What a weekend of rugby! The 2010 Super 14 kicked off yesterday with some scintillating rugby both Down Under and in South Africa.
Friday February 12, 2010
The rugby loooong weekend started around 14:30 HK yesterday with the Brumbies vs. Western Force game. Then it was the Blues vs. Hurricanes 19:10 HK followed by the Cheetahs vs. Bulls game 01:10 HK this morning.
As you know, I live in Hong Kong so have a look at my viewing schedule for the rest of the weekend:
Saturday February 13, 2010
15:50 (HK) While I’m typing this I’m watching another exciting game between the Crusaders and the Highlanders (Michael Hobbs just scored his second try for the Highlanders).
(16:40 HK) After that I’ve got last night’s Boots & All (Supersport) lined up on KuduClub.com with the Reds vs. Waratahs game to follow.
Later tonight, the Stormers take on the Lions which I will also catch on RugbyZone.com (23:05 HK)
Sunday February 14, 2010
That game is followed by the Sharks/Chief game at 01:05 HK
Then the biggie! Game 1 of the USA Sevens from Las Vegas starts at 03:30 HK on Sunday morning with game 24 ending around 12:30 on Sunday afternoon.
Monday February 15, 2010
The knockout rounds from Vegas continues early on Monday morning for me with the Bowl Quarters at 02:50 HK.
The Cup Final of the USA Sevens starts at 10:45 HK on Monday morning.
The long rugby weekend ends with some the visually stunning fireworks display over Hong Kong Victoria Harbour to usher in the Year of the Tiger.
Some pics I took earlier this morning at BlitzBokke HQ:
Boots & All lined up on the PC, watching the Crusaders vs. Highlanders on the Mac
Editing BlitzBokke.com on the PC, while watching the George Sevens on the Mac!
Don’t read anything about our coach into this post’s heading. Paul Treu is anything but a gambling coach.
The dazzling lights of Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States, welcomes the fourth IRB Sevens World Series tournament this weekend and the South African Sevens team will be hoping to turn their flagging fortunes around with a much better performance in the famous glittering city.
I think everybody will agree that the South African Sevens mentor is a thinking coach and his every move, from preparation, team selection and substitutions on the day is a measured decision. If I have learned anything about him in the last couple of weeks, the only gamble he will probably venture is ” One coffee or two?! ”
The BlitzBokke have found the going tough this season, losing to nemesis Fiji in the quarter-final of each of the previous three Series tournaments in Dubai, George and Wellington.
On Saturday the two teams will meet ironically much earlier in the tournament, when they square up against each other in a mouth watering Pool B match. This encounter might well decide the winner of a pool that also includes the fast-improving hosts, the USA, and a Canadian team keen to show that their appearance in the last eight in Wellington was no stroke of luck.
Continued below…
Mzwandile Stick, captain of the Springbok Sevens team in the injury-forced absence of Paul Delport, echoed the words of his coach, Paul Treu that the team must convert their possession and territorial advantage into points.
Speaking to Seb Lauzier of www.irbsevens.com in Las Vegas earlier today, Stick (pictured below) said:
“There is not much wrong with our game, really. We had all the play and the possession last week in Wellington, even against big teams like New Zealand. However, we did not convert those areas into points, and that is something that we must improve on.
“Las Vegas is a fantastic venue and a great place and everybody is excited about playing here, however, our minds and focus are totally on our forthcoming matches and to improve on our performances so far this season,” said Stick.
South Africa will again be looking to the experience of Stick, Frankie Horne, Mpho Mbiyozo and Kyle Brown to secure enough possession and to bring into play the exciting young talent of Cecil Afrika (below), who excelled in Wellington whenever he was given a chance with the ball.
Veteran Marius ‘Shoes’ Schoeman will equal Fabian Juries’ South African record for the most appearances in the IRB Series, when he plays in his 42nd tournament. Stick will be running out in his 35th tournament.
Records are meant to be improved upon. Congratulations Shoes!
Meanwhile, word from the BlitzBokke camp is that the Boys got time to let their hair down today (yesterday Vegas time) when they went to see guitar maestro Carlos Santana perform live at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s The Joint. Hopefully South Africa will find a way around Fiji’s “Evil Ways” this weekend!
In true American style, the organisers of the first-ever Las Vegas Sevens announced a host of corporate supporters 4 days before the first Sevens ball is kicked in the Sam Boyd Stadium.
Corporate support for the USA Sevens is led by Bridgestone, who will be the presenting sponsor for the second year running.
The tournament has 2 official beverage suppliers in Pepsi and Gatorade, while Adidas is the official clothing sponsor. South African Airways joins Virgin Atlantic as official airlines partners of the USA Sevens. Enterprise fill the role as official car rental company and Gilbert UK supplies the official rugby balls to the tournament.
The USA Sevens also boasts 2 official beer partners in Heineken and Newcastle.
“We are excited to have so many blue chip sponsors in our first year in Las Vegas,” said Dan Lyle, Tournament Director of USA Sevens. “There is much more support in the tournament than in years past, and we are building a quality product that companies see as a great medium to connect and interact with a loyal and passionate fan base.”
While I am typing this, most of the teams who are part of the IRB Sevens World Series are en-route to what was once the world’s capital of gambling. While that mantle has been taken over by the Chinese Special Administrative Area (SAR) of Macau, the Americans have pulled out all the stops to prepare their city for the onslaught of Sevens Rugby fans.
For the past couple of weeks, I have been getting a steady stream of e-mails in my inbox announcing yet another sponsor for the first-ever Sevens tournament in Vegas.
Yesterday the organisers announced that Bridgestone has been secured as the ‘Presenting Sponsor’ for the tournament, while ESPN360 will provide exclusive online coverage on both days.
If you’re the betting kind, then you can visit the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as they are the only sportsbook accepting wagers on the USA Sevens.
The following article may or may not have anything to do with Rugby Sevens.
Not to take anything away from the upcoming New Zealand NZI Sevens in Wellington next weekend, but we just received an e-mail from the organisers of the USA leg of the IRB Sevens World Series to be hosted in Las Vegas a week after Wellington and by the look of things mense: It’s going to be ROF! (and I’m not only talking about the on-field action!)
Check it out:
Thursday February 11: Fremont Street @ 5:30PM
The inaugural USA Sevens Fremont Street Parade of Nations featuring all 16 teams and rugby on the world’s largest LED screen.
Friday February 12: Hooters Kick-off
The weekend starts at the USA Sevens Kick-off Party at the Hooters Hotel & Casino
Saturday February 13: Day 1 Pool Games
The action kicks off at 11am. and goes on until 8pm. Fans will head off to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the Hard Rork Hotel (HRH) Afer Dark International Pub Crawl
Sunday February 14: Day 2 Knock-out rounds and Finals
The chase for the USA Sevens Cup kicks off at 11am. The USA Sevens Internatinal Fan Festival is open all day with the Cup Final scheduled for around 6:45pm.
OK BlitzBokke, don’t say that I never give out any advice (OK it’s few and far between but be that as it may) If there’s ANYTHING you have to experience while in Las Vegas (goodness knows you may be back in San Diego next USA Sevens!) then it’s:
The Hooters Girls!
Now Boys, I had a ‘vision’ (OK blame it on too much Dutch beer) way back when I was your age, that I was going to be ‘advising’ you young guys on the topic of Hooters Girls, so, on my way to Ibiza just off the Spanish coast, I took some time to check out the Hooters Girls in Amsterdam (where else!) Trust me, you have not done Vegas when… you’ve done a Hooters Girl you’ve been to a Hooters Bar!
With the current team ethos that the BlitzBokke can only enjoy a beer or two on the second tournament of the tour, (Las Vegas being the second) methinks the coach will have quite a number of kopseer players on the plane come February 15, 2010.
No worries Coach… whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
