Podcasts about all blacks sevens

Sir Gordon Tietjens joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss the issue surrounding INEOS and the All Blacks Sevens sponsorship deal. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks Sevens' most successful coach is pointing to the disestablishment of domestic tournaments after the shock loss to Uruguay at the Perth World Series event. Sir Gordon Tietjens believes while the smaller nations are investing more into the rugby's shorter format, New Zealand have a clear issue with depth. Tietjens says the Condor Sevens - for secondary school players - is the only remaining tournament of any standing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three newcomers feature in the All Blacks Sevens squad to take part in the World Series season-opener in Dubai next week. Waikato youngster Oli Mathis - just a year our of secondary school and with a season of NPC rugby for Waikato under his belt - debuts alongside North Harbour's Sofai Maka and Sevens Development graduate Joey Taumateine. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadian women's football coach Beverly Priestman has been sent home from the Olympics in wake of the side's 2-1 win over the Football Ferns.  It comes after the Canadians were caught using drones to spy on the Ferns' training sessions, but Canada Soccer has revealed their use of drones goes well before Paris.  Meanwhile, the All Blacks Sevens team's chance for Olympic Gold has been dashed after losing 14-7 to South Africa in the quarterfinals.  Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and sports commentator Andrew Gourdie joined Heather du Plessis-Allan for the Sports Huddle.  The Football Ferns' 2-1 loss to Canada has been mired in controversy, after the Canadians were found to have used drones to spy on the team's training.  The All Blacks Sevens' Olympic campaign has ended before the opening ceremony, after losing to South Africa 14-7 in the quarterfinals, leaving them to settle for the fifth placed playoff.  After three months, Jason reveals more about how his interview with Scott Robertson was finally arranged after three months in the making.  And the trio discuss New Zealand's Olympic medal prospects ahead of tomorrow's opening ceremony. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks Sevens hopes of winning Olympic gold are over after suffering a shock 14-7 loss to South Africa in the quarter-finals in Paris.

The All Blacks Sevens team begin their Olympic campaign on Thursday, and coach Tomasi Cama says the team is embracing the fact that they're expected to win every time they play. Cama spoke to Barry Guy in Paris.

This week on Rugby Direct, Elliott and Liam review big wins for the Blues and Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific, discuss the impending departures of Fergus Burky and possibly Josh Moorby and hail the success of the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens after winning the prestigious Hong Kong Sevens. We also catch up with Black Ferns 15s assistant coach Steve Jackson to talk the Aupiki season to date and what he and the fellow coaches are looking for ahead of their first squad being named later this month.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode 182 Travis McMaster, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach with The All Blacks 7s, joins us. Specifically Travis will be looking at: The importance of profiling athletes How to profile athletes How to use profiles to improve programming About Travis: "As a lifelong student, my inspiration to expand my knowledge and continue to grow and strive for mastery comes from my family, students, athletes, colleagues, and mentors alike. I hold a Doctorate in Sports Science (Strength and Conditioning), a Master's Degree in Sport and Exercise Science and Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology with Honours along with multiple certifications in human performance. My journey as a student, athlete, scientist, educator, writer, coach, mentor, consultant, and performance director have provided him with opportunities to travel the world and experience a diversity of cultures. Over the past 15 years, I have had the privilege to work as a sports scientist, strength and conditioning coach, and performance consultant for successful Professional, National and Olympic sporting organizations and innovative research institutions; including but not limited to the Vegas Golden Knights, All Blacks Sevens, Canadian Freestyle Ski Team, Paralympic Snowboard, Edith Cowan University, AUT University's Sports Performance Research Institute and the University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance. These experiences have allowed me to connect with and learn from inspirational athletes and world leading directors, coaches, scientists, and educators. My vision is to be a leader of, ambassador for, and servant to the science and practice of human performance" https://www.instagram.com/dr.dtwm/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-mcmaster-b7092967/ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel-Mcmaster https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Athlete-Travis-McMaster/dp/0473598965/ref=tmmpapswatch0?encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Nominate future podcast guests here! If you want to hear from a particular person on a particular topic, let us know! Hit the link below and we'll see what we can whip up for you. https://www.scienceforsport.com/nominate/ FREE 7d COACH ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/sfsepisode182 JOIN THE SCIENCE FOR SPORT TEAM: https://www.scienceforsport.com/join-our-team/ ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively, Freeing Up Time To Spend With Friends And Family ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Episode 121 of CMW is Live! This week we are joined by All Blacks Sevens strength and conditioning coach Travis McMaster. In this weeks conversation we learn from someone working in the most successful sport culture. During the conversation we discuss how he works with the athletes on agility, contact prep, skill development, travel schedule, handling different climates. _______________________________ Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get more free content from us #education #learning #coaching #podcast ___ CONNECT:

The national men's sevens side has a new boss. Tomasi Cama has taken over as coach of the All Blacks Sevens, and joined D'Arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk to chat about the new job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ZB's D'Arcy Waldegrave returns to weigh in on today's sports updates! Highlights for tonight include:  NZ Herald football writer Michael Burgess outside of Eden Park ahead of the Fifa Womens Quarterfinal between Japan and Sweden. Talkback - Why has the World Cup been such a success? Is this the last big event we ever get? All Blacks Sevens coach Tomasi Cama on his new role. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In This Episode, You Will Learn: The history behind the All Blacks Sevens principles and traditions. Why building a culture of communication and connection is key for any team. The differences and similarities between Canadian hockey and New Zealand rugby.   Resources + Links: Check out "Becoming an Athlete" by Travis McMaster Check out Travis on Google Scholar | Daniel Travis McMaster   Legacy by James Kerr   Check out Anthony's Masterclass -  The High Performance Hockey Masterclass   Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov   Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast   Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/   Check out Anthony's Books Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players   Show Notes: How do you build a lasting cultural legacy? Today's guest is the head strength & conditioning coach for the All Blacks Sevens, Travis McMaster! Dr. Daniel Travis McMaster holds a Master's Degree in Sport and Exercise Science and PhD in Strength and Conditioning. His journey as a student, athlete, educator, researcher, writer, coach, mentor, consultant, and performance director have provided him with opportunities to travel the world and experience a diversity of cultures. Over the past 15 years, he has had the privilege to work as a sports scientist, strength and conditioning coach, performance consultant and research fellow for successful Professional, National and Olympic sporting organizations and innovative research institutions. These experiences have allowed him to connect with and learn from inspirational athletes and world leading coaches, scientists, and educators.   Together, we'll explore the world of high performance rugby from an S&C perspective. We'll dive into the rich history and traditions behind the All Blacks to uncover how they've built a culture that puts communication first. Then, we take a look into comparing & contrasting Canadian hockey with New Zealand rugby. As we go, Travis shares his processes as head S&C coach, as well as his rules for becoming an athlete. Learn how you can curate a sustainable high performance model from here to the other side of the globe! 00:00 Discover how to build a culture the All Blacks way with strength & conditioning coach and author, Travis McMaster! 01:25 What are your responsibilities with the All Blacks? 05:35 What led you to rugby? 08:30 Who were your mentors and what lessons did you learn from them? 13:20 Where do the 15 All Blacks principles come from? 16:15 What are the traditions of the All Blacks? 19:25 Join the High Performance Hockey Masterclass. 20:45 Comparing and contrasting Canadian hockey with New Zealand rugby. 23:45 What does the rugby season look like? 25:15 What is your process of onboarding? 30:35 What is your high performance model for the All Blacks? 32:55 How do you define your rules of thumb? 36:35 What is the importance of communication? 38:55 How do you decide your return to play measures? 41:50 What made you write your book? 43:15 Three rules for becoming an athlete. 45:05 What is next for you?

This week I am joined by Kurt Baker. He's a husband and a father of two. Kurt has had a succesful career in professional rugby - including winning 2x Commonwealth Games Gold Medals and an Olympic Silver Medal with the All Blacks Sevens. He's currently playing and coaching for Old Glory DC.I have known Kurt since high school, having been part of PNBHS's 4x100m senior relay team together. Since that time I've followed his sporting career and it was great to sit down and have a yarn.In this episode we chat about his background, some of the things he's learned from coaches along the way, as well as how his competitiveness affects his approach to the game. We also discuss some of the ways having kids has influenced him and the current challenges associated with being based away from the family.Enjoy the episode!_____________________You can find more from Hayden at the following:Instagram - @hjp_strongerdadsCoaching - www.hjpmethod.co.nz/coaching/Research - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hayden-PritchardWebsite - www.hjpmethod.co.nz_____________________How can you support my work?You can 'Buy Me a Coffee' by clicking herePurchase a MASS Research Review subscription using this affiliate linkPurchase Eric Helms' Muscle & Strength Pyramid books using this affiliate link

All Blacks Sevens coach Clark Laidlaw joins the show to talk about the HSBC World Sevens series clinching win in Toulouse, review the season, level of competition, bond between team, Olympics, U20's, future aspirations & more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The All Blacks Sevens sealed the World Rugby Sevens Series title before taking the Toulouse tournament with a 24-19 extra-time win over Argentina in this morning's final.

The All Blacks Sevens have claimed two titles in one day, sealing the overall World Sevens Series crown by reaching the Toulouse final, before winning the tournament with a come from behind 24-19 extra-time win over Argentina.

New Zealand men and women have won double gold at the Toulouse sevens with the All Blacks Sevens joining the Black Ferns as 2023 World Series champions.

New Zealand have reigned supreme at the iconic Hong Kong Sevens, winning both the men's and women's finals last night. And they beat their arch rivals to do it - the Black Ferns Sevens overcame Australia 26-17 in the women's decider while the All Blacks Sevens held on to defeat Fiji 24-17. The Black Ferns Sevens were especially dominant, including a double try effort from Stacey Waaka in the final. Commentator, coach, and former sevens player Kristina Sue spoke to Guyon Espiner.   

What an amazing game the New Zealand Women's Rugby Team played on Saturday night - beating England 34-31 in the World Cup final. Did you notice, then, that I didn't call them the Black Ferns? That's because I don't think they should be called that anymore. I think they have well-and-truly earned the right to be known as the Women's All Blacks. We've had the Men's All Blacks since the early 1900s. Since 2012, we've had the Maori All Blacks (originally known as the New Zealand Maori team) and, more recently, we've had the All Blacks Sevens. So I think it would make perfect sense for the women's national team to be re-named the Women's All Blacks. I tested my idea at home yesterday and it, pretty much, got the thumbs down. Which surprised me, actually. “Why would the Black Ferns want to be associated with the All Blacks?” is how I would summarise the response. And, yes, give me any game the New Zealand women have played during this World Cup tournament over any All Blacks game in recent memory. This morning's game against Scotland is a case in point.  How refreshing was it on Saturday night - and throughout the World Cup tournament - to see the women passing the ball around the back row when it seems all the All Blacks can do is kick it into touch time and time and time again. It just highlights, doesn't it, how boring they've become. So I see what my focus group yesterday was getting at, asking why the women would want to be lumped in with the All Blacks. When I was watching that game on Saturday night, I remembered how the All Blacks used to play like the Black Ferns. Taking all sorts of risks. Carlos Spencer, for example, almost throwing the ball away behind him - hoping there was someone there to catch it. And most times, there was. The All Blacks are nothing like that these days. Nevertheless, rugby honchos still bang on about the All Blacks being the number one rugby brand in the world, don't they? Which might have stacked up a few years back when the All Blacks were genuinely exciting to watch. And when they pretty much smashed any team that took them on. I remember watching them play Scotland at Carisbrook in Dunedin back in the 90s, and the scoreline getting so ridiculously in favour of the All Blacks that I just wanted them to let Scotland get a few points on the board. But they're not exciting anymore. And they are certainly not dominant. They're just boring to watch - and, at best, they scrape through games that - not all that long ago - they would've won convincingly. And not only do I think that the women's team deserve to be part of the All Blacks brand, I think they could actually be its saviour. Because they're the ones on top of the rugby world at the moment - unlike their male counterparts. So this isn't just about recognising the women. It's about utilising their magic to bring some much-needed shine back to the All Blacks brand. Supposedly, the greatest rugby brand in the world. And, surely, if it's good enough to have the Sevens team known as the All Blacks and the Maori team known as the All Blacks - then it's more than good enough to have the women's team known as the All Blacks too. As I've said to my kids time and time again, women's sport is the future - particularly when it comes to attracting sponsorship money. And I can see a day coming when the women's team will be the golden ticket for New Zealand Rugby, as corporate sponsors fall over themselves to support women's sport. That is the future. Which is why I'm convinced that, if New Zealand Rugby wants to make the most of that spectacular win on Saturday night, it needs to ditch the Black Ferns brand and make the women's team part of the All Blacks stable. The Men's All Blacks. The Maori All Blacks. The Sevens All Blacks. And the Women's All Blacks. But we can't stop at a name-change. New Zealand Rugby also needs to start pouring a lot more money into women's rugby. Investing in the national women's team AND investing in girls rugby too. Because how many times do we get girls playing ripper rugby but then, as they get older, they find there are issues getting coaches for girls' rugby and they get disillusioned and move on to other sports. So I think New Zealand Rugby needs to pay a lot more than just lip service to women' s rugby. And, for me, that would be changing the Black Ferns name to the Women's All Blacks. And ring-fencing funding specifically for girls' and women's rugby. Both of those things make perfect sense. Well, they do to me.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam is a former New Zealand Rugby Union Player. Adam played for the Crusaders Rugby team for several years before moving on to play for The All Blacks Sevens, where he was crowned World Champion. Adam later moved to France to play for Bayonne, a French Rugby Union team.Adam is highly regarded in the sporting world, and he shared a lot on how to develop high performance habits in this episode. Adam shares some gold in this episode.Adam has recently started a new venture in his career and life. He is a devoted husband and father to 2, soon to be 3, beautiful children.It was an honour to have Adam on the show! Please share this episode with your friends and family.Visit him online at - https://bit.ly/3Q0b3a7 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn here - https://bit.ly/3SkpYxL Connect with Adam on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/adamwhitelock/ ----Full Transcript, Quote Cards, and a Show Summary are available here: https://www.jjlaughlin.com/blog

Adam is a former New Zealand Rugby Union Player. Adam played for the Crusaders Rugby team for several years before moving on to play for The All Blacks Sevens, where he was crowned World Champion. Adam later moved to France to play for Bayonne, a French Rugby Union team.Adam is highly regarded in the sporting world, and he shared a lot on how to develop high performance habits in this episode. Adam shares some gold in this episode.Adam has recently started a new venture in his career and life. He is a devoted husband and father to 2, soon to be 3, beautiful children.It was an honour to have Adam on the show! Please share this episode with your friends and family.Visit him online at - https://bit.ly/3Q0b3a7 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn here - https://bit.ly/3SkpYxL Connect with Adam on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/adamwhitelock/ ----Full Transcript, Quote Cards, and a Show Summary are available here: https://www.jjlaughlin.com/blog

A former NZR boss has called for the current NZR boss to resign. David Moffett appeared on the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning and suggested that Mark Robinson return from Birmingham immediately – where he's with the All Blacks Sevens for the Commonwealth Games – and resign immediately. And New Zealand has a good chance to get its first Commonwealth Games medals tonight. Hayden Wilde is taking part in the triathlon overnight, and Dame Sophie Pascoe and Erika Fairweather kick off their swimming campaigns. Wellington sports reader Adam Cooper joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catch the full show for Afternoons with Riccardo for June 15th including interviews with former All Whites Noel Barkley and Ivan Vicelich, as well as former Blackcaps paceman Mitch McClenaghan and All Blacks Sevens player Karl Te Nana.

All Blacks Sevens coach Clark Laidlaw talks to Staf about how prepared his side was heading into the Singapore final despite having two years away from the World Circuit.

All Blacks Sevens coach Clark Laidlaw talks to Staf about where the team's focus is now that they are effectively out of title contention on the World Circuit having missed so many tournaments already.

Jordan has a yarn with former Blue and All Blacks Sevens representative, Murphy Taramai. The Wellingtonian speaks on how difficult Gordon Tietjens trainings were, why he ended up playing for North Harbour and names the most generous teammates he's had to date.

A non-partisan collective of over 100 Kiwis have written a public letter to New Zealand Rugby denouncing the All Blacks' new sponsorship deal with global petrochemical company Ineos.NZ Rugby announced a six-year partnership with Ineos in July which will see the UK-based firm become the rugby governing body's "official performance partner" from 2022.Ineos will appear on the back of the playing shorts and on the front of training jerseys of each of NZR's teams in black (the All Blacks, Black Ferns, All Blacks Sevens, Black Ferns Sevens, Māori All Blacks, All Blacks XV and All Blacks Under-20) from next year.The public letter by Kiwis in Climate, a group of international and domestic Kiwis working in climate and related fields, called the Ineos deal "a backwards step for the All Blacks and New Zealand".The letter was also co-signed by several notable New Zealanders, including former All Blacks Bob Burgess and Chris Laidlaw, Sir Bob Harvey, musician Neil Finn, Dame Anne Salmond, climate scientist Dave Frame, former Black Stick Emily Gaddum and Sophie Handford of Schools Strike 4 Climate.The Kiwis in Climate collective said the deal was a missed opportunity to be a global leader, at odds with key values that usually set the All Blacks apart and suggested it "high tackles our Pacific neighbours" who are hit with the worst effects of climate change and carries significant reputational risk.The collective has also offered its expertise to NZR to help design and define a strategy for achieving net zero CO2 emissions by a specified date in the future. NZ Rugby has signaled that it is open to a meeting with the collective.Burgess, who played for the All Blacks from 1971 to 1973 and was a strong opponent of the national rugby team's tours of apartheid South Africa, said NZR is "putting itself on the wrong side of history"."Not again. NZ Rugby is putting itself on the wrong side of history – and putting off potential supporters and players – with this deal with Ineos," Burgess said in a statement."It should be seen as a leader and not risking the falloff in interest in the game we saw in the 1980s when the NZRFU continued to play against apartheid South Africa."Demonstrators hold anti-fracking placards in the UK. Photo / GettyHowever, he added that "it's great to see NZR is willing to meet Kiwis in Climate to discuss this issue in more detail".Describing themselves as rugby fans at heart, the signatories pointed to extensive evidence that Ineos "is on the wrong side of the paddock and getting away with a series of professional fouls", which includes expansion of fossil fuel reliance and advocacy for fracking.Despite Ineos' "substantial planned investments in green hydrogen", the group questioned the integrity of Ineos' plan for meeting its new 2050 carbon neutrality goal. It notes that much of Ineos' climate pledges amount to greenwashing.The letter comes as the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference is set to begin in Glasgow, heralded as the biggest climate talks since the Paris Accords and billed as humanity's "last best chance" to keep the guardrail of 1.5°C in play."We've put this together, above all, because we're All Blacks fans," said Kiwis in Climate convenor John Lang. "Global leaders are gathering in Glasgow to address the global coordination problem from hell, something that requires leadership not just from government but also non-state actors and private players. Meanwhile, the All Blacks are gathering a few miles away having just signed with a fossil fuels major when countries like France and the Netherlands have just banned fossil fuel advertising. This is the tobacco story all over again."The All Blacks brand is synonymous with the New Zealand brand. The irony runs deep: they'll be wearing a recycled Adidas jersey, sponsored by Steinlager which promotes carbon zero beer, and soon to be adding INEOS, a private fossil fuel giant, to the black jersey."If you're confused by this branding decisi...

Our Great Coach on this episode is Sir Gordon Tietjens. Gordon is the former coach of the New Zealand men's national team in rugby sevens; the All Blacks Sevens. He started coaching the team in 1994 and had immediate success winning the Hong Kong 7's. He then went on to win the 7's world series on a record 12 times. Along the way the team also won the world cup in 2001 and 2013, and 4 Commonwealth Games gold medals. He stepped down as the coach in 2016 and took on the head coach of Somoa. He has been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame and in 2013 was knighted for his services to Rugby. Gordon is a coach with a life-long commitment to the service of people development. As the coach of the All Black 7's for 22 years, he helped 47 of his players go on to represent New Zealand Rugby Union. And on that list are some of the all time greats like Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen. He is fiercely determined and fired by a deep sense confidence that comes from the effort that goes into the preparation and planning of his teams. He also believes in the importance of nutrition, and intense training regimes that are intended to be tougher than anything they would face in an actual match as this prepares the athletes for better decision making when they are in the heat of battle on the field. After interviewing Sir Gordon, I can see why New Zealand is considered one of the most proud sporting nation on the planet. In this discussion some of the key highlights for me were: How he helps people build self-belief by encouraging them to express themselves as individuals and not be afraid of making mistakes. His views on mental toughness and the traffic light system he uses to classify players. The terrific story he shares about Roger Federer crying to illustrate his point that losing although painful, does not necessarily mean failure when you've given it your all. And How the onus is on the coach to select the right people who believe in the teams culture. And the importance of character and coachability in selecting these team members. This was a terrific and intense conversation with a master coach and I hope you enjoy it as much I did. If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at thegreatcoachespodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us and comment on all our Great Coaches here Twitter @CoachesGreat Facebook @TheGreatCoaches Instagram @the_great_coaches_podcast YouTube The Great Coaches Podcast LinkedIn The Great Coaches Podcast

The All Blacks Sevens have had to settle for the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but coach Clarke Laidlaw was proud of his team's improvement from their fifth place finish at the 2016 Rio Games.

The All Blacks Sevens have claimed New Zealand's second silver medal of the Tokyo Olympic Games today. New Zealand lost to Fiji 24-12 in the final of the rugby sevens at Tokyo Stadium. RNZ Sport's Clay Wilson gives an update from Tokyo.

The All Blacks Sevens claimed New Zealand's second silver medal of the 2020 Olympic Games yesterday evening in the final of the rugby sevens. New Zealand lost 27-12 at Tokyo Stadium to the Fiji team, who will take home the nation's second ever Olympic gold. Dallas Seymour, one of New Zealand rugby seven's longest serving players and a former All Black, spoke to Susie Ferguson.

New Zealand has been denied its first gold medal of the Olympics, but few would begrudge the Flying Fijian's victory after their incredible performance last night, and at a time when their country is being devastated by Covid-19. Despite some moments of brilliance during what was a very assured Olympics campaign, the All Blacks Sevens were never really in with a shot against the dominant Fijians. Fiji led 19-12 at half time and ultimately put on 27 points to New Zealand's 12, winning their second consecutive Olympic gold medal. First Up producer Matthew Theunissen hit the phones after the historic win to find out what it means to the country.

Fiji 27New Zealand 12Five years after sevens made its Olympics debut, the world was treated to a dream final in the event.But unfortunately for New Zealand, it wasn't quite a dream result.The All Blacks Sevens had to content themselves with the silver medal after being overpowered by great rivals Fiji 27-12 at Tokyo Stadium tonight.It was New Zealand's second sevens silver after the women's side were runners-up in Rio five years ago, a medal collection that could increase with the Black Ferns Sevens kicking off their campaign tomorrow.But despite that silver hue now complementing the black jersey, the men's side were unable to attain the redemption they sought after the horror show of Rio 2016.They Kiwi men nervous debutants at those Games, losing to Japan and Great Britain in pool play before being dumped out of the quarter-finals by Fiji.New Zealand's woes denied the sport what would have been a fitting finale to its first inclusion at the Olympics. But the wait for a showpiece between the traditional rivals was fortunately brief.And if tonight delivered a perfect advertisement for the game on the global stage, defending champion Fiji were more than worthy gold medallists.New Zealand players with silver medals. (Photo / Photosport)"Fiji were the better team," an emotional Scott Curry told Sky TV. "We gave it everything and that's all we could do, all we could ask from this group. Every day, every game that's what we do, and we came up short."Fiji's players were the ones in tears as their anthem rung out pre-game but, moments later, the prevailing emotion was joy as their early tactic of kicking undid the challengers.Errors from Joe Webber and Andrew Knewstubb were ruthlessly exploited for the first two Fijian tries through Meli Derenalagi and Sireli Maqala, and a frantic first half continued when Jiuta Wainiqolo powered through a couple of would-be tacklers.Waisea Nacuqu of Fiji celebrates beating New Zealand for gold. (Photo / Getty)"The bounce of the ball in sevens is huge and a couple went their way early on," said Curry. "I guess they got a lot of confidence from that and got their tails up a little bit. It was always going to be tough to fight back from that."Curry did his best to lead that fightback, showing his power and pace to score his side's first try, while Sione Molia crossed after the hooter to cut the deficit to 19-12.The pressure of the occasion - absent during the first half - was a factor after the break as defence came to the fore, before the outcome was sealed by two moments that exemplified what separated the sides on the night.First Regan Ware's promising break came to nothing after the ball sprung loose from his grasp, then Asaeli Tuivuaka crossed for the decisive try as Fiji unlocked a resolute Kiwi rearguard with a timely display of their ball skills.There would be no miraculous comeback for New Zealand as the Pacific Islanders were able to celebrate their second straight sevens gold, remaining undefeated in Olympic men's play.Dejected New Zealand players. (Photo / Photosport)But despite being unable to find an answer to Fiji's quality in all facets, Clark Laidlaw's team will one day soon be able to reflect on an excellent tournament.New Zealand built well through the last few days, with their semifinal success over Great Britain their best performance, guaranteeing this country another medal for its tally.But once Fiji took care of business against Argentina in the second semifinal, New Zealand must have suspected that gold could prove elusive.In the third-place playoff, Argentina claimed their first sevens medal, backing up their heroic quarter-final victory over South Africa with a 17-12 win over Great Britain.

The All Blacks Sevens have had to settle for the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but coach Clarke Laidlaw was proud of his team's improvement from their fifth place finish at the 2016 Rio Games.

New Zealand has been denied its first gold medal of the Olympics, but few would begrudge the Flying Fijian's victory after their incredible performance last night, and at a time when their country is being devastated by Covid-19. Despite some moments of brilliance during what was a very assured Olympics campaign, the All Blacks Sevens were never really in with a shot against the dominant Fijians. Fiji led 19-12 at half time and ultimately put on 27 points to New Zealand's 12, winning their second consecutive Olympic gold medal. First Up producer Matthew Theunissen hit the phones after the historic win to find out what it means to the country.

The All Blacks Sevens claimed New Zealand's second silver medal of the 2020 Olympic Games yesterday evening in the final of the rugby sevens. New Zealand lost 27-12 at Tokyo Stadium to the Fiji team, who will take home the nation's second ever Olympic gold. Dallas Seymour, one of New Zealand rugby seven's longest serving players and a former All Black, spoke to Susie Ferguson.

Coach Ian Foster and his selectors named their first All Blacks squad for 2020 this morning.The 35-man squad featured seven new faces. Here's all you need to know about the rookie All Blacks.Alex HodgmanBorn and raised in Auckland, Alex Hodgman travelled south to begin his professional career, making his debut for Canterbury in 2014. The 27-year-old prop won three Mitre 10 Cup titles with the red and blacks and notched up nine Super Rugby caps for the Crusaders before returning home to Auckland. Hodgman is a now a regular feature for the Blues and Auckland and is a powerful scrummager with a high workrate around the field.Blues prop Alex Hodgman during a clash against the Hurricanes. PhotosportQuinten StrangeA former Nelson College First XV captain, Quinten Strange is an athletic lineout forward that has been earmarked for a big future. After an impressive campaign with the New Zealand Under 20 team in 2016, Strange debuted for Tasman later that same year, playing in 11 matches and securing an Investec Super Rugby contract with the Crusaders. It looked as though his 2020 season would be cruelly ripped away with a pre-season injury, but Strange returned to make five appearances in Super Rugby Aotearoa.Quinten Strange of the Crusaders. PhotosportTupou Vaa'iA former Wesley College Head Prefect and First XV captain, Tupou Vaa'i is the latest player to etch their mark in the school's proud history of producing All Blacks. Vaa'i made his provincial debut for Taranaki as an 18 year old in 2018 and the following year made six appearances for the New Zealand Under 20 side. In 2020 Vaa'i stepped up to Super Rugby, playing all seven matches in Super Rugby Aotearoa and emerging as bright prospect which the Chiefs recognised in extending his contract through to 2023.Tupou Vaa'i in action for the Chiefs. PhotosportCullen GraceBorn in Hawera and raised in Timaru, Grace made his Super Rugby debut in 2020 and immediately caught the attention of national selectors as a hard-nosed, dynamic loose forward, with 87 tackles and 45 carries in his debut season. A thumb injury sidelined Grace for much of Super Rugby Aotearoa but he made a successful return to the field for Canterbury in their Ranfurly Shield defence against North Otago in August. Grace captained the Canterbury Under 19 side in 2018 and last year was a member of the New Zealand Under 20 side.Cullen Grace of the Crusaders. PhotosportHoskins Sotutu22-year-old loose forward Hoskins Sotutu spent most of his rugby growing up playing in the backline, emulating his father Waisake who also played for Auckland and the Blues. It was only in the later stages of his schooling that Sotutu moved to the forward pack and he has since gone on to play for the New Zealand Under 20s, Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup and made his Super Rugby debut off the bench in 2019. This season Sotutu turned heads as a powerful ball carrier and relentless defender. He was among the competition's best with more than 100 carries and 80 tackles.Hoskins Sotutu during a Blues training session.PhotosportCaleb ClarkeCaleb Clarke was in scintillating form during Super Rugby Aotearoa and was one of the best performers for the Blues in his six appearances in 2020. The son of 1992-1998 All Black Eroni, Clarke is an explosive winger who has a knack of claiming silverware, leading Mt Albert Grammar to the National 1st XV title in 2016 and as a member of the New Zealand Under 20 team that claimed the World Championship in 2017, the Auckland Mitre 10 Cup-winning side in 2018 and this year's World Series winning All Blacks Sevens team.Caleb Clarke of the Blues on a run against the Highlanders. PhotosportWill JordanWill Jordan was one of the most talked about players in 2020, with his natural flair and x-factor a key feature in the championship-winning Crusaders backline. A product of Christchurch Boy's High School, Jordan was a member of the 2017 New Zealand Under 20 side that went on to win the World Cha...

Tony Philp, "Philpy" is a former Super Rugby Player and is now the High Performance manager for the All Blacks Sevens program at NZ RugbyTony speaks about culture, singing and some of the links between business and sport and how our values influence how we operate.In this chat we look in to what makes high performing teams tick, how can we get the best out of people and how singing can help us perform.If you enjoyed this chat please share it with your friends

Jordan catches up with Hurricane and All Blacks Sevens representative Salesi Rayasi to see what he's up to during the lockdown, while also touching on where his rugby journey started and how he always seems to know where the cameras are on the field.

Commonwealth Games village, Blues debut, decision with All Blacks Sevens, Israel Folau thoughts, and much more! Get to have a yarn with one of my boys and definitely worth your while to have a listen!

The Kiwis secured their quarterfinals spot at the Cape Town Sevens this morning (NZT) after a stunning come-from-behind 26-21 victory over South Africa.The win saved New Zealand from their first-ever exit in the pool stages of a World Series men's sevens' tournament in the series' 20-year history just one week after claiming the Dubai Sevens title.A try from South Africa's Rosko Specman just before halftime set the tone for the home side before the Kiwis suddenly hit back with two tries to Andrew Knewstubb and captain Sione Molia to clinch a 14-7 halftime lead.Former World Sevens Player of the Year Werner Kok quickly tied the game back up at 14 all before Branco du Preez launched South Africa into a promising lead.Things looked over for the New Zealand side as the game drew to a close, however, two late tries to Molia and Vilimoni Koroi saw the Kiwis snatch the heart-stopping win to progress through to the next stage.Earlier in the day, New Zealand opened their campaign with a comfortable 35-0 win over Zimbabwe before things went downhill with a disappointing 21-17 loss to Samoa. It was the first time Samoa have beaten New Zealand under Sir Gordon Tietjens, former All Blacks Sevens boss.The Kiwis finished second in their pool and will play Australia in the quarterfinals at 11:48pm (NZT).LISTEN TO SOUTH AFRICAN CORRESPONDENT BRENDAN NEL TALK WITH MARTIN DEVLIN ABOVE

On Extra Time this week: we look ahead to the All Blacks Rugby World Cup team naming; Sonny Bill Williams and Ardie Savea discuss their inclusion in next season's All Blacks Sevens's squad for the Rio Olympics; We look back at the Silver Ferns campaign in the recent Netball World Cup in Australia; Laura Langman talks to us about her decision to cross the ditch in next season's trans-tasman championship; Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis talks about his ambitions for the upcoming Athletics World Championships in Beijing, and Shaun Johnson updates us on how his rehabilitation is going following surgery on his broken ankle.

On Extra Time this week: we look ahead to the All Blacks Rugby World Cup team naming; Sonny Bill Williams and Ardie Savea discuss their inclusion in next season's All Blacks Sevens's squad for the Rio Olympics; We look back at the Silver Ferns campaign in the recent Netball World Cup in Australia; Laura Langman talks to us about her decision to cross the ditch in next season's trans-tasman championship; Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis talks about his ambitions for the upcoming Athletics World Championships in Beijing, and Shaun Johnson updates us on how his rehabilitation is going following surgery on his broken ankle.

The best interviews from Radio New Zealand Sport for the week ending Friday the 1st of February. This week - is Sir Bob Charles inadvertently guilty of being a drugs cheat? The truth behind using deer velvet… The All Blacks Sevens try to make a hat-trick of Wellington titles... the England cricket team arrive full of praise for the Black Caps... cycling star Ali Shanks gives up her world individual pursuit title while the nationals get underway... and Australia's attitudes to netball: are they more than a decade behind New Zealand's?

The best interviews from Radio New Zealand Sport for the week ending Friday the 1st of February. This week - is Sir Bob Charles inadvertently guilty of being a drugs cheat? The truth behind using deer velvet… The All Blacks Sevens try to make a hat-trick of Wellington titles... the England cricket team arrive full of praise for the Black Caps... cycling star Ali Shanks gives up her world individual pursuit title while the nationals get underway... and Australia's attitudes to netball: are they more than a decade behind New Zealand's?