Men’s team revels in its naked ambition
The New Zealand men’s sevens team touched down on home soil feeling a sense of mission accomplished after capping off an impressive campaign in perfect style.
Clark Laidlaw’s side arrived at Auckland Airport early yesterday looking a little weary from the long flight – and post-match celebrations, of course – but immensely satisfied after defending its World Cup crown in San Francisco.
While their World Series drought stretched to a fourth year after finishing third on the global circuit, the Kiwis had bigger fish to fry in 2018.
After backing up the Commonwealth Games gold in April with another triumph at a pinnacle event, they have every right to feel on top of the world.
‘‘At the start of the year when Clark came in we wanted to win one of the first few tournaments which we did in Cape Town. It was all about gearing up to win the Commonwealth Games from then on and to tick that off was awesome,’’ cocaptain Scott Curry told Stuff
‘‘Then this was the next one so we were just sitting in there and thinking that we actually clocked what we wanted to do for 2018.’’
It was a golden weekend for New Zealand sevens as the men joined the national women’s side on the winner’s podium after overpowering England 33-12 in the final.
Curry and co celebrated with a ‘‘few beers’’ in the changing room where Kurt Baker continued his tradition of posing for a celebratory nude photo.
Baker stripped off and jumped on the shoulders of team-mate Trael Joass. He said it was ‘‘all for a laugh’’ but admits he’s starting to run out of ideas.
‘‘It was pretty harmless. It’s just a photo with the boys and if some people get some laughs out of it then good on them,’’ Baker said.
‘‘I started doing it when I was a bit younger; if we won something I’d take a photo. I’m starting to run out of ideas, I need to get inventive. I might have to take suggestions.’’
New Zealand saved their best for the business end of the tournament.
Trailing 12-10 in the semifinal after Fiji were awarded a controversial try, they kept their composure to win 22-17 before surging past England in the final.
Baker said it was the huge defensive display in the quarterfinal against
‘‘I’m starting to run out of ideas, I need to get inventive. I might have to take suggestions.’’ Kurt Baker, above, on his celebratory nude photo
France that set them up for success.
‘‘We were far from perfect that whole tournament but I suppose the difference between us and the other teams was that we regrouped a bit better,’’ Baker said.
‘‘We learned a lot of things in the French game where we spent most of the game with six men. It created a bit more belief. It was a big mental lift for the boys.’’
The victory caps a successful 12 months for coach Clark Laidlaw since coming into the role. Laidlaw had massive shoes to fill replacing Gordon Tietjens but Curry praised the Scotsman for rebuilding the team’s culture.
‘‘Over the last year we’ve pretty much built a culture from the ground up in this team,’’ Curry said. ‘‘A lot of that goes down to what Clark’s done since he’s been here and we can just go back to that when times are tough on the field.’’
For the players not involved in 15s, they have the next six weeks off to look forward to before reassembling for the 2018-19 World Series campaign.
Always lurking in the back of the mind is the ultimate goal of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and Curry says they can take plenty of confidence from what they achieved this year.
But for now he is just trying to enjoy the moment.
‘‘It sinks in a bit more once you get back to New Zealand.’’