Sevens – up for Olympics? All Black Rugby Sevens’ fans will be hoping this year’s team will be good as gold come the Olympic Games but, considering spotty form during this year’s World Rugby Sevens Series, could laurels of victory become grapes of wrath? JON RAWLINSON discussed their prospects with Auckland Sevens coach, talent scout, Cockle Bay local and former player, Waisake Sotutu.
Sevens rugby has come a long way since a Cantabrian team tied the Wallaroos down when the sport made its Hong Kong debut in 1976. And, following its first appearance at the Commonwealth Games (1998) and the subsequent World Series, the short-form game is about to enter a new, Olympic era. However, although the 1998 Commonwealth Games ‘dream team’ boasted such 15s stars as Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu and Joeli Vidiri, only Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam are currently in the running to back up World Cup gold with Olympic medals. In addition, former sevens stars including Victor Vito (heading to France) and Malakai Fekitoa are conspicuously absent. And yet, Auckland Sevens coach, Waisake Sotutu, says our team is still liable to impress. “I think [All Blacks] who are available for the Olympics have already played in this year’s World Series. Because players had to pick [15s or sevens], there are some boys who could (or have already been), awesome
sevens players who won’t go to Rio,” he says. “These days, the makeup of the players’ bodies is also different, due to the type of training they do. “Fifteen’s players need to be built to take heavy impact, whereas – while the game’s getting more physical – sevens players don’t need to be up to dealing with 80 minutes of getting hammered.”
“The New Zealand team will be sharper come Rio; they will definitely be prepared and ready to go, Tich (coach, Gordon Tietjens) will have the players he wants and it’ll probably be the strongest squad they’ve had for a while. “But other teams are putting a lot more money into getting better and some– Fiji, for example – would see sevens as their best chance to win Olympic gold, so it’s going to be tough, he says.
And yet, while reputations can be forged on the sevens circuit, particularly as more nations invest in going for gold, Waisake doubts whether the game is yet to yield the rewards needed to retain its best and brightest.
“Another thing to remember is that the game is finely balanced so small issues can have a big impact. Once a team has momentum on its side, it’s hard to swing back the other way, that’s how fickle the game can be.”
“The problem is that we find young talent, give them a bit of training, but unfortunately, if they perform well, they often tend to be offered [15s] contracts, maybe go on to Super Rugby and can be lost to sevens.”
Of course, the New Zealand Women’s squad will also be going for gold. However, Waisake – also a former Auckland Women’s Sevens coach – adds that they will likely face an equal challenge in Rio.
Despite tipping the All Black Sevens to top the Olympic title, Waisake believes they could well be given a run for their money as the game grows worldwide in popularity.
“A year or so ago I would’ve actually said they would [be a better chance to win gold] but I’m not so certain now because, as with the men, other teams do seem to be catching up.”
Of home games and hummerzines Fijian-born Waisake Sotutu may have experienced a globetrotting childhood, with his father working for the UN, but he has long since made east Auckland his home. Although he moved to Edgewater in the 1990s to flat with his workmate (now Counties Manukau Steelers coach, Darryl Suasua), Waisake stayed on in the district after the (now) rugby scout spotted ‘talent’ of a different nature. “I moved out to Edgewater with
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Darryl, but I soon started going out with a local girl from Howick, Adelita. We’ve been married almost 20 years now and I’ve basically lived out this way ever since. Adelita’s very keen on sport too, she went to Howick College and she’s now the sports manager there,” he says. The couple’s four children (Hoskins, Kobe, Teuila and Hana) are also keen sportspeople. Beyond rugby, Waisake enjoys a limousine lifestyle, albeit from the
front seat. After a foray into the cafe business – including ownership for a time of Pakuranga Plaza’s Sierra Cafe – a ride in a Hummer limousine in Las Vegas inspired Waisake to establish Hummerzine, with the apt tag line, ‘Because bigger is better’. “I still drive every now and then. Sometimes I’ve heard people talking in the back saying ‘hey, that’s that rugby player’, and I’ve even ended up having photos with some of them! It’s a different way of making a living, but I enjoy it very much.” www.eastlife.co.nz