EVENT GUIDE SEVENS.CO.NZ NEW ZEALAND 3–4 FEB | HAMILTON PRINCIPAL PARTNER GLOBAL PARTNER GLOBAL PARTNER OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER TOURNAMENT PARTNER TOURNAMENT PARTNER I WELCOME Welcome to Hamilton for the New Zealand leg of the men’s The global bank for HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Sevens continues to go from strength to strength on and New Zealanders off the pitch and it is exciting to see that Hamilton, in its debut year as a series host has captured the imagination Now it takes seconds, not days to transfer and attracted a sell out crowd. money across the globe. (Y) With HSBC’s exclusive Global View New Zealand continues to be an important host and And in this, a big year for sevens, we can look forward service, you get access to your has delivered some outstanding tournaments with to the Commonwealth Games and the season-defining memorable finals. spectacle of Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in San international HSBC accounts from one Francisco in July. single login, while Global Transfers allows Last year, South Africa were victorious on their way to you to move currencies between the overall series title, but New Zealand has a great We would like to thank our title partner, HSBC, as destinations in as little as 30 seconds. record on home soil, backed by superb fan support. well as DHL, CapGemini and Tag Heuer and for their continued commitment to the series and the game. You have complete control over your We are almost midway between Olympic Games as Thanks also to our hosts New Zealand Rugby, the money 24/7 and it’s free for all HSBC we look ahead to Tokyo 2020. The 2016-17 series players, match officials, staff and volunteers who will Premier customers. delivered record-breaking attendances, viewership make the 2018 New Zealand Sevens such a superb and social media engagement, underscoring the event. Call: 0800 028 088 popularity of a sport that made such a profound debut Click: www.hsbc.co.nz/premier at Rio 2016. (-X) (X) BILL BEAUMONT Chariman, World Rugby NEW ZEALAND (-Y) HSBC Premier eligibility criteria apply (eligibility criteria include combined lending of NZD500,000 and / or savings & investments of NZD100,000 with HSBC). Premier terms and conditions apply. The Global View and Global Transfer service is subject to terms and conditions, which are available online at hsbc.co.nz. Global View and Global Transfers are available in over 30 countries. Daily transfer limits apply. HSBC does not guarantee that transfers will be processed on time in all circumstances. Issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, incorporated in the Hong Kong SAR, acting through its New Zealand branch. HSBC WORLD RUGBY 7’S APP CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE APP STORE IIHBMK1909 CONTENTS 2017 / 2018 STANDINGS ROUNDS TO COME PAST WINNERS - NEW ZEALAND 03 The Series so far LAS VEGAS | 2 – 4 MARCH 2018 05 All Blacks Sevens Coach: Clark Laidlaw VANCOUVER | 10 – 11 MARCH 2018 2017 2016 2015 HONG KONG | 6 – 8 APRIL 2018 STH AFRICA / 22 NZL / 24 NZL / 27 08 Welcome Messages COMMONWEALTH GAMES FIJI / 19 STH AFRICA / 19 ENGLAND / 21 11 Sevens Rules & Referees SINGAPORE | 28 – 29 APRIL 2018 PARIS | 26 – 27 MAY 2018 12 Stadium map LONDON | 2 – 3 JUNE 2018 2014 2013 2012 RUGBY WORLD CUP SEVENS 2018, 13 Tournament Info NZL / 21 ENGLAND / 24 NZL / 24 SAN FRANCISCO 14 Entertainment zone map STH AFRICA / 0 KENYA / 19 FIJI / 7 16 Food & beverages at the Sevens TEAM DUBAI CAPE TOWN SYDNEY TOTAL 18 Sevens is cashless 19 All you need to know 1 SOUTH AFRICA 22 17 19 58 2 NEW ZEALAND 19 22 13 54 20 Venue Map 3 AUSTRALIA 13 8 22 43 22 What’s on 4 ARGENTINA 5 19 17 41 24 Draw Saturday 5 FIJI 15 13 12 40 6 ENGLAND 17 10 10 37 25 Draw Sunday 7 USA 1 12 15 28 26 Draw Chart 8 FRANCE 8 10 8 26 28 Team pools 9 KENYA 10 3 10 23 10 CANADA 5 15 3 23 36 All Blacks Sevens Co-Captain: Tim Mikkelson 11 SAMOA 12 5 5 22 40 Hamilton Tourism 12 WALES 3 5 7 15 45 Thanks to our Volunteers 13 SPAIN 7 7 1 15 14 SCOTLAND 10 1 2 13 47 Official Charity: The Mental Health Foundation 15 RUSSIA 1 1 5 7 16 UGANDA 2 2 0 4 17 PAPUA NEW GUINEA 0 0 1 1 MOST POINTS SCORED ALL TIME POINTS SCORERS TEAM POINTS PLAYER TEAM POINTS NEW ZEALAND 25,635 BEN GOLLINGS ENGLAND 2,652 FIJI 24,623 TOMASI CAMA NEW ZEALAND 2,026 SOUTH AFRICA 21,368 DAN NORTON ENGLAN 1,379 AUSTRALIA 19,080 COLIN GREGOR SCOTLAND 1,345 SAMOA 18,227 CECIL AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA 1,335 2 HSBC WORLD RUGBY 7’S APP CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE APP STORE TEXT ‘RUGBY’ TO 2446 TO DONATE $3 TO THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION 3 ALL BLACKS SEVENS COACH: CLARK LAIDLAW cars | 4WD utes | vans | trucks | trailers While Clark Laidlaw is no stranger to rugby in New Zealand, he is the first foreign coach to lead a national team. He talks about his time playing on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, the lure of rugby in New Zealand and getting stuck in with the All Blacks Sevens. It’s no surprise that Clark Laidlaw pursued a career “I was also curious to see how I could learn about the in rugby. And once again no surprise that a career in game differently to those around me in the UK,” said rugby would lead to one in New Zealand. Laidlaw. The 41-year-old grew up in Jedburgh in Scotland, When a role came up with the Taranaki Rugby Union, playing rugby throughout his youth and regularly Laidlaw, his wife and newborn baby packed up life in travelling to Edinburgh to watch his father in action at the Northern Hemisphere to the seaside town of New Proudly supporting the Murrayfield. Plymouth. New Zealand Sevens Roy Laidlaw played for Scotland for almost a decade, “We had only just had our first child so moving to the HAMILTON | P | Book with us today memories that Clark recalls fondly. other side of the world with no family or no support was tough. But it was also exciting, it was different 0800 777 994 “I grew up going to games, we loved going up to work and a different lifestyle.” crosscountryrentals.co.nz Murrayfield to watch Scotland play.” “The idea was to see another part of the world and Laidlaw went on to wear the navy jersey of Scotland stay for a year – we stayed for seven.” himself, playing on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens SOCIAL MEDIA! Series, appearing at two Commonwealth Games and In that seven years Laidlaw definitely added to his a World Cup. rugby resume. While starting as a Rugby Development Officer for Taranaki he became involved in several He said playing in New Zealand was always a areas of the union, had a stint as analyst for the All highlight. Blacks Sevens before taking a role as assistant coach FOLLOW THE ACTION ALL WEEKEND LONG at the Hurricanes. “I always remember coming to play in New Zealand, WITH THE USUAL SUSPECTS. it’s a real rugby country and we knew it would be a full Laidlaw helped take the Hurricanes to the 2015 house, so we really looked forward to it.” Investec Super Rugby final before deciding it was time to head back, closer to home. He recalls a derby match against England at the Wellington Sevens as one of his playing highlights. An opportunity came up at London Irish, working “We were up against England and we beat them with as assistant coach under Tom Coventry in the Aviva a kick in the last play of the game. We didn’t beat them Premiership. often so to do it like that and in front of a full house, it was pretty special”. “We didn’t think we’d come back. At the time we had two kids, one on the way and the intention was to go When his playing days ended, Laidlaw decided to turn back, do a good job at London Irish and potentially his attention to coaching and where better to hone head home at some point.” your skills, than right here in New Zealand. But Laidlaw admits it wasn’t plain sailing, the busy “I was always inquisitive about rugby in New Zealand. lifestyle of London was a lot for the young family so Playing against New Zealand teams and watching when the All Blacks Sevens Head Coach role was them play, I always respected and admired the way advertised, Laidlaw couldn’t resist. they play the game. 4 HSBC WORLD RUGBY 7’S APP CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE APP STORE TEXT ‘RUGBY’ TO 2446 TO DONATE $3 TO THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION 5 “I had worked with the team before and enjoyed being Now attention is firmly set on Hamilton. part of their group, also having played sevens; it seem “We’re excited about the new venue. FMG Stadium like a good opportunity.” Waikato is an amazing rugby venue; fans are so close to the ground. It’s our one home tournament of the “It almost felt like the right time to be a head coach series which means it’s the only time the team gets and I knew it was a team that was ready for new ideas to play in front of family and friends and that is pretty and a different direction.