Experience returns as New Zealand name teams for Perth SVNS
The third leg of the SVNS circuit offers New Zealand teams a chance to put the disappointing results of the opening two rounds behind them.
The Kiwi sides were dominant in the 2022-23 season, taking out both their respective series in electric fashion.
However, the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens have managed just one silver medal finish between them and not a single gold to start the revitalised SVNS circuit.
Perth offers a chance to change that, and the teams will be battling not just the world's best sevens talent, but some scorching heat in Western Australia when the tournament kicks off on January 26th.
Having both missed the opening rounds of the circuit, Dylan Collier returns from injury to captain the All Blacks Sevens while the Black Ferns Sevens welcome the return of the recently married Tyla King (nee Nathan-Wong).
The All Blacks Sevens again find themselves in a pool of death, facing Fiji, France and Samoa. The Black Ferns on the other hand will face the USA, Ireland and Japan.
The All Blacks Sevens squad is:
Leroy Carter
Che Clark
Dylan Collier - captain
Tepaea Cook-Savage
Scott Curry
Fehi Fineanganofo
Moses Leo
Ngarohi McGarvey-Black
Tim Mikkelson
Sione Molia
Akuila Rokolisoa
Codemeru Vai
Regan Ware
Unavailable due to injury: Andrew Knewstubb, Lewis Ormond, Roderick Solo, Kitiona Vai, Payton Spencer, Joe Webber and Tone Ng Shiu
The Black Ferns Sevens squad is:
Michaela Blyde
Jazmin Felix-Hotham
Tysha Ikenasio
Tyla King (nee Nathan-Wong)
Jorja Miller
Manaia Nuku
Mahina Paul
Risi Pouri-Lane - captain
Alena Saili
Kelsey Teneti
Stacey Waaka
Tenika Willison
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
Unavailable due to injury: Sarah Hirini, Terina Te Tamaki, Kelly Brazier
Latest Comments
Both cards were harsh. Yet again highlighting rugby's inconsistencies and the absurd effect of cards
Go to commentsWhile all this is going on… I’ve been thinking more about the NFL draft system and how to make the commercial elements of the game more sustainable for SA teams who precariously live on the fringe of these developments. SA teams play in Europe now, and are welcome, because there’s a novelty to it. SA certainly doesn’t bring the bucks (like a Japan would to SR) but they bring eyes to it. But if they don’t perform (because they don’t have the money like the big clubs) - it’s easy come easy go… I think there is an element of strategic drafting going on in SA. Where the best players (assets) are sort of distributed amongst the major teams. It’s why we’re seeing Moodie at the Bulls for example and not at his homegrown Western Province. 20-30 years ago, it was all about playing for your province of birth. That has clearly changed in the modern era. Maybe Moodie couldn’t stay in the cape because at the time the Stormers were broke? Or had too many good players to fit him in? Kistchoff’s sabbatical to Ireland and back had financial benefits. Now they can afford him again (I would guess). What I am getting at is - I think SA Rugby needs to have a very strong strategy around how teams equitably share good youth players out of the youth structures. That is SA’s strong point - a good supply of good players out of our schools and varsities. It doesn’t need to be the spectacle we see out of the states, but a system where SA teams and SA rugby decide on where to draft youth, how to fund this and how to make it that it were possible for a team like the Cheetahs (for example) to end up with a team of young stars and win! This is the investment and thinking that needs to be happening at grassroots to sustain the monster meanwhile being created at the top.
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