9 May 2008

 

A squad of 15 players will assemble at Mt Maunganui next week for a five-day training camp as the New Zealand Sevens squad prepares for the final two IRB Sevens World Series tournaments in London and Edinburgh.

 

New Zealand leads the Series on 126 points ahead of South Africa (92 points) and Fiji (74 points).

 

The camp will be held from Tuesday 13 May through to Saturday 17 May.

 

“This camp is important because we will need to get the players back into competition mode,” New Zealand Sevens Coach Gordon Tietjens said.

 

“We were disappointed with our results in Adelaide after such a good performance in Hong Kong but we have put ourselves in a good position to win the Series and it is important to go into London with a positive attitude.”

 

Wellington’s Victor Vito will not assemble with the squad and will instead concentrate on fifteens. Tietjens said the decision to withdraw Vito from the Sevens team was made in the interest of his development.

 

“Victor made a tremendous impact on the Sevens team and the Series in his debut season but a player’s overall rugby development is also important and in Victor’s case it was thought he should concentrate on fifteens-specific training over the next few months.”

 

The New Zealand Sevens squad for the tournaments in London (24–25 May) and Edinburgh (31 May–1 June) will be named at the conclusion of next week’s camp.

New Zealand Sevens camp squad: Tomasi Cama (Manawatu), Edwin Cocker (Auckland), Israel Dagg (Hawke’s Bay), DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau), Nigel Hunt (Bay of Plenty), Tafai Ioasa (Hawke’s Bay), Solomon King (Bay of Plenty), Zar Lawrence (Bay of Plenty), Kendrick Lynn (Southland), Ben Nowell (Canterbury), Afeleke Pelenise (Tasman), Lote Raikabula (Manawatu), Rene Ranger (Northland), Chad Tuoro (Counties Manukau), Nafi Tuitavake (North Harbour)