[Source: All Blacks]

The All Blacks Sevens may be out of the Malaga and Seville tournaments in Spain this month but they have signed five new players.

With the Commonwealth Games in England in July and the Rugby World Cup Sevens in South Africa two months later, Coach Clark Laidlaw confirmed in a statement that new players are joining the All Blacks 7s which includes Leroy Carter, Che Clark, Rhodes Featherstone, Roderick Solo and Caleb Tangitau.

Laidlaw said it is the most balanced squad in his time, with a mix of world-class players along with emerging talent.

The newcomers replace Will Warbrick and Ollie Sapsford who have both moved across the ditch for contracts with the Melbourne Storm and ACT Brumbies respectively, and Vilimoni Koroi who has returned to the Highlanders.

Scott Curry has also been released to play in Japan before returning in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.

Meanwhile, World Rugby confirmed this morning that the All Blacks Sevens will no longer compete in the Spain legs of the World Series due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government announcement late last month to delay opening the New Zealand border meant the teams would not have been able to re-enter the country after playing.

Both the Fiji 7s and Fijiana will feature at the Spain tournaments which starts in Malaga next Friday.

You can watch all the action LIVE on FBC TV.

🚨TEAM UPDATE | Unfortunately due to Covid border restrictions both the @AllBlacks7s and @BlackFerns 7s have had to withdraw from the Malaga and Seville stages of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Hopefully we’ll see you at the next, @WorldRugby7s! pic.twitter.com/wIYLvgyrQE

— All Blacks Sevens (@AllBlacks7s) January 13, 2022