Sevens and Seru Rabeni

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RegBob
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Sevens and Seru Rabeni

Post by RegBob »

I've just watched all but one of the tigers game at the 7's tournament, and i am left with some concern..

Seru Rabeni!!

During the course of the day he made a handful of breaks, but alot of the time he appeared to just not want to be there. In the second game he had a clear run to the line, but was beckoning Tom Croft for help and then let the yougster take the ball.
In the final game against Wasps, there was a Wasps over-lap, and while looking back to see why, i notice that Seru was just strolling back to defend.
Now, i'm prepared to give anyone the benefit of the doubt especially after his injury, but surely we want players with commitment at our club. The man just didn't seem to want to put in any effort!!
If this is his mentality now, then i'm not sure i would want him wearing a tigers shirt!

Thoughts?
Capricorn
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Post by Capricorn »

Did seem rather laid back, although he made a few nicew breaks for others.
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Post by Snorbins »

I thought a number of Tigers did not want to make decisive tackles....personally don't blame them with the season coming on. Rabeni will need time to ensure his knee is fine. He did 5 tests (of sorts) but to my mind thati s not intensive rugby.
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Post by RegBob »

Snorbins wrote:Rabeni will need time to ensure his knee is fine. He did 5 tests (of sorts) but to my mind thati s not intensive rugby.
Like i said, i would allow some leeway(?), but when you compare Henry's performance to Seru's, Henry appeared more willing to get stuck in even though he is also returning from quite a serious injury.

Please, don't get me wrong, i believe Seru to be a quality player, but is he frightened to put a bit of effort in at the minute, just in case it hurts?
Seru showed us when he first joined us, what sort of player he is. I just hope he can, and wants to, return to that kind of player.
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Post by Snorbins »

Lets wait till the start of the season...I think he could be an impact player ....30 minutes to go the big guy comes on. He is quality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Hans Hullabaloo »

Not fast enough to play wing yet, but put others in space so would be good at centre, and his Frank Rijkaard hair style was simply class.
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RegBob
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Post by RegBob »

Snorbins wrote:I think he could be an impact player ....30 minutes to go the big guy comes on. He is quality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But i'm not sure he will be happy with that! 30 minutes a week!
For a player at his age, (27/28?), to get just 30 minutes a week, when he should be at the peak of his game, i don't think will be enough to keep him beyond his current contract although I agree that he is well suited to that sort of role.
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Post by Snorbins »

I just feel that maybe his mind needs to get over the knee problem; 30 minutes at a time for a few matches....there is no doubt he is a class player and we do need a good backs breaker and someone who can stand up whilst protecting the off load.

We have to stop the turnovers, they killed us last year and the 7's yesterday was desperate with the ease the ball was ripped away (personal point of view).
RegBob
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Post by RegBob »

Snorbins wrote:I just feel that maybe his mind needs to get over the knee problem; 30 minutes at a time for a few matches.
Thinking about it, it was just the same for Leon when he had the 'stinger' injury. I'm not ashamed to admit that i was one of those that said teflon had lost it, he was too frightened of another injury like that.
It took him two full seasons to recover his form, but last year he gave us one of his best seasons ever.
Perhaps at the minute Seru is in the same train of thought. The club may be treating Seru likewise. It's worked for Leon....
Only time will tell...
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Post by Lea »

I have just had a quick read of the posts under this thread and thsi is the reason why I hardly ever use this site any more.

Seru is not a winger he is a centre and a very good inside centre as well and an excellent outside centre. he is an even better full back.

He has recovered from quite serious knee surgery and I have to say that I thought he was one of the best palers on the day. Great step, holding the ball well in tackles and offloading.

I dont know what you guys thought he would do. He knew he wasnt the fastest in the squad so he passed to Tom Croft who was. Rugby is about playing intelligent rugby which is what he did.

Welcome back Seru you have been sorely missed
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Post by TigerCam »

Having just watched the 7's IMO the Tigers were lucky to get through the Qtr's nevermind make the final. To single out players for poor play is pretty tough seeing that most of them (from all teams) are not 7's players. The only side that was consistent and structured was Wasps. Scott Bemand has been criticised on another thread but he IMO was no better nor worse than many others. For me the high spots were Croft, Hickie. To run out of steam by the semis, it seems to me that there is a lot of conditioning work to be done in the next 4 weeks otherwise the Tigers will be up against it come 60 minutes. Just like last season when it comes to the final they can't do the biz!
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Post by dangough »

Lea wrote:I have just had a quick read of the posts under this thread and thsi is the reason why I hardly ever use this site any more.

Seru is not a winger he is a centre and a very good inside centre as well and an excellent outside centre. he is an even better full back.

I dont know what you guys thought he would do. He knew he wasnt the fastest in the squad so he passed to Tom Croft who was. Rugby is about playing intelligent rugby which is what he did.

Welcome back Seru you have been sorely missed
Could I just point out, before you slate others for not knowing the players could I point out that Tom Croft is a lock. How many locks generally show more pace than centres!!!??

Sat in the west stand my point of view was that Seru has a long way to go before troubling the first team selectors! The worrying thing was that he has now been injured for a season and a half and didn't look up for it. We need his undoubted class but we also need to see committment. It lifts us, it lifts the other players.

Aside from Seru I was quite pleased with Tigers and am now more optimistic for the season. If I were a bath fan I would be worried. Putting your faith in a coach who will have been in post 6 weeks and an untried rugby league convert would not fill me with confidence, even with their pack!
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Post by Lea »

Just thought I would let you in on alitle secret.

Tom Croft is I believe the second fastsest player in the Tigers Squad. That is why Seru Passed him the ball, I have no doubt that Seru would have been caught before the try line and that is why he passed the ball, if Varndell had been there he would have been passed too.

Seru would start every game for me without a doubt. Let me refresh your memory here 8 tries in 10 games in his first season before injury.

I look forward to more.
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Post by Stuart Kirk »

Lea wrote:Let me refresh your memory here 8 tries in 10 games in his first season before injury.
Similar to Steve Booth - where is he now?
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Post by 4071 »

**Could I just point out, before you slate others for not knowing the players could I point out that Tom Croft is a lock. How many locks generally show more pace than centres!!!?? **


Tom Croft, for one....

He's well known for it. It was a factoid pulled out in the U-21 6N that Croft is the third fastest player in the Leicester squad. Behind Varndell, obviously...

Rabeni has played very little rugby in more than a year, and a whole day of 7s is very, very tiring for even a fully fit player. Seru clearly saw himself as a playmaker, and was creating gaps for others. Had he tried to sprint in from halfway every time he went through the gap, then he would have had legs like jelly by the time the semis came round.

He's clearly short of fitness, but consider that he has been out nearly 18 months, Tuilagi has been out for a year and Bemand has played relatively little rugby since returning from his broken leg. I'm guessing that this 7s run out was a way of really pushing players who need to get up to pace befroe the new season starts.

I was happy with a lot of Rabeni's work, because our backs need a bit more creativity in there and he's got a ton of it. Obviously I'd have been happier if he was sprinting in tries like Varndell, and tackling a bit more, but I think he's doing well for a guy working his way back.

And it was encouraging to see him playing the entire tournament with a weights belt round his waist.

At least, I assume that's what was causing the bulge under his shirt....
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