National Sevens in Rotorua this weekend

The 42nd National Provincial Sevens tournament takes centre stage at Rotorua International Stadium this Saturday and Sunday, with sixteen men’s and 10 women’s provincial sides vying for top honours and a number of individual players hoping to secure spots in the New Zealand sides for the Rio Olympic Games in August.

Up to four places in the All Blacks Sevens Wider Training Group will be confirmed by Coach Sir Gordon Tietjens after the National Sevens. New Zealand Women’s Sevens Coach Sean Horan will also finalise his 2016 squad.

Last year Waikato became the fourth National tournament men’s winner in as many years when they knocked over 2014 champions Wellington 38-19 in the Cup final. Auckland and Manawatu have shared the honours over the past three women’s tournaments, Manawatu winning in 2013 and 2014 and Auckland taking top spot last year with a 19-12 win over the Cyclones in last year’s women’s Cup final.

The format of the tournament sees round-robin pool play on Saturday and the knockout rounds on Sunday. The men’s teams are split into four pools of four and women’s sides divided into two pools of five.

Day two is silverware Sunday, with the leading two men’s teams from each Pool advancing to the Cup quarterfinals and the third and fourth placed finishers contesting the Plate quarterfinals. The men’s knockout rounds continue on down through to the Bowl and Shield rounds. Similarly,The women’s competition splits into the Cup, Bowl and Plate deciders on the second day. 

In the men’s draw Auckland and Hawke’s Bay head their pools after winning the northern and central regional qualifying tournaments respectively in early December. Counties Manukau, runners up to Auckland top Pool C while defending champions, Waikato, head Pool D.

In the women’s section, northern winner Counties Manukau heads Pool 1. Central winner and this year’s runner up, Manawatu, top Pool 2.

As is the case in all Sevens tournaments, and particularly this one, previous form counts for little and few would want to make predictions.

Many of the sides competed in a warm-up tournament last weekend up the road at Mt Maunganui, with the Taranaki men’s and Manawatu women’s teams winning the title honours.
2013 National men’s champions Taranaki overcame a 0-17 halftime deficit to beat Northland 31-17 in a replay of last year’s National tournament Plate final, whilst Manawatu trailed last year’s women’s Plate winners Wellington 7-12 at halftime before winning 19-12.

Northland's Waisea Lawenbuka was the men’s tournament MVP and Manawatu’s Kristen Duffil was the women’s MVP.

Key information: Bayleys National Sevens

Pools

Men
Pool A: Auckland, Northland, Bay of Plenty, South Canterbury
Pool B: Hawke’s Bay, Otago, Wellington, Taranaki
Pool C: Counties Manukau, North Harbour, Wanganui, Mid Canterbury
Pool D: Waikato, Manawatu, Tasman, Canterbury

Women
Pool 1: Counties Manukau, Waikato, Wellington, North Harbour, Otago
Pool 2: Manawatu, Auckland, Wairarapa Bush, Canterbury, Tasman

When: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 January
Where: Rotorua International Stadium

Coverage: Live on SKY Sport, results and report and post-tournament photos on Club Rugby

Draw

View and download the draw here http://www.nationalsevens.co.nz/draw/

Key games on field one on day two are:
12.45 pm: Women’s Cup semi-final 1
1.05 pm: Women’s Cup semi-final 2
1.25 pm: Men’s Plate semi-final 1
1.45 pm: Men’s Plate semi-final 2
2.05 pm: Men’s Cup semi-final 1
2.25 pm: Men’s Cup semi-final 2
2.45 pm: Women’s Bowl Final
3.10 pm: Women’s Plate Final
3.35 pm: Men’s Shield Final
4.00 pm: Men’s Bowl Final
4.25 pm: Men’s Plate Final
4.55 pm: Women’s Cup Final
5.30 pm: Men’s Cup Final

National Sevens Winners Men’s
1975: Marlborough
1976: Marlborough
1977: Manawatu
1978: Manawatu
1979: Manawatu
1980: Auckland
1981: Taranaki
1982: Taranaki
1983: Auckland
1984: Auckland
1985: Counties
1986: North Harbour
1987: North Harbour
1988: Auckland
1989: Auckland
1990: Canterbury
1991: Auckland
1992: North Harbour
1993: Canterbury
1994: Counties
1995: Counties
1996: Waikato (Won March & November official National events)
1997: Waikato
1998: Waikato
1999: North Harbour
2000: North Harbour
2001: North Harbour
2002: Wellington
2004: North Harbour
2005: Auckland
2006: Auckland
2007: Auckland
2008: Auckland
2009: North Harbour
2010: Waikato
2011: Auckland
2012: Auckland
2013: Taranaki
2014: Wellington
2015: Waikato

National Sevens Winners Women’s:
1998: Auckland
1999: Wellington’
2000: Bay of Plenty
2001: Auckland
2002: Canterbury
2013: Manawatu
2014: Manawatu
2015: Auckland