New Zealand Sevens Coach Gordon Tietjens has named his 12-man squad to contest the fifth Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai next month.
The squad features 10 members of the current national Sevens squad as well as Taranaki’s Ben Souness, who joined the squad prior to the San Diego tournament, and Victor Vito from the Rebel Sport Super 14 Hurricanes team.
Vito last played for the New Zealand team during the 2007/08 IRB World Sevens Series, with spectacular effect. Notably he fired the Kiwis to victory on home soil in Wellington and played starring roles in
Hong Kong and Adelaide before being snapped up by the Hurricanes Super
14 franchise.
Tietjens said preparations for the RWC Sevens tournament had been hampered by a plague of injuries to his squad, including at the RWC Sevens training camp. The other Super 14 player in contention, Sosene Anesi, was ruled out as a result of an existing hamstring injury which he was not able to overcome, while Southland’s Willie Rickards and North Harbour’s Nafi Tuitavake also missed all or part of the training camp with hamstring and ankle injuries respectively and were not considered for selection.
Tietjens hoping for end to injury jinx
“We have had a bad run right up to and during our training camp when we lost three more players to injury. So I’m hoping our injury run is over,” said Tietjens.
“That said, we are now focusing solely on the Rugby World Cup and believe that if we can perform to our best and avoid any more major injury setbacks we can match any of the other teams on the day.”
The New Zealand Sevens men’s squad features a mix of experience and new Sevens talent, many of whom have also been in the thick of the close competition that has highlighted the opening rounds of the 2008/09 IRB Sevens World Series.
“This year has been one of the most competitive I have seen,” said Tietjens.
“I have said for a number of years that on any given day any one of the top teams can win these Tournaments and this year has highlighted that, so the World Cup is going to be a close-run thing.”
Two of the squad members – Lote Raikabula and Nigel Hunt – were in the New Zealand team which claimed the Sevens gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Forbes recovers to lead NZ
DJ Forbes will again lead the team after recovering from a leg injury which had ruled him out of the San Diego tournament. Forbes was the New Zealand captain for the 2007/08 and 2008/09 IRB World Sevens Series and was also named IRB and New Zealand Sevens player of the year in 2008.
The New Zealand Sevens RWC squad is: Tomasi Cama (Manawatu), DJ Forbes (Captain, Counties Manukau), Paul Grant (Otago), Nigel Hunt (Bay of Plenty), Zar Lawrence (Bay of Plenty), Tim Nanai Williams (Counties Manukau), Lote Raikabula (Manawatu), Ben Souness (Taranaki), Chad Tuoro (Counties Manukau), Tu Umaga Marshall (Wellington), Victor Vito (Wellington), Viliame Waqaseduadua (North Harbour).
Players not considered due to injury: Sosene Anesi (hamstring), Edwin Cocker (broken leg), Solomon King (wrist), Tim Mikkelson (shoulder), Willie Rickards (hamstring) and Nafi Tuitavake (ankle)
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