It was exciting while it lasted, but unfortunately the first leg of the 2012 American Ambassador Sevens series at the Polo Ground at Miramar on Saturday was abandoned during pool play on account of the freak weather that swept through Wellington in the afternoon.
Gale force winds and extremely heavy rain forced its abandonment about two thirds of the way through the pool stages. The series now moves on to leg two at Maidstone Park in Upper Hutt on 22 September, followed by the third and final club Sevens tournament at Porirua Park on 6 October.
Until to the weather bomb hit, everything had gone off smoothly, with players such as Fa'atonu Fili and Isaiah Petelo standouts. Former NZ Sevens player and Ricoh Wellington Lions wing Lote Raikabula was coaching a very good Tawa side too, while it was pleasing to see a competitive colts grade get underway.
To view a photo gallery of the action that took place please click here
Photos courtesy of Marist St Pat's.
Local referees making their mark in Sevens
Increased opportunities in Sevens rugby is not just for the players. Every match needs a good referee and two Wellington whistle blowers making their marks in the short format of the game are James McPhail and Brigitte Tyler. We caught up with both and asked them a few questions about the life of a Sevens rugby referee.
James McPhail has been refereeing since 1999 and, along with Garrett Williamson and Mike Fraser, is one of three Wellington referees on the NRZU National Panel.
What are you refereeing currently in the world of Sevens?
Last weekend I refereed the Sevens World Cup Qualifiers for the Oceania region in Sydney. I am now preparing to referee all of the nine HSBC IRB Sevens tournaments on the 2012/13 circuit, which starts in November on the Gold Coast.
How did you get into Sevens refereeing?
I was appointed to referee at the National Sevens tournament in Queenstown in 2009. I enjoyed this and have refereed at this tournament every year since. This opened the door for the IRB circuit as the New Zealand referee.
What's your favourite thing about Sevens?
Fast exciting games with awesome athletes. On the IRB circuit the locations are epic and the atmosphere great.
Why is Sevens (and refereeing Sevens) so different to fifteens?
It is not a game for the tight five players, so the game is obviously faster and more dynamic with less stoppages. The same principals of refereeing still apply, be in the right place at the right time to make accurate decisions.
Where do you hope Sevens refereeing can take you?
I hope to referee at the IRB World Cup in Moscow in June 2013. Rio 2016 is obviously in the back of the mind.
What's been your highlight so far?
Refereeing at the Hong Kong Sevens and my first Cup Final at Tokyo earlier this year (Samoa v Australia).
In March aged 21 year old Brigitte Tyler became the youngest female referee to officiate at an IRB tournament at the IRB Women's Sevens Challenge Cup in Hong Kong in March. She is currently on the all-women NZRU Panel of referees controlling the Women's NPC competition.
What are you refereeing currently in the world of Sevens?
This year I was involved with all of the women's IRB Challenge Cup tournaments.
How did you get into Sevens refereeing?
Last December I had the opportunity to go over to Dubai to referee Sevens. That was my first taste of Sevens and international games and I loved every minute of it.
What's your favourite thing about Sevens?
The game is so fast and exciting, anything can happen. The best is when teams are battling it out to win in the last seconds of a game.
Why is Sevens (and refereeing Sevens) so different to fifteens?
Sevens rugby is more simple than fifteens. There are a lot less players which makes everything a lot clearer to see. However it's so much faster, so you have to process everything at a much faster rate.
Where do you hope Sevens refereeing can take you?
I hope it will continue to take me to amazing counties, where I can travel the world doing something I love. Ultimately I want to be at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
What's been your highlight so far?
Refereeing at Twickenham at the London Sevens was amazing. I've always wanted to go there to watch a game, ever since I was little. So to be the middle of it was an incredible feeling.