Tietjens names 30 trialists for NZ Sevens
Frank Halai is the leading try scorer this season with 18
Story and Photo: www.irbsevens.com
Ahead of the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2011/12 HSBC Sevens World Series New Zealand Sevens Coach Gordon Tietjens has named 30 players to assemble in Mount Maunganui for the national squad trials starting on 17 January.
New Zealand are currently joint Series leaders with Fiji on 51 points after their Cup victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens in Port Elizabeth in December, and are now preparing for their home leg in Wellington on 3-4 February.
The players were named following the Pub Charity National Sevens in Queenstown which was was won by Auckland who beat Otago 36-24 in the Final.
Tietjens, who is searching for a 10th title in 13 years, said the trial camp was an important part of identifying and developing future talent.
“The players know they are competing for contracts for the 2012 season but they also know we have an eye on talent for the Olympics in Rio de Janerio in 2016.
“This is a really exciting time to be involved with Sevens rugby. With fulltime Sevens contracts up for grabs in the future there are some talented young players coming into this trial that could put their hands up as Olympic medal hopefuls in Rio in four years’ time,” he said.
A national contracted squad of 15 will be named on 20 January at the conclusion of the trial and will assemble in Wellington on 26 January ahead of the Hertz Sevens tournament in the city on 3 and 4 February.
The hosts and defending Series and New Zealand Sevens champions will face pool matches against Samoa, Scotland and Japan on day one at the Westpac Stadium.
New Zealand: Toby Arnold, Tomasi Cama, Frazier Climo, Scott Curry, Matt Faddes, DJ Forbes, Frank Halai, Bryce Heem, Nathan Hughes, Joe Hill, Mark Jackman, Solomon King, Warwick Lahmert, James Lowe, Jono Malo, Tim Mikkelson, Kieran Moffat, Waisake Naholo, Kylem O'Donnell, Ken Pisi, Charles Piutau, Lote Raikabula. Glen Robertson, Ardie Savea, Ben Souness, Ahsee Tuala, Nafi Tuitavake, Lolagi Visinia, Joe Webber, Jack Wilson
New Zealand win on home soil in 2011