Singapore Sevens: Home of the underdog
As the HSBC Sevens World Series enters the second half of the circuit, the usual suspects are atop the leader board.
First placed South Africa have a healthy ten-point lead over New Zealand, who are jostling with Olympic champions Fiji who sit third.
Though these three Sevens superpowers often steal the headlines, it seems there is one leg none of the top sides look forward to - and that leg is Singapore.
That’s because the Singapore Sevens is the home of the underdog.
The tournament is an underdog itself, reintroduced as a World Series leg in 2016 after a ten-year hiatus.
Since making its return to the circuit, Singapore has quickly emerged as the leg where big names mean nothing. Just ask giant-killers Kenya and Canada.
Kenya and Canada have won the tournament in its last two iterations, the first Cup win for both countries. New Zealand haven’t made it past the quarter finals, and South Africa haven’t progressed past the semis.
In 2016 Kenya toppled the Fijians 30-7 in the Cup Final, while Canada beat the USA 26-19 the next year - in a matchup historically reserved for the Bowl or Plate - after shrugging off New Zealand and England in the knockout stages.
The Singapore Sevens are back for 2018, and 16 more teams will be hoping for their own fairytale ending.
Perhaps it will be the gutsy Argentinians, who are searching for their first tournament win in close to a decade.
Or maybe the stern Samoans, still hoping to rediscover the form that saw them become World Series champions in 2009.
If you want to find out in person, get along to the 2018 Singapore Sevens from April 28-29 at Singapore’s National Stadium.
Two-day passes start at $50SGD for adults and $25SGD for youths (4-18 years old).
TOURNAMENT DETAILS
Dates: April 28-29
Venue: National Stadium, Singapore
Tickets: http://bit.ly/2Diebbg
Official Website: http://www.singapore7s.sg/home/
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Hi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
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