THE PENULTIMATE weekend of IRB Sevens action got under way yesterday in London with the series finale coming up one week hence in Edinburgh on May 31/June 1.
By this morning, New Zealand will almost have ensured their victory in this year's series
. With the men in black triumphant in all but one of the season's tournaments, this has been less of a contest and more of an exhibition.
Sadly the Scots have endured a difficult time in recent months after starting the series strongly enough. They secured a spot in the cup quarter-finals in the opening four tournaments and beat France (twice), Australia, Tonga and Argentina in doing so. Since then the Scots have failed to win a point in their last two outings, which has pushed them down the rankings. Some sort of nadir was established with a loss to China in Hong Kong and the Scots will be hoping to bounce back from that ignominy in London and Edinburgh.
This weekend they had a reasonable draw against Samoa, Kenya and Russia but, when they make the trip back to Murrayfield for next weekend's finale, the home side must fight their way out of a dangerous-looking pool that contains South Africa, Australia and Argentina.
At least the Scots will have the backing of the home support and the familiarity that comes with playing at Murrayfield, a ground that is especially favoured by one young player.
An openside flanker by trade, Chris Fusaro has already played three cup finals on the "big pitch" despite the fact that he is still only 18 years old. He won two schoolboy finals within the space of eight days last year, for Bell Baxter against Dollar Academy and then for Howe of Fife against Musselburgh. One year on and Fusaro turned out for Heriot's against Melrose in the recent Scottish Hydro Electric Club Cup final – the only one of the three he lost.
A great many players fall by the wayside in the gap between schoolboy and adult rugby yet the young Fifer has taken to the senior game as though he was born to it, wasting no time in establishing himself in the Heriot's starting XV.
"Bob McKillop and Roddy Deans, a former flanker himself, were both at Goldenacre and they helped me, taught me a lot," he said. "I took my chance when it came and it has helped that I have remained injury free."
Fusaro scored a try to help defeat Australia in one of the early rounds and he has done enough to win Scotland Sevens Player of the Year at the recent awards dinner. Still, he and the rest of the team will need to hit their straps early next weekend if they are to mirror last year's heroics.
When the IRB Sevens first returned to Murrayfield, the Scots won all three matches on the tournament's opening day, the highlight being a 24-17 victory over South Africa which earned them a cup quarter-final place against Argentina. Sadly the Scots, unbeaten on day one, were without a win on the Sunday and they have yet to get through to the semi-finals of the main event.
The prospects of them breaking that duck at Murrayfield do not look good, although the squad has been strengthened by the addition of two bodies for the last two legs. Edinburgh speedster Andrew Turnbull has been drafted into the short-game squad to add some much-needed pace to the team and Glasgow's utility back Colin Gregor brings with him huge experience after many years on the sevens circuit. Moreover, the Scots were given a timely boost after winning the 125th anniversary Melrose Sevens last month.
"We need to build on the success of Melrose," says Fusaro. "It definitely gave us all a big boost in confidence after two disappointing results when we finished up out of the points. I feel that we needed to regain the respect of the rugby public in Scotland.
"The loss against China in Hong Kong was a classic case of us underestimating the opposition. Once you go a few scores down in sevens it is very hard to get back into the match."
At 5ft 11in and tipping the scales at 14-odd stones, Fusaro is small for a modern-day flanker but size is less of an issue in the short game where speed and endurance are vital components of every player.
Fusaro was quick enough to make his school relay sprint squad and "with the help of a decent following wind", claims a 100 metres time of under 12 seconds; good going when you are playing hooker in sevens.
The youngster is definitely one to watch. Coaches talk about "instincts" a lot these days and the Fifer has all the right ones: he is as natural a player as you can find in what is a decidedly unnatural sport. His sevens experience is helping him to develop his skills under pressure and the youngster is already a member of the national academy. With the retirement of Donnie Macfadyen, smaller players need a new standard bearer in the Scottish game.
The only cloud on the horizon – he is qualified to play for Italy thanks to grandparents who were born and brought up in Cervaro, a small town in the shadow of Monte Cassino. "I would rather stay with Scotland," he says. "It is where I was born and brought up."
Referees are forever urging players to "use it or lose it" and the same might apply to Chris Fusaro, one of Scotland's brightest young talents. Use him or risk losing him.
STARS OF THE SEVENS CIRCUITFOUR WHO MADE IT
Josevata Rokocoko played the 2002 sevens season for his country which set the New Zealander up to score a world record-equalling 17 Test tries in 2003 He is still an All Black regular.
Brent Russell made his name in sevens before winning the first of his 23 full Springbok caps in 2002. Now at Saracens but handled correctly, he potentially could have rivalled Shane Williams.
Mathew Tait was capped and dropped by Andy Robinson in 2005 by which time he had won the Dubai Sevens. Regained his confidence in sevens and was top try scorer in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Rupeni Caucaunibuca was the player whose brace of tries almost did for Scotland in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The flying Fijian winger made his name in sevens, once scoring 37 tries in just three tournaments back in 2001.
FOUR TO WATCH
Santiago Gomez Cora skippers the Argentina Sevens side. He may never make it in the 15-man game but his truly remarkable record 191 tries on the sevens circuit sets the benchmark for all comers.
Fabien Juries follows a long line of super-fast Springbok wingers. He scored the extra-time winner against Samoa in Adelaide and then scored a brace in the final to hand New Zealand their only defeat of the season.
Ben Foden is the ridiculously gifted Englishman who can play full-back, wing or scrum-half. He has just moved to Northampton from Sale and should feature in the full England squad soon.
Aled Brew has already played for Wales three times. The Dragons' winger is not a household name but that could change. He is expected to lead the Welsh assault at Murrayfield.
The full article contains 1253 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
