-------------------------------------------------------------------- Norths, Balmain in
Sevens
By JAMES HOOPER
THE DAILY
TELEGRAPH - 29/12/2003
Florimo: may be seen in Norths strip again.
Four foundation rugby league clubs
have been granted entry in the qualifying tournament for the World
Sevens next month.
North Sydney, South Sydney, Wests and
Balmain - all original 1908 clubs - will attempt to secure a place in
the sevens tournament in the lead-up event at St Marys on January 21.
The teams are currently fixtures in
the Premier League competition and have been allowed into the
qualifying tournament, to be staged by the International Rugby League
Federation at Western Weekender Stadium.
The quartet will play against the
likes of the NASCA Aborigines, Italy, Japan, the Cook Islands, NZ Maori
and American Samoa, with the winners of the semi-finals granted wild
card entries into the World Sevens.
North Sydney internationals Greg
Florimo and Gary Larson will be in charge of coaching the Bears outfit,
who have been training for the past six weeks.
While Larson is expected to remain on
the sideline, the same cannot be said for Florimo, who only two months
ago played for Italy against Greece in Sydney.
"We're not sure whether Greg plans to
pull on the boots or not yet," tournament manager Tas Bateri said.
"But interest in the tournament has
been enormous already. We're up to 12 teams for the qualifying
tournament this time and look like going to 18 or 24 for the following
year."
The draw for the World Sevens was
officially released yesterday with 26 teams set to play 52 games over
the weekend of January 24-25 at Aussie Stadium.
The tournament was hailed a huge
success last year when Parramatta were crowned World Sevens champions,
collecting the $100,000 winners cheque for the second year in a row.
The Eels' chances of making it a
hat-track appear promising with player-of-the-tournament Nathan
Hindmarsh granted permission by the NRL to play.
Hindmarsh was suspended for a
dangerous throw after the Eels' round 26 clash with Penrith last season
but has been cleared to play in the Australian Rugby League-sanctioned
tournament.
The NSW and Australian secondrower
will serve his one-match suspension during the Eels' first trial.
Parramatta will open the tournament
against Cronulla on Saturday, January 24, with the performance of the
Sharks under the guidance of new coach Stuart Raper bound to be
scrutinised.
Tournament director Colin Love hopes
to emulate the success enjoyed by the previous sevens tournament in
Sydney last January.
"Whether it was Russia against the
Cowboys or the Roosters against the Broncos every game last year kept
the crowd entertained and I think we can expect more of the same this
time," Love said.
"With the fast action and the colour
that all the different competing nations bring to the tournament it
really is a great event and a top way to spend the Australia Day
weekend."
The sevens tournament will have a
different feel to it this time around, with teams only allowed four
tackles each and a bonus point to be awarded for every try scored under
the posts. ------------------------------------------------------------------
