Dubai: The countdown to the Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens will get well and truly underway this weekend as the HSBC Sevens World Series kicks off in Australia.
The Sevens stadium in Dubai will host the next stop on the nine-tournament circuit from November 28 to 30.
With nine coaches taking the reins of their national teams for the first time, there is an air of expectation in Australia on Saturday and Sunday.
But much of the attention will be on one of the six core teams who have yet again avoided making a change — New Zealand. Gordon Tietjens is starting his 20th year as coach of the all-conquering All Blacks, with the team beginning the campaign as defending champions for the 11th time in 14 seasons.
And while some believe change is for the good, others say consistency is key — including members of Tietjen’s squad. “He is an awesome coach and his record speaks for itself,” said Sherwin Stowers. “From a player’s perspective, to have him still here is a massive advantage.
“Nothing changes for us in terms of preparation and we trust our coach — he is the best coach in the world. It is lucky for us that we have him, he knows the game in and out.”
But, as a coach who always strives for perfection, the Gold Coast Sevens is one tournament that has eluded Tietjens. The All Blacks’ sevens team last won the Australia event when it was in Adelaide in 2010, but have lost in the final to Fiji in both of the two finals since it moved.
Stowers hopes that going one better at the Gold Coast Sevens this weekend will set them up for a 12th HSBC Sevens World Series title.
“There isn’t too much extra pressure as defending champions, but it is a good position to be in,” said Stowers. “This a new series though and it is important for us to start with a bang and hopefully go one better this year.”
Among the changes of coaches for this season, England have turned to former captain Simon Amor, Fiji have appointed Amor’s predecessor Ben Ryan, while Santiago Gomez Cora — the HSBC Sevens World Series record try scorer with 230 — is now leading Argentina. Defending Dubai champions Samoa, South Africa, Kenya, USA, Spain and Portugal also have new men at the top.
