Rugby: Sevens develops a new breed

By CHRIS RATTUE

A new breed of New Zealand sevens player will try to retain the Commonwealth Games title.

Some of the names remain the same, but the tactical approach has changed markedly during Gordon Tietjens' long tenure as the coach.

The International Rugby Board is also trying to take the game to a new level, wheeling and dealing in an effort to have it included at the Olympics.

For now though, the changes are on the field. They include video analysis, more emphasis on player strength, and the need to win ball at - you guessed it - the tackle area.

That has seen four quick loose forwards - Rodney So'oialo, Craig de Goldi, Chris Masoe and Craig Newby - selected.

And it is not just New Zealand leading the changes. Players such as former Kiwi and now England sevens representative Henry Paul have brought rugby league expertise to sevens, which has similar defensive patterns to his former code.

The subtleties might have been lost on the 60-odd spectators who watched the New Zealanders train in a posh Manchester suburb this week.

While a few onlookers took advantage of a sideline bar, which was opened at 11am, the New Zealanders went through another of Tietjens' famed gut-busting sessions.

North Harbour loose forward Matua Parkinson, who was unavailable for selection because of injury, maintains that the only rugby equal to the notoriously rugged training sessions at league's Canterbury Bulldogs is Tietjens' sevens training.

But gone are the days when Tietjens banned gymnasium work as he turned players into running machines. Coaches in the XV-a-side game were frustrated as players returned to them in an altered state.

Players such as Newby saw their XVs careers hampered because the sevens conditioning took away crucial strength.

After a two-hour session in Cheadle Hulme, the players were breathing hard after another Tietjens session.

"It is still tough," Newby said. "Titch tells us the training will be an hour, but he stops his watch every time we stop. There always seems to be more to go.

"But he's got better over the years, mixing up the aerobic work with strength work and using diet. We used to lose five or six kilograms in a three-week campaign.

"Now we are allowed into the gym every two or three days. He realises his responsibility to our Super 12 and NPC careers."

Newby might be the best proof of the effect sevens has had on careers. After taking a break from sevens this year, having been drafted by the Highlanders, the North Harbour loosie's career took off and he was a stroke of bad luck away from making his debut for the All Blacks.

A foot injury suffered in the Super 12 semifinal loss to the Crusaders prevented him playing for the Barbarians team chosen and coached by the national selectors against the Maori at Albany.

His southern team-mate Sam Harding played instead, and won a test call-up.

"People tell me it could have been me, but that's not my attitude at all," Newby said.

"Sam was selected on his form and fully deserved it. I was very happy to see it happen for him."

Tietjens, meanwhile, will be doing some homework during the three-day tournament at the end of the Games.

The new look to many teams means previous scouting work is partly redundant. Instead, he will gather tapes of matches involving the other favourites: England, Australia, Fiji, South Africa and Samoa.

"You're looking at who are the danger players, the weak tacklers, those things. New Zealand has been seen as the leader and the game has advanced.

"It's more confrontational and players need more strength, and I'm mindful of looking after their XVs careers."

The difference between New Zealand's approach and that of, say, Tonga was obvious at the Manchester training sessions. Tonga looked like a youth team, except for their build.

In contrast, Tietjens times everything to the second, with players rushing from tackle bags to field work with barely a chance for a breather.

Tietjens does not spare the cutting comment either.

"There are some gloves in the bag," he told Karl Te Nana after the flyer had dropped a simple pass.

His lieutenant and sometimes equal, Eric Rush, is always involved, and they resemble drover and working dog.

Tietjens stands in his tracksuit while Rush runs behind the line of players barking orders for them to twist left and right.

The Tietjens/Rush relationship has brought New Zealand - triple world series winners and World Cup champions - so much success.

The New Zealand side will move to nearby Preston for the next three days to relieve the monotony of life in the Games Village.

Tietjens said: "This is a new team so we have to make them gel over here.

"We could have done with a tournament before the Games. But our preparation here has been very good."

Full coverage:
nzherald.co.nz/manchester2002

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