Sevens: Bay men to face powerhouses

The Bay of Plenty men's team have a tough pool for the Bayleys National Sevens tournament. Pictured is Bay player Matt Axtens (left). Photo / George Novak

The Bay of Plenty men's team have been handed a tough draw ahead of the Bayleys National Sevens tournament in Rotorua.

They will go up against powerhouse sides Canterbury and Counties Manukau in Pool B, as well as South Canterbury.

The nationals are being held next weekend at the Rotorua International Stadium, with the top two sides from each pool advancing to the Cup quarter finals.

Bay coach Peter Woods said it was going to be a tough challenge to get out of the pool.

"Canterbury won the southern qualifier and Counties won the northern so it can't get any tougher, but it is a good challenge. It is a challenge for our guys to accept."

Meanwhile, the Bay women's team are in a pool with defending champions Manawatu, Wellington, Taranaki and Canterbury.

The top three in both women's pools will progress to the playoffs for the Cup.

The Bay men's team finished fifth at the northern qualifiers, played in Hamilton in December, which resulted in them being placed in a tough pool for nationals.

Woods said they had been training hard as a group ahead of the nationals but, such was the game of sevens, it was hard to tell how they would fair against the other provinces.

"You always hope [you will do well], but you don't know until you get put in that game situation. But we do have confidence."

This Saturday the Bay women's and men's teams will compete at the Bay Engineers Provincial Sevens tournament at Mount Maunganui. It is a warm-up tournament for the nationals the following weekend. Woods said it was a final opportunity for his players to make the team going to the nationals. He said he currently had a squad of 22, which needed to be reduced to 12 by next weekend.

"I would have loved to have taken about 16 players [to Mount Maunganui] but we are only allowed to take 14 this weekend."

He said hosting the nationals in the Bay added incentive and pressure for players. "I would say it is a lot more pressure at home in terms of support, with your family and friends watching, but on the flipside you are hoping it lifts the boys, so it can go either way."

Pools for the Bayleys National Sevens tournament:
Men
Pool A: Taranaki, Tasman, Northland, Horowhenua Kapiti
Pool B: Counties Manukau, Canterbury, Bay of Plenty, South Canterbury
Pool C: Manawatu, Auckland, Otago, Mid Canterbury
Pool D: Waikato, Wellington, Wairarapa Bush, North Harbour

Women
Pool A: Manawatu, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Taranaki, Canterbury
Pool B: Waikato, Auckland, Otago, Counties Manukau, Southland

How they qualified:
Men's teams:
Northern qualifiers: 1 Counties Manukau, 2 Waikato, 3 Auckland, 4 Northland, *5 Bay of Plenty, 6 North Harbour
Central qualifiers: 1 Taranaki, 2 Manawatu, 3 Wellington, 4 Wairarapa Bush, 5 Horowhenua Kapiti
Southern qualifiers: 1 Canterbury, 2 Tasman, 3 Otago, 4 Mid Canterbury, 5 South Canterbury
*Bay of Plenty men had automatic entry as hosts
Women's teams:
Northern qualifiers: 1 Waikato, 2 Auckland, 3 Bay of Plenty, 4 Counties Manukau
Central qualifiers: 1 Manawatu, 2 Wellington, 3 Taranaki
Southern qualifiers: 1 Otago, 2 Canterbury, 3 Southland