The 2013/14 HSBC Sevens Series opens on the Gold Coast in Australia over the weekend of 12/13 October.
The new series sees loads of new faces in coaching set-ups as well as teams. As we have done in the past we will try and keep you up to date with what is happening.
First England have a new coach in one of the all time greats of the small game Simon Amor and he has named is initial squad which comprises: Dan Bibby, John Brake, Phil Burgess, Chris Cracknell, Mike Ellery, Christian Lewis-Pratt, Tom Mitchell, Dan Norton, Tom Powell, James Rodwell, Mathew Turner and Rob Vickerman.
Another of the home unions squads is the Scotland squad coached by Stephen Gemmell and he jas also named his first round squad. Scotland’s squad is: Scott Riddell (captain), Michael Fedo, Struan Dewar, Alex Glashan, Michael Maltman, Mark Robertson, Andrew Turnbull, John Houston, James Johnstone, Chris Dean, James Fleming and Gregor Young.
At this time we do not have the Wales squad selection information.
The other coaching changes cover many sides with Paul Treu is no longer heading up South Africa he will be replaced by either Neil Powell or Vuyo Zanqa. Alifereti Dere is no longer coach of third-placed Fiji, replaced by Englishman Ben Ryan. Fourth wasn’t enough for Samoa’s Fa’amoni Lalomilo, the country’s former Under 20 coach Viliamu Punivalu given the task of breathing new and perhaps younger life into the former Series winners. Mike Friday parted company with fifth-ranked Kenya, who are yet to name their long-term replacement, and another former England captain, Simon Amor, was appointed to succeed Ryan in the England post. Other changes are; Matt Hawkins for the USA, Santiago Gomez Cora for Argentina, Santiago Santos for Spain, Pedro Netto Fernandes for Portugal and Tim Walsh as Australia’s new women’s coach. With all these changes it will be a very interesting start to the new campaign.
The pools for the Gold Coast have been released and the New Zealand All Blacks look to have an easy run into the finals in Pool ‘A’ along with Kenya. Pool ‘B’ looks a tough call but should see South Africa and England progress. Pool ‘C’ Fiji and Wales and in Pool ‘D’ Samoa and Australia though Argentina could do for Australia if they as usual come with a young inexperienced squad.
Here are all the Pools:
Pools
Pool A
NZL, KEN, USA,TON
Pool B
RSA, ENG, FRA, ESP
Pool C
FIJ, WAL, CAN, POR
Pool D
SAM, AUS, ARG, SCO
Fixtures day one with our winners selections as usual in BOLD:
Fixtures 12 Oct
All Times Local
01. 12 Oct 2013 10:30 New Zealand v United States Pool A
02. 12 Oct 2013 10:52 Kenya v Tonga Pool A
03. 12 Oct 2013 11:14 South Africa v France Pool B
04. 12 Oct 2013 11:36 England v Spain Pool B
05. 12 Oct 2013 11:58 Fiji v Canada Pool C
06. 12 Oct 2013 12:20 Wales v Portugal Pool C
07. 12 Oct 2013 12:42 Samoa v Argentina Pool D
08. 12 Oct 2013 13:04 Australia v Scotland Pool D
09. 12 Oct 2013 13:36 New Zealand v Tonga Pool A
10. 12 Oct 2013 13:58 Kenya v United States Pool A
11. 12 Oct 2013 14:20 South Africa v Spain Pool B
12. 12 Oct 2013 14:42 England v France Pool B
13. 12 Oct 2013 15:14 Fiji v Portugal Pool C
14. 12 Oct 2013 15:36 Wales v Canada Pool C
15. 12 Oct 2013 15:58 Samoa v Scotland Pool D
16. 12 Oct 2013 16:20 Australia v Argentina Pool D
17. 12 Oct 2013 17:02 United States v Tonga Pool A
18. 12 Oct 2013 17:24 France v Spain Pool B
19. 12 Oct 2013 17:46 Canada v Portugal Pool C
20. 12 Oct 2013 18:08 Argentina v Scotland Pool D
21. 12 Oct 2013 18:40 New Zealand v Kenya Pool A
22. 12 Oct 2013 19:02 South Africa v England Pool B
23. 12 Oct 2013 19:24 Fiji v Wales Pool C
24. 12 Oct 2013 19:46 Samoa v Australia Pool D