World Rugby is set to welcome New Zealand back to the Sevens Series. It’s the first weekend the men’s All Black team will take part in the series since March 2020. As sevens head to Singapore, here are things to look for with the All Black’s return.
New Zealand Coming Off Limited Action in 2021
Since March 2020, there haven’t been many opportunities for the All Blacks Sevens to play. COVID and travel restrictions have forced Pacific island nations to change rugby operations. This is especially true for New Zealand.
The last tournament the All Blacks Sevens men team took part in was Tokyo 2020. They finished second to Fiji after going undefeated up to the gold medal match. This includes impressive victories over Australia, Great Britain, and Argentina over the three-day tournament.
But that was July 2021. Fast forward nine months later and New Zealand is entering their first sevens series event since Canada 2020. Will they be slow and rusty entering Singapore? With little to no game action over the last 20 months, it’s reasonable to expect some struggles.
World Rugby Sees Added Competition with New Zealand
Not that it has been boring without the All Blacks Sevens, but it’s great to have them back. It means we’re going to have more competition and better rugby in the World Rugby Sevens Series. This is great for all fans of the sport.
In the last six men’s tournaments, the Blitzboks have come out as the best team. This includes the last four tournaments in Spain and Dubai, as well as the Canada Sevens events last September. Now, New Zealand figures to challenge South Africa for first place this weekend.
I’m sure Argentina, Scotland, and Wales won’t be thrilled having to share the same group with New Zealand. However, for fans of rugby and the sevens game, getting the All Blacks Sevens back is great. Anytime you can add quality to the sport, it should be considered a win.
Is New Zealand the Favourites to Win the World Rugby Sevens Series?
It’s very unlikely at this point of the season. They are currently 88 points behind the Blitzboks for first in the standings, which is a large gap to overcome. But should they pull it off, it would go down as one of the greatest comebacks of all time.
Five events are remaining, including this weekend. If the All Blacks Sevens can perform finish first these next two weeks in Singapore and Vancouver, they’ll be right in the hunt. Surprisingly, New Zealand has finished outside the top three in the previous five Singapore Sevens events, last claiming gold there in 2005.
There is plenty of competition in the sport. Between South Africa, Australia, Fiji (who surprisingly struggled in Dubai), and the return of England full-time, means we’re going to see a top-heavy battle. It is certainly going to be a competition worth watching, especially on the final weekend in August.
Conclusion
Getting New Zealand back is a big deal. Albeit they have played little rugby since March 2020, World Rugby is adding another quality team to the sevens series. It is great having sevens back, and it is just as great to see New Zealand return. Maybe even to the top of the podium at the end of the weekend.
If you enjoyed reading this article, be sure to check out some of our other rugby sevens pieces!