for a finger damage sustained of their win in opposition to Fiji. You’ll be able to learn extra concerning the adjustments to the squad right here.
A French revolution
Courtesy of rugby.com.au, there’s an fascinating article right here that includes feedback by Alan Gilpin that World Rugby must rethink its calendar to permit extra gamers to play 7s and 15s following the success that Dupont has had this 12 months, with a world sequence victory, and now Olympic gold medal to his title.
That’s a wrap for this week
I’m certain that there’s a lot extra to cowl however I’ll go away it for Yowie, Karl, Happyman, and naturally Hoss later within the week.
That’s it for me this week, over to you G&GRs.
