Sevens

Four debut for NZ in Oceania 7s tournament

November 4, 2019 12:31 pm

Akuila Rokolisoa [Source: Getty Images]

All Blacks 7’s Coach Clark Laidlaw has named one Fijian player in the All Blacks 7s squad in the 2019 Oceania 7s tournament.

The NZ 7s team will take on Fiji, Japan, Nuie and New Caledonia in pool matches.

Laidlaw has also named 4 debutants in the squad which include players like Te Rangaira Waitokia, Jamie Spowart, Niko Jones and William Warbrick.

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Coach Clark Laidlaw says it is a great opportunity for young players to gain international experience.

He says pre-season tournaments allow them to give younger players some good exposure.

Laidlaw says it’s a genuine opportunity for him to build depth in the team.

He says there is a long season ahead and these tournaments are very important for them.

Laidlaw believes they have a good balance of players and some of the older players are hungry for game time so they are looking forward to getting out there.

He says seeing these senior players alongside some of the developing players is great.

The All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens will look to develop young talent when they take the field at this week’s Oceania Sevens in Fiji.

A total of eight players will make their international sevens debut across the two teams in the tournament that plays alongside the Oceania Olympic Qualifiers.

The Oceania 7s tournament begins this Thursday at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.

The All Blacks Sevens team (*denotes debut)
Kurt Baker: Manawatu
Dylan Collier: Waikato
Scott Curry: Bay of Plenty
Taylor Haugh: Otago
Trael Joass: Tasman
Niko Jones*: Auckland
Ngarohi McGarvey-Black: Bay of Plenty
Tim Mikkelson: Waikato
Amanaki Nicole: Canterbury
Akuila Rokolisoa: Counties Manukau
Jamie Spowart*: Tasman
Te Rangatira Waitokia*: Manawatu
William Warbrick*: Bay of Plenty

The Black Ferns Sevens team (*denotes debut)
Shakira Baker: Waikato
Amy Du Plessis*: Otago
Tysha Ikenasio*: Auckland
Rhiarna Ferris: Manawatu
Theresa Fitzpatrick: Auckland
Jazmin Hotham*: Waikato
Huia Harding: Waikato
Mahina Paul*: Bay of Plenty
Cheyelle Robins-Reti: Waikato
Alena Saili: Southland
Montessa Tairakena: Waikato
Tenika Willison: Waikato
Portia Woodman: Counties Manukau