NZ to start with a bang at Gold Coast Sevens
The captain of the All Blacks Sevens, DJ Forbes, admits his side won’t be the only ones looking to get their HSBC Sevens World Series off to a positive start this weekend on Australia’s Gold Coast.
With this year’s Series doubling as part of the qualification process for Rugby Sevens’ debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Forbes believes this year will be the most competitive to date.
“We, like every other team, want to start with a bang,” said Forbes. “Everyone knows how important this Series will be with so much at stake and that will impact every tournament.
“The Olympics is at the back of our minds, like everyone else, but we know to have a chance at qualifying we need to do the basics and tick the boxes along the way.
“We’re excited for another year but we won’t take anything for granted.”
Consistency is key to doing just that, and having only ever finished twice outside the top two since the induction of the Series – in 2005/06 and 2008/09 when they finished fourth – Gordon Tietjens’ side will be favourites to claim one of the four spots available for Rio through the Series.
Forbes and his side, aided by the inclusion of stalwarts Tomasi Cama and Lote Raikabula, head into this weekend not only as defending Series champions, but also the Gold Coast Sevens champions having beaten Australia 40-19 in the final.
That was, however, only their second title on Australian soil but they also appeared at the Oceania Sevens for the first time last weekend where they finished runners-up to Fiji.
“We have an experienced team and a couple of new caps so everyone is excited to defend our title.
“It was the first time the team had gone over [to the Oceania Sevens] and it was a great chance to nurse some of our new players and to grow some of them. Titch managed to see and get what he wanted out of it so hopefully we can build on that this week.
“That depth was a blessing for us last year and as unfortunate as it was for the likes of Lote and Tomasi [who were injured] they have fought their way back into the squad.
“It is a sign of how good rugby in New Zealand is with household names like theirs being left behind, but I’m one to vouch for them and we definitely need them in the mix.”
New Zealand begin their campaign in a pool alongside France, who they have beaten 45 times in 47 matches, Japan, who they’ve defeated 11 times out of 11, and Samoa who they beat 40-0 in last year’s quarter final at the Cbus Super Stadium.
Courtesy of IRB
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