All-clear for Myers as men prepare to share spotlight

Wed, Feb 1, 2017, 4:28 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
All the teams have landed in the country ahead of the Sydney7s. Not quite perfect weather but a perfect backdrop for the official launch today.

Sam Myers has been given the all-clear to play, and captain, the Aussie Men’s Sevens in Sydney as they prepare to share the spotlight with the women.

Myers was in doubt with a shoulder injury but scans on Tuesday night cleared him of any long-term damage, with the forward set to take his place in Sydney.

“Got the scan results back yesterday and it's an all-clear from the doctor, spoke to him last night and it’s nothing more than a large cork in the shoulder, so it's all good,” he said.

“After playing here last year and getting the crowd and basically the whole city and country around you, it's an unreal experience, you never want to miss it, so real fortunate to be there.”

Sam Myers will play in Sydney. Photo: Getty ImagesMyers and James Stannard will be the two most experienced players in Australia’s squad come the weekend but the skipper was full of praise for the next generation.

“They're unreal players, real talent, Tate McDermott coming in last week fresh, [he’d] never been to a training session with us and [he has] magic feet on him, set us up for a few match-winning tries [in Wellington]. Lachie Anderson, they've all been training well at narrabeen so it's been good,” he said.

The men might not be the home crowd drawcard this year, with the gold medallist women’s side headlining the inaugural Women’s World Series leg and while Myers was thrown when asked whether the men were in the women’s shadow, said it was ‘about time’ their female counterparts were involved.

“It's about time they get some recognition from the results they've been getting last year, they won the world series and gold so I'm really happy the support's followed them as well,”- Sam Myers

Australia will open its Sydney7s campaign against New Zealand, a team captain Scott Curry admits is well and truly in a rebuilding phase.

With the departure of long-time coach Gordon Tietjiens, the All Blacks Sevens are under the tutelage of interim leaders Scott Waldrom and Tomasi Cama, with Clark Laidlaw to take up the role permanently in June.

Australia will take on New Zealand to open their Sydney 7s campaign. Photo: Getty ImagesCurry threw his support behind the interim coaches’ efforts, saying the transition didn’t faze the Kiwis.

“It's a good opportunity for them as well to grow as coaches and to challenge themselves on the world stage,” he said.

“We've just got to back them up and do everything we can possible to get good performances on the weekend.”

New Zealand are coming off a sixth-placed finish in Wellington, a competition to which Sydney will be in stark contrast, with windy conditions and half-empty stadiums generating most of the tournament conversation.

Curry said it was hard to see people turning away from the Wellington Sevens, which used to be one of the highlights of the World Series.

“It's disappointing not to get a packed stadium at home and that's the only chance we get to play in front of our family and friends and that so to have a quarter-full stadium is a little bit disappointing,” he said.

“Hopefully going forward New Zealand Rugby can look at a few things and hopefully get it back on its feet.”

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