We profile the four teams making up Pool C at the 2012 Hertz Sevens in Wellington, round 4 of the HSBC Sevens World Series, with key stats on the team’s World Series record and a lowdown on their season so far…
SOUTH AFRICA
Played: 626
Won: 453 (72.00%)
Tournaments: 112
Debut: Series 1 – Dubai
Highest Score: 84-0 MALAYSIA, Tokyo 2000
Final ranking last season: 5th
Coach: Paul Treu
While his standards are sky-high, South Africa coach Paul Treu will also look back on the first three rounds with quiet satisfaction. Third in the Gold Coast, his side was injury-hit and mis-fired in Dubai but bounced back with gusto on home soil, where they might well have beaten eventual champions NZ on the odd bounce of a ball. Nineteen points is a lot to make up on the leaders in the six remaining rounds, and with captain Kyle Brown, Branco du Preez and Cecil Afrika out a lot will be asked of Frankie Horne and Chris Dry to carry on where they left off in PE.
WALES
Played: 425
Won: 230 (54.00%)
Tournaments: 78
Debut: Series 2 – Dubai
Highest Score: 72 – 0 v SWAZILAND, Commonwealth Games 1998
Final ranking last season: 8th
Coach: Paul John
Wales coach Paul John will be pleased with the way things have gone so far. Say it quietly but he is also building a genuine core and consistency among his players in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup Sevens, just as he did when they stormed to the World Cup title back in 2009. Perhaps they lack quite the same top quality players out wide now, but in the forwards and at playmaker they are blessed with real quality, as two successive second-tier Plate trophies prove. Well clear of the teams beneath them in the standings.
SAMOA
Played: 613
Won: 404 (66.00%)
Tournaments: 112
Debut: Series 1 – Dubai
Highest Score: 85 – 0 v TRINIDAD TOBAGO, Commonwealth Games 1998
Final ranking last season: 4th
Coach: Faamoni Lalomilo
Samoa delighted their fans at home and abroad in winning the Dubai title for the first time, but their form and fortunes either side of that success have been unsettled. Make no mistake, new coach Faamoni Lalomilo is building the nucleus of a new side, shorn of the likes of Ofisa Treviranus, Alafoti Faosiliva, Simaika Mikaele, Uale Mai and Lolo Lui, and he is making a very good fist of it. Two Cup quarter finals out of three and one Cup title isn’t bad at all, but they did struggle in South Africa without their go-to guy, Paul Perez
CANADA
Played: 531
Won: 228 (43.00%)
Tournaments: 98
Debut: Series 1 – Dubai
Highest Score: 78 – 7 v MEXICO, LA 2006
Final ranking last season: 13th
Coach: Geraint John
Canada have performed admirably well so far, as they must do if they are to avoid the relegation dog fight in London at the end of the season. Geraint John’s Canadians currently sit above both England and Scotland in the standings and only a point behind Australia, and will probably count themselves a bit unfortunate too. Outstanding in Dubai and the tournament’s top try-scorers, they had almost as many players injured and in trainers as they did booted up and ready to play in South Africa, and the results showed it. Taylor Paris is back now, so too Conor Trainor to add to the brilliant half back pair of Phil Mack and Nathan Hirayama. They’ve also been well led by Nanyak Dala.
Source: IRB Sevens
