For sevens sake, let’s include league stars
ITmay be over four years away, but the clock is ticking for our sevens team at the 2016 Olympics. The minnows of world rugby are circling, and a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro is their ultimate goal.
The Kiwis have dominated the world series in the shortened version of the game in recent years. But it would be foolish to make the assumption that will continue in Brazil, at least not without innovation and commitment from Gordon Tietjens’ squad.
The United States, China and Russia have already upped their resources to improve their sevens teams.
In the US, among the athletes training with the country’s elite at the dedicatedUSOlympic training centre in Chula Vista, California, are 15 specialist men’s sevens players and eight women.
There is even talk of ‘‘crossover’’ athletes joining the fray – sportspeople whose natural athletic gifts are suited to the fast-paced game, regardless of rugby experience.
China and Russia – who host next year’s sevens world cup – may be off the pace in sevens code at the moment, but there are already moves by the nations to utilise their population advantages and financial muscle to give the inaugural discipline a decent crack. The lure of Olympic gold is a strong motivator. Andthen there are the Brits. The British 2016 sevens team could potentially be selected from England, Scotland and Wales. That’s one hell of a talent pool.
TheNewZealand Rugby Union andNewZealand Olympic Committee – who are jointly overseeing the sevens programme for the next Olympics – must redefine their game plan if they hope to continue our country’s success in the shortened version of
1932: the national game.
Signing the best sevens coach in the world – Tietjens – to oversee the assault on Brazil is certainly one step in the right direction.
But they must go further. We don’t have three world series teams to choose from, as the Brits do. We don’t have the population base of the Americans, Chinese or Russians. Weespecially don’t have the cash resources of all four.
While Tietjens will surely delve into the All Blacks stocks to shore up his team, there is another group of equally talented individuals that he should consider for 2016.
They play in theNRLand they go by names such as Marshall and Johnson.
Tough as it may be to swallow, theNZRUshould put aside differences with the ‘‘other’’ code and consider the plus side of such a move.
Not only would it improveNew Zealand’s chances, it would also usher in a brave new world, bringing league and union back together after over 100 years apart.
Kiwis skipper Benji Marshall is an obvious option in sevens with his passing and kicking game, and his ability to make the big play.
Young Warrior Shaun Johnson is another. Aformer touch rugby star, the new kid on the block has the skills that would translate easily to the sevens field.
The idea to include league stars into a sevens set-up is not new. My colleague from the Sydney Morning Herald, Brad Walter, last week floated the idea on the airwaves over here.
Last weekNZRLboss Scott Carter outlined his plans to get rugby league included in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. It echoes the same path rugby union trod back in 1998 when sevens was first included in Kuala Lumpur, only it’s 20 years too late.
League players already have an avenue to showcase their skills on an Olympic or Commonwealth stage. It’s called sevens.
It would be nice to see theNZRU andNZOCacknowledge that and consider players such as Marshall and Johnson in the mix.
It’s that sort of left-field thinking that could go a long way to securing an Olympic win.
But don’t hold your breath.