2008 Tournament Write-up
2008 SEVENS – AND IT’S “TICKETY-BOO!”
1 & 2 NOVEMBER 2008
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Michael Grice
Scribe
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History was made at the Rugby Sevens tournament in November this year (the 61st version of the series that started way back in 1947) – it was the first ever all-ticket event in the tournament’s long and distinguished life.
And what a success it was, despite initial scepticism of some (this writer holds up his hand), over 3,300 spectators bought and paid for entrance tickets, either through SISTIC (another first for us), or at the gate “on the day”, or received complimentary tickets.
Coupled with the fact that about 1700 people thronged the sponsors stand and boxes – approximately 5000 spectators came and went during the weekend over 1 & 2 November. Congratulations to those visionaries on the Organising Committee who pointed the event in this direction. It was without doubt a success and demonstrates quite clearly the value of our tournament in a very definitive way.
Even though there was competition elsewhere in the region where some other event of some significance was taking place in Hong Kong, taking with it about 500 die-hards who would normally front up to the Padang. A handful eventually did, trekking back on Sunday morning just to catch the latter stages of the Padang action, and we thank those that did show such dedication to the game – and to the Sevens.
Oh, and yes, the rugby that was served up over the two days didn’t disappoint either. Although down to 19 teams at the start owing to a couple of late drop outs, the configuration of games still ensured a high quality of rugby, especially amongst the “elite” teams that turned out this time around – Ponsonby, current champions South African Vipers, Davetalevu, Oriental Rongotai and Randwick.
Newcomers Scottish Thistles promised great things (according various advanced press releases that came flying our way) and unknowns Cottesloe from Perth WA were “dark horses” having stepped up to the plate at the last minute.
Saturday got off to a wet start, keeping a lot of people at home, but not the intrepid early participants nor the bunch of dedicated volunteers (it’s the breakfast on the Verandah that does it!) who came out in force to get the event of to a cracking start.
The rain gave up (realising it can never beat the SCC Sevens!) paving the way for some cricket scores to appear from time to time during the day – S.A. Vipers putting 75 points past the Indonesian Barbarians (what a story the latter provided as they were “very last minute” last minute entrants), and Ponsonby going even better by knocking over Kurumi 80 points to nil (who were lucky to get 0!). The Scottish Thistles knocked up a couple of 60 pointers. So, too, did Randwick and Orries with at least one 60 pointer each.
As ever the pack shuffled itself during the day, sorting out the top teams to compete for the Ablitt Cup and the others to contest the lesser silverware. Home and host team SCC made it through to the Cup first round and KO stages next day, lifting the expectations of the home crowd considerably as it had been a long time since the Club last won their own tournament!
And so to Sunday – which began with the Indonesian Baabaas against Kurumi in the Bowl competition in what was now a three horse race between these two combatants and Red Dot Rebels making up the numbers.
Staying with the Bowl – the Baabaas beat Kurumi by 24 points to 12, and then went on to play Red Dot Rebels later in the morning where they forced a 12 points each tied score. The Rebels then had to play Kurumi, which they did, and lost by 7 points to 12 leaving the Bowl final between old SCC Sevens friends Kurumi from Japan and exceptionally new newcomers, Indonesian Barbarians.
Form counts for nothing or it counts for all – and in this case it was the latter. Leading by 10 points to 0 at the half, the Baabaas looked in the driving seat. But the Japanese lads wouldn’t lie down and got back in it until a late score from the Indonesian side saw them run out Bowl winners by 20 points to 10 in a pulsating match. Not bad for a team that 48 hours earlier didn’t even know they would be playing in the tournament. Well done Indonesian Barbarians – and thanks for bringing the real meaning of rugby to this year’s event.
It’s good to get the “stars” out first thing on a Sunday morning as it gives an early indication as to who is serious about the Ablitt Cup, and who may have stayed out a little later than perhaps was wise to do so the evening before.
Sixteen teams had reached the knock-out sudden death stage of the tournament – the business end of the whole affair. Each game, and there were eight on the bounce, came up with a decisive winner as Davetalevu, Orries, Randwick, Thistles, Vipers, Cottesloe (told you they were dark horses!), Arabian Gulf and Ponsonby were all very comfortable winners – with Orries and Vipers both rattling up 60+ points in their two matches – and so early on a Sunday!
The great thing about this KO round is that it balances the teams for both the Cup and the Plate and this year proved no exception to that.
The Plate first! Some good teams had finished up in this part of the tournament – including Impala from Kenya and the dangerous looking Thai Barbarians. The home team too also finished up in the Plate and later made it to the semi-finals by taking out Palmyra 12 points to 7 in a tight and well contested quarter-final match, only then to face Thai Baabaas, where they went down by 28 points to 12. The other Plate semi was between Gove and Impala, where the Kenyans ran out easy winners by 27 points to 0 – setting up an intriguing match with the Thai team.
And so it proved to be. The Thai Barbarians kept scoring and the Impala lads kept replying. Separated by only 2 points at the half, (12-14 to Baabaas), the Kenyans managed to tie the scores at 19 all in the second period, before the Thai lads managed one last try late on to take the Plate by 24 points to 19. A super game and a fitting final!
The four defeated quarter finalists from the Ablitt Cup went forward to the Shield Final – all good sides which included Thistles, Orries, Cottesloe and the Arabian Gulf. The Oriental Rongotai/Scottish Thistles semi was a fiercely contested affair as the Orries boys always play hard and get stuck in with great enthusiasm. Despite their fighting spirit they were piped by Thistles 10-17, a very creditable effort considering the Thistles pedigree. The second semi final resulted in Cottesloe defeating the Arabian Gulf team by the comfortable margin of 34 to 12.
The Shield Final saw the Thistles control the game from the kick-off and although Cottesloe proved very game throughout, the Scottish lads had enough left in the tank to take the Shield by 19 points to 7. A great effort by Cottesloe who had come into the tournament at a late stage too – well done to them – a fine effort all round.
The Ablitt Cup is the big one and the big teams come to try to win it! The top teams were all there at the semi-final stage – Davetalevu against Randwick and Ponsonby against SA Vipers (a replay of last years’ final, this one). The Fijians had too much for the Randwick lads and ran out comfortable winners at 24-7.
Ponsonby had something to prove. Still smarting from their loss in last years final they matched the Vipers all the way in the first half, behind by only a couple of points at 5-7 at the whistle. But as hard as Ponsonby fought the Vipers again proved their match, running in a couple of tries in the second half to take the game by 21 points to 5, moving on to continue to defend their champion status in the ultimate game.
And what a cracker the final turned out to be keeping the 5000 odd spectators on their feet roaring home their particular favourites. Both teams – Davetalevu and SA Vipers – defended magnificently. Only one try, to Vipers, in the first half separated them as both teams tackled non-stop during the first 10 minutes.
In the second half Davetalevu breached the Vipers line to level the scores, and threw everything at the South African team. In their determination the Fijians had a player sin-binned which gave the Vipers the extra man which proved decisive as they crossed the Fijian line late in the game to take the Cup by the closest of margins – 10 points to 5. One heck of a match and a brilliant end (in more ways than one!) to the tickety-boo SCC Sevens 2008!
Party time followed when everyone went for a quiet beer (and 17 noisy ones!), to nurse injured pride and injured bodies with the magic elixir that rugby men find so soothing at après match affairs. Then outstanding performers were recognised during the players and teams get together who turned out to be:
Player of the Final: Mzwandile Stick, SA Vipers
Player of the Tournament: Renfred Dazel, SA Vipers
Floodlights featured at this years’ tournament for the first time – the event and its infrastructure continues to grow each year – and came in very useful at the start on Saturday morning in the gloomy, rainy conditions, and again in the Ablitt Cup final on Sunday as the setting sun slowly disappeared from view. Next year we hope to be able to figure out how to turn them off! See you then!
