Help! I have organized an executive box at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens for 28-30 March. Part of our executive “experience” is a betting pool and winning some cool prizes. I don’t have the faintest idea of how scoring works, or what is a high probability numbers. Last time I did this as a participant at the Melbourne Rugby Championships, I put down points on a match that were not feasibly possible. (I blame Stue Wilson for pulling my leg on that).
So, this time around, I would like to at least have match points that are feasible. And any views on who will take the Championship will also be welcome.
Actually, the “betting” will be on the margin instead of the straight score, so that makes it easier for me. Ranges are 1-9, 10-21, 22-30, more than 30.
Nationalism aside, any hints on who should take the cup?
Argentina
Australia
Canada
China
Chinese Taipei
England
Fiji
France
Hong Kong
Japan
Kenya
Korea
New Zealand
Portugal
Russia
Samoa
Scotland
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tonga
Tunisia
USA
Wales
Zimbabwe
My boss is English, and he will be insufferable if they take the cup. Well, hell, he’s pretty insufferable now.
Sentiment wise, I’d like to see Chinese Taipei, HK or the US take it, but we all know that ain’t gonna happen this century.
Leaning toward my distant and mythical roots, so how do you reckon Wales will do? Damn, on preview grimpixie has linked the current standings and it looks like Wales is barely ahead of the US. :o
Are these essentially the same squads that played in the World Cup last October?
If so, South Africa won that.
(I happened to be in Cape Town for the semi-finals and the finals, and watched them both in rowdy bars. It was a blast, except for trying to get to sleep that last night.)
There might be some overlap (I haven’t actually checked) but it won’t be much. Sevens is a very different game with only seven (duh!) players on a team rather than fifteen the premium is on speed and stamina rather than bulk. I believe the England team is mostly youngsters who are thought to have potential for the future.
No, the international 7s teams are run quite separately from 15s. The 7s do a tour round the world while 15s players are either playing test or club games.
Regarding potential scores, you get few penalty goals or drop goals (ie 3 pointers) in 7s. Conversions are drop kicked so there are probably fewer of them scored.
Looks like Wales gave NZ a real run for thier money in the quarterfinals - otherwise, the semifinals are going with the form book, NZ against Fiji, SA and one of Samoa or England (according to their [url-http://www.irb.com/irbsevens/edition=5/fixturesresults.html]website, but I watched the SA vs Argentina game yesterday and the England vs Samoa match was scheduled for just after that, so I’m not sure what’s going on…)
thanks for the update. i’ll try to post an update soon. it was great. we had eric rush & the all blacks coach in our box about an hour before the final.