Rieko Ioane in action for the All Blacks sevens at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Photo / Getty
Rieko Ioane in action for the All Blacks sevens at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Photo / Getty
COMMENT:
With one tournament remaining in the World Series season the New Zealand men's sevens team are likely to finish third. Cast minds forward to next year's Olympic Games, and how would a bronze, or no medal at all again, go down with the demanding, expectant rugby public?
Not well.
Sevens will never compete with the All Blacks but, perhaps, perceptions need to change in New Zealand rugby with regards to the Olympics.
If we're honest, most rugby followers only pay fleeting attention to sevens. Success helps traction but major events and the annual Hamilton leg are the only stages guaranteed to garner widespread interest.
Come the Olympics, though, everyone becomes instant sevens experts and passionate followers.
No matter the team's form on the intensely competitive circuit in the preceding years, the New Zealand public will expect the men and women to bring home gold medals from Tokyo.
So, too, New Zealand Rugby. At least that is the strategic aim.
Whether NZR is truly committed to that goal with the men is up for debate.
Actions speak louder than boardroom papers.
Clark Laidlaw's revelation last week that he will be confined to one player from each Super Rugby team for the Olympics hardly screams unconditional backing and committed resources.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
Sure next year will be a difficult balancing act as the All Blacks attempt to maintain excellence in the post-World Cup transition under a new head coach.
We all know the reaction if that isn't achieved.
Sonny Bill Williams speaks to media during a press conference at the 2016 Olympic Games. Photo / Getty
Dwindling depth at Super Rugby level is a major worry, too, so this must be factored into the complicated equation. As the offshore pull continues to pick off assets, no Super Rugby coach will be keen to lose influential figures to the sevens.
And, of course, in the end it comes down to the 40 shoulder-tapped players making individual decisions about where they want to play their rugby in 2020. Each will have different aspirations.
But let's also be real. The Olympics is the global, pinnacle event of 2020. It should take priority over Super Rugby, and at least be on par with the All Blacks if for no other reason than the $3.6 million in public funding NZR receives for the men alone over the four-year cycle.
How much encouragement are the elite New Zealand men's players receiving to chase Olympic gold? The agreement reached around player access suggests minimal.
Last time in Rio when sevens made its Olympic debut, New Zealand, under Gordon Tietjens, called on Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko and Akira Ioane and Augustine Pulu, with Liam Messam also missing selection.
As it now stands, Laidlaw could only take one of those four from the Blues.
While the women were devastated to settle for silver, the performance of the men in Rio - losing their quarter-final to Fiji and missing a medal - was a major flop.
And yet here we are pondering the prospect of sending another squad missing several star names that could dominate this format.
The quality of additional XVs players available for Tokyo could, in fact, be more limited than four years ago.
It begs the question, where do priorities actually sit?
Laidlaw's current squad contains sevens experts and key leaders but they, clearly, need help to push for gold. After claiming the Dubai and Sydney tournaments earlier in the World Series, the men have since lost their past three quarter-finals.
Not only is Laidlaw's access to the top tier restricted but his young, emerging talent is also being plucked.
The Herald understands 19-year-old Northland and New Zealand under 20s midfielder Scott Gregory, who impressed in his debut season on the circuit this season, and rapid Otago wing Jona Nareki have signed for the Highlanders next year.
Historically at least, this has been the role of sevens for New Zealand; to groom, hone and promote prospects to the XVs game. Next year the Olympics should alter that dynamic.
These days replacements aren't as easy to come by, either. More often than not spots are filled by teenagers. And the grand, pressure-filled Olympic stage is no place for rookies.
The Black Ferns sevens will be favoured to right the wrongs of Rio and become only New Zealand's third gold-medal-winning team at the Olympics.
As for the men, unless heads turn before the June 10 deadline to sign up, realist expectations should be for bronze, not gold.
