This weekend, the Asia leg of the HSBC Rugby SVNS arrives in Singapore. From 3 – 5 May, see 12 of the top men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams in action at the National Stadium. One of the players is Northland’s Brady Rush, second-generation All Blacks Sevens player and son former captain Eric Rush.
Due to his fast footwork and intuitive play, he was offered a contract with the All Blacks Sevens for 2021, and Rush was a key member of the squad that won the 2023 World Series. Now he’s back in Singapore to play for the HSBC SVNS 2024, ANZA caught up with him for a quick chat.
Q: Welcome back to SG! What are you most looking forward to about the HSBC SVNS Singapore?
A: Winning it back-to-back after last year’s successful tournament!
Q: How do you like playing here?
A: I always love playing in Singapore – it’s where I debuted for the All Blacks Sevens so it is a special one for me. The heat is okay because the stadium is actually air-conditioned, so not too bad at all!
Q: The structure of the 7s has changed this season – how has this impacted the team?
A: Structure has been pretty different to last year. It’s impacted the team in the sense that every game is really competitive – there are no easy games, so it has been tough, but the boys look forward to the challenge that brings every tournament.
Q: How do you foster a sense of unity and camaraderie among your teammates?
A: For our team, we enjoy spending time with each other and just chilling out together when we aren’t training. We sing a lot too. We have a lot of different cultures in our team so we try to have at least one song from each culture and that really helps bring us together.
Q: What strategies do you employ to maintain peak physical fitness during the 7s season?
A: I like having a routine and staying consistent – that’s really important. We have trainers that set our schedules for us to keep us in condition and I will do some extras, like going for runs, on top of that.
Q: How do you approach each match mentally to ensure you’re performing at your best, both individually and as a team?
A: I try not to think about the game too much. My focus is on me and the role or job I have to do on the field. I think most of the boys in the team have a similar approach in terms of focusing on their individual roles on the field.
Q: If you could invite any historical figure to join the 7s for a match, who would you choose?
A: I’d love to see Usain Bolt have a crack at Sevens! I think it would suit him pretty well: he’s big, tall and obviously the fastest man alive. It would be pretty exciting to see him run.
Q: How’s the team feeling as the Olympics approaches?
A: The team is feeling good heading towards the Olympics, but we know it’s important to take one tournament at a time. The focus at the moment is Singapore, and then it will be Madrid after that.
Q: Who’s the most inspiring female Rugby 7s player and why?
A: Most inspiring would probably be Kalya McAlister or Portia Woodman. They’re both beasts on the field and what they have done for the women’s game is massive.
Q: Who’s the most valuable player on the NZ female team and why?
A: I think they are all pretty exciting players to watch and that is why they are doing so well.
How to buy your tickets
Tickets for HSBC SVNS Singapore start from S$45 for single day tickets, with two day and weekend passes also available. Kids tickets start from just S$8.50.
If you want to take your experience at SVNS to the next level, check out the Sun Room Lounge. A premium package that’s perfect for an unforgettable day with your friends, or entertaining clients.
