Preview: IRB Sevens, Scotland
The International Rugby Board Sevens World Series may already have been conceded, but New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens approaches this weekend's Edinburgh leg - the final stop on the 2008/09 tour - with a trophy to defend and, in his mind, the team to do it.
Series leaders South Africa will line up at Murrayfield, in the Kiwis' pool, overwhelming favourites to secure a first World Series title - but facing a tough trio of matches on day one.
They need just one point to claim the coveted series crown. However, beating New Zealand, France and the United States on the way to a spot in the Cup quarterfinals - which will guarantee them the Series title - is easier said than done.
Tietjens has been forced into two significant changes - captain DJ Forbes and Lote Raikabula both miss the climax through injury, replaced by the returning Edwin Cocker and Willie Rickards.
But the timeless coach is still confident of finishing on a high and capturing a first Cup title of the season.
"It would be great to win this last one, we've have two good years here in the past winning them both and we've battled this year, we've been in three finals and we've been knocked over right at the end in a couple of those games," said Tietjens.
"There's a lot of confidence in the team at the moment, even though we've lost our influential captain DJ Forbes, who's gone home injured, and Lote Raikabula - two very influential players with a massive amount of experience.
"But I've seen a massive improvement in some of the new, younger players and we'll give it everything in what I'd term a very tough pool."
For South Africa to make the Cup quarters they will need to avenge last weekend's semifinal defeat at the hands of the New Zealanders or, failing that, beat both France and United States - no small task in the modern world of Sevens.
In a way it is fitting that the South Africans should have to beat the New Zealanders to rubber-stamp their first World Series but, from personal experience, Tietjens knows that his Bok counterpart Paul Treu will be suffering sleepless nights.
"He's probably a bit nervous because you look at the worst scenario.. 'If the French turn round and beat us and then the New Zealanders, if they beat us we don't even make the championship' and that's the worst case scenario. You've got to take one game at a time and I've certainly been in that position two or three times.
"He will be nervous, particularly in that first game he's got against the French because you just don't know what the French will do and obviously England are looking at what's going to happen from the other side because they're also still in a position to win the World Series."
Of the seven played on the Series, England have won two tournaments and South Africa three. On balance, Treu's side arguably deserves the Series title.
"I think they probably do," said Tietjens.
"They've been the most consistently performing team, they've turned out with a regular squad, some very good Sevens players, very quick, good at the breakdown and always keen to generate good ball to use their pace.
"They should win it, they shouldn't lose it. If they were unlucky enough to lose it then you'd have to applaud England for the way that they've bounced back and won crucial tournaments at crucial times."
For New Zealand and Tietjens the focus has already partly switched to next season, and the job of competing with the full-time Sevens professionals in South Africa's ranks.
"I've got young players who've certainly come through and done very well for me this season and last week in London. Eighteen-year-old Julian Savea and Ben Souness played exceptionally well and it's a real possibility that already I won't have them for next year, which would be sad.
"Next year we're hoping to secure a number of players who can't be touched by anyone so perhaps that's a step in the same direction as what South Africa have gone.
"Every player aspires to being an All Black or to playing Super 14 rugby but for next year the pathway for those [contracted] players will be Sevens only, so hopefully that would really strengthen our team for next year."
Pools:
Pool A: South Africa, New Zealand, France, United States
Pool B: Fiji, Australia, Portugal, Spain
Pool C: Kenya, England, Canada, Scotland
Pool D: Argentina, Samoa, Wales, Georgia
Schedule:
(Kick-off is local time - GMT + one hour)
Day One - Saturday, May 30:
Match 1: South Africa v France, 09.35
Match 2: New Zealand v United States, 09.57
Match 3: Argentina v Wales, 10.19
Match 4: Samoa v Georgia, 10.41
Match 5: Fiji v Portugal, 11.03
Match 6: Australia v Spain, 11.25
Match 7: Kenya v Canada, 11.47
Match 8: England v Scotland, 12.09
Match 9: South Africa v United States, 13.01
Match 10: New Zealand v France, 13.23
Match 11: Argentina v Georgia, 13.45
Match 12: Samoa v Wales, 14.07
Match 13: Fiji v Spain, 14.29
Match 14: Australia v Portugal, 14.51
Match 15: Kenya v Scotland, 15.13
Match 16: England v Canada, 15.35
Match 17: France v United States, 15.57
Match 18: Portugal v Spain, 16.19
Match 19: Wales v Georgia, 16.41
Match 20: South Africa v New Zealand, 17.28
Match 21: Kenya v England, 17.50
Match 22: Argentina v Samoa, 18.12
Match 23: Fiji v Australia, 18.34
Match 24: Canada v Scotland, 18.56
http://www.rugby365.com/tournaments/...ws/1706800.htm
