Star-studded cast confirmed for the SuperSevens opening round
The growing interest in rugby sevens in France potentially takes another step forward this Saturday with a star-studded opening round of the In Extenso SuperSevens in Mont-de-Marsan featuring Argentina’s Marcos Moneta and Juan Imhoff as well as Semi Kunatani, the 2016 Olympics gold medal winner in Rio with Fiji.
It was the Antoine Dupont-inspired French that finished as men’s champions at Paris 2024 at the end of July following three sold-out days at Stade de France, compelling action that was followed by three more sold-out attendances for the women’s sevens competition won by New Zealand.
Now, three weeks after Dupont and co were crowned Olympic champions, the short-game focus in France switches to the enhanced SuperSevens, the first professional sevens club championship in the country which this season has three rounds scheduled – Mont-de-Marsan this Saturday, La Rochelle on August 24 and Pau August 31 – before culminating with a finals day at Paris La Defense Arena on February 1.
Sixteen teams will go to post this Saturday at Stade Guy Boniface, with Vannes kicking off the knockout round of 16 programme versus Monaco, who have powerful Fijian winger Kunatani, the ex-Harlequins and Toulouse player, on their roster.
Other opening round fixtures are Stade Francais-Montpellier, Clermont-La Rochelle, the Baa-Baas versus a Racing team featuring Imhoff, and Pau, who have the Maddocks brothers Jack and Will, versus Bayonne. Bordeaux, who have signed Moneta and Luciano Gonzalez, are pitted against Perpignan, while Castres-Toulon and Lyon-Toulouse complete the round of 16 schedule.
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As a fan of both him and his teams at the time, I can tell you there was plenty to like and bank on a succesful career with.
With all due respect to the lot of middling centres at the time, NZ has 5 SR sides and all have International level quality players after all, it was two young sensations at the time, in Charlie Ngatai and Anton Lienert-Brown, along with the dawn Dmac squishing the other versatile players into midfield, that got contract preference when SBW came back into the side for WC year.
So that is no slight on how good a player he already was, I just don't think he had much of a choice with the lack of funds to have that many test standard 12's on the books. So of course as things panned out, we know how would have been their and had plenty of chances with all the injuries SBW, Crotty, ALB, Ngatai, and Laumape. I think a very high chance he nails it and is the Nonu of the 2017 BIL tour.
Go to commentsRobertson should have been a bit more experimental, preparing for the trip up North. Cane should been rested to allow for the Savea (7) and Sititi (8) pairing to be given a run because they appear to be the new way forward. Six is far from settled on with Blackadder only a temporary fix as like his other loosies he is either too short, too light or too slow, and so his best role is cover. ALB,Proctor or both should have been given a run as Australia's midfield is an ever changing experiment and then Reiko could have been put back on the left wing with Telea on the right. Will Jordan could then come on later to fullback or wing.
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