Guildford shows the flame still burns at nationals
Zac Guildford’s back to the future quest gathered momentum as he led Waikato to an unbeaten run on the first day of the national sevens championship in Rotorua yesterday.
The former All Blacks star has travelled a long path over the last 12 months that has taken him from Super Rugby with the Waratahs to the Heartland championship Wairarapa Bush and now into the Waikato where he has resurrected his sevens career under the watchful eye of Roger Randle.
Guildford, who won a 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medal in Delhi with Sir Gordon Tietjens’ New Zealand side in a brief flirtation with sevens, continues to show there’s more than just potential with his comeback in the abbreviated game at the age of 27.
Waikato won last week’s respected Mount Maunganui Sevens and took that form into the national tournament.
Guildford, a 2011 World Cup winner, showed good support play and a nose for the try line as Waikato recorded three comfortable wins to head their pool.
They opened 24-12 against Southland, edged North Harbour 17-10 and then overpowered Guildford’s old province Hawke’s Bay 28-5.
They look the form side going into today’s quarter-finals and the business end of the tournament will be where new national coach Clark Laidlaw will sharpen his focus as he looks to complete his contracts roster for the latest world series.
Interim New Zealand coach Scott Waldrom and his assistant Tomasi Cama are also surveying the talent on offer in Rotorua and will have been impressed with some of the talent on offer.
Defending champions CountiesManuaku showed they won’t be giving up their title lightly.
They were also unbeaten in pool play although they had to work hard to hold off a spirited Northland outfit with a 15-14 thriller in their final game.
‘‘We got three from three which we’re pretty happy about,’’ Counties speedster Sherwin Stowers said.
‘‘We’ve got a big day tomorrow so it’s about recovering well."
The men’s quarter-final lineup today is: Waikato v Northland, Auckland v Taranaki, Tasman v Wellington, and Counties Manukau v Hawke’s Bay.
Meanwhile, Manawatu’s defence of the women’s title is in good shape after three solid wins in pool play.
But Counties Manukau, with New Zealand representative Portia Woodman in fine form, look the team to beat after they racked up 120 points in their unbeaten run yesterday.
Home team Bay of Plenty were the other unbeaten side in the women’s championship.
With just three pools, Waikato and Otago were lucky enough to squeak through to the quarterfinals after they drew 12-12 and Wellington’s one win was enough to get them into the last eight on a countback.
The women’s quarter-final lineup is: Manawatu v Wellington, Bay of Plenty v Waikato, Counties Manukau v Otago, and Auckland v Canterbury.