{"id":362684,"date":"2024-01-25T19:15:59","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T20:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=362684"},"modified":"2024-01-25T21:02:41","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T21:02:41","slug":"perth-frocks-up-for-unique-sporting-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=362684","title":{"rendered":"Perth frocks up for unique sporting festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello team, it's great to be with you all again ahead of what can only be a year of 'up' for us Aussie rugby desperados.<\/p>\n

We've got a couple of quality coaches sorted for the Wallabies and Wallaroos in Joe Schmidt<\/a> and Jo Yapp<\/a> – and, this weekend, our Aussie women and men are ready to light it up at the Perth SVNS.<\/a><\/p>\n

It's the perfect way to get 2024 started after the nightmare of 2023.<\/p>\n

Watch all the action from the 2024 Perth Sevens, kicking off at 3pm AEDT on Friday.<\/strong><\/em> Ad free, live and exclusive on Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/StanSportRugby\/status\/1749265632229535987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/a><\/p>\n

This will be stop three on the new look series and everything is pointing toward an enormous few days in the golden west.<\/p>\n

Saturday and Sunday are tracking toward sellouts, Peking Duk are firing up the decks and some of the biggest names in the sport are in town to watch it unfold.<\/p>\n

Here's a lookahead to what will be one of the greatest rugby\/festival combos we've had in Australia.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Khawaja lands top ICC Test cricketer of the year honour\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Star's career on the line as Bennett verdict looms<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\ufeffREAD MORE:<\/strong> Beaten Gauff denies opponent's act cost her\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Sharni<\/p>\n

TWO TO WATCH: AUSSIE WOMEN<\/strong><\/h3>\n

SHARNI SMALE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Easy to spot in her rainbow headgear, Sharn has been a mainstay of the Aussie women's side for over a decade.<\/p>\n

She's won an Olympic gold, is a world series Champion, multiple World dream team nominee and at 35, one of the true stateswomen of the code.<\/p>\n

Adds muscle at the breakdown and drags defenders with her ball running.<\/p>\n

Is remarkably getting faster with age after clocking a PB over 40m before Christmas.<\/p>\n

\"Faith<\/p>\n

FAITH NATHAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

At just 162cm and 60kg, Nathan is the definition of pocket rocket.<\/p>\n

Her pace on the wing is explosive and threatening as is her ability to change running lines to confuse defenders.<\/p>\n

With Nathan one side and the long striding Maddison Levi on the other, the Aussie playmakers almost have too many options.<\/p>\n

Watch her run in plenty of tries down the right side at HBF Park.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

TWO TO WATCH: AUSSIE MEN<\/strong><\/h3>\n

HENRY HUTCHISON<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many of watched on in anguish as 'Hutch' lay in agony, clutching his knee at Allianz Stadium 12 moths ago.<\/p>\n

A blown ACL was the diagnosis and it's taken a year to come good.<\/p>\n

The veteran has used the time to get his whole body back to its best which is a great thing for us and a problem for opponents.<\/p>\n

He was key in Australia becoming series champs a couple years back and offers unbelievable coverage across the field.<\/p>\n

He's a leader inside the group and will be prominent again in his return to the game.<\/p>\n

\"Darby<\/p>\n

DARBY LANCASTER<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love this kid.<\/p>\n

There's been a few brilliant finds in sevens over the last few years by coaches John Manenti and Tim Walsh.<\/p>\n

Players who've then kicked on at Super Rugby level and will be Test players too.<\/p>\n

Dylan Pietsch, Corey Toole, Tim Anstee are a few who jump out.<\/p>\n

Lancaster is on the same path with a huge ceiling.<\/p>\n

He's with the Melbourne Rebels for 2024 and they've been good enough to let him off the leash as a one off this weekend.<\/p>\n

Possesses awesome top end pace, can create opportunities and just doesn't stop.<\/p>\n

He's only 20 and could honestly be anything.<\/p>\n

\"Aussie<\/p>\n

LOOK WHO IT IS<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As mentioned at the top, the big names in the code are all rolling in for the fun at HBF.<\/p>\n

World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin is here as is his chairman Sir Bill Beaumont.<\/p>\n

The likeable Gilpin will no doubt be casting an eye forward to the 2027 World Cup and who hosts what where.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Those of you who played the iconic Jonah Lomu Rugby<\/em> on PlayStation will remember Beaumont as the colour commentator alongside legendary caller Bill McLaren.<\/p>\n

Who can ever forget: 'I hope not Bill, that's the maternity ward.'<\/p>\n

World Cup Winner and Springboks legend Bryan Habana is in town as an ambassador with HSBC as well.<\/p>\n

He'll have fond memories of HBF Park where he scored a number of Super Rugby tries over the years.<\/p>\n

Joining 'Habs' on that front will be Olympic gold medallist Alicia Lucas and former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles.<\/p>\n

RIIIICHIE… IT IS YOU!!!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Western Force have ramped up their pre-season preps this week but will hit the relax button on Friday night in Perth dressed up as Richie Benauds.<\/p>\n

There'll be 40 of them in total, mics in hand, continuing the tradition started at the SCG New Year's cricket Test.<\/p>\n

\"Hooper's<\/p>\n

BROUGHT TO YOU BY<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sadly, Wallabies legend and now sevens player Michael Hooper suffered a niggling injury setback in the lead-up to his home tournament.<\/p>\n

The good news is, you'll still have him on your screens as part of Stan Sport's wall to wall coverage this weekend.<\/p>\n

'Hoops' excelled in his commentary debut across the Rugby World Cup and will add plenty of insight alongside former sevens representative Allana Fergusson, who played for Australia at the beginning of their decade of dominance.<\/p>\n

Michael Atkinson, who was chased out of the water by a shark at Scarborough Beach during the week, will host while two time Super Rugby champ Jono Lance will add colour from around the ground.<\/p>\n

It'll be a wild weekend in the west and we're all looking forward to your company.<\/p>\n

Remember, it's only up in 2024. See you from HBF Park.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello team, it's great to be with you all again ahead of what can only be a year of 'up' for us Aussie rugby desperados. […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":362686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362684"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=362684"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":362694,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362684\/revisions\/362694"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/362686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=362684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=362684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=362684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}