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Olympians named in New Zealand Sevens squads for key warm-up event
By Finn Morton
Eight gold medallists from the Paris Olympic Games will take the field for the Black Ferns Sevens at the Elevate Sevens in Bay of Plenty this week. Te Puke will host the two-day event as New Zealand’s women’s and men’s sides continue to prepare for the HSBC SVNS Series.
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On Thursday, it was announced that Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Sarah Hirini, Jorja Miller, Manaia Nuku, Mahina Paul, Risi Pouri-Lane, Alena Saili and Theresa Setefano would wear the black jersey at Murray Salt Stadium.
From the playing squad that helped Team New Zealand win gold at the Games in July, Michaela Blyde, Tyla King, Stacey Waaka and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe are the quartet missing as the Black Ferns Sevens prepare to usher in a new era.
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King and Woodman-Wickliffe have both retired from international sevens, with King now playing rugby league for the St George Illawarra Dragons in NRLW and the Kiwi Ferns. As for Woodman-Wickliffe, the legendary No. 11 recently put pen to paper with Blues Women.
But the Black Ferns Sevens have exciting talent coming through the ranks, and the Elevate Sevens will give some of those players a chance to impress. Keep an eye out for Kelsey Teneti and Tysha Ikenasio who were both named as travelling reserves for the Olympics.
Miller and Pouri-Lane are among the best women’s sevens players in the world, so watch out for them as well as the pair ready themselves for the HSBC SVNS Series opener in Dubai at the end of this month. But across the board, this is a squad that boasts genuine world-class players.
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The All Blacks Sevens will also take the field as they prepare for a new era without one of their key players from years gone by. Leroy Carter has penned a deal with the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific, and that leaves a hole in this team that needs to be filled.
Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Sione Milia, Tone Ng Shiu, Lewis Ormond, Akuila Rokolisoa, Joe Webber and Cody Vai are among the established players in this squad. But, the most intriguing selection is the inclusion of Waikato utility Ollie Mathis.
Mathis started the National Provincial Championship season with Waikato – starting in three of four appearances at openside flanker. But injuries prompted a stunning reshuffle, with Mathis ending up wearing the No. 14 jumper in two matches to round out the season.
Those two matches were the quarter and semi-finals.
That’s versatility that can prove to be a major asset to the All Blacks Sevens moving forward. Fletcher Carpenter, Jack Gray, Jayden Keelan, Maloni Kunawave, Joey Taumateine and Frank Vaenukuu round out the squad.
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On the men’s side of the draw, the other teams include the Chiefs, Hurricanes and a New Zealand Cavillers Men’s side. Chiefs Manawa, Hurricanes Poua, and a New Zealand Cavillers Women’s team will take on the Black Ferns Sevens.
All Blacks Sevens
Fletcher Carpenter, Jack Gray, Jayden Keelan, Maloni Kunawave, Ollie Mathis, Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Sione Molia, Tone Ng Shiu, Lewis Ormond, Akuila Rokolisoa, Joey Taumateine, Frank Vaenukuu, Joe Webber, Codemeru Vai
Black Ferns Sevens
Kelsey Teneti, Dhys Faleafaga, Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Sarah Hirini, Tysha Ikenasio, Justine McGregor, Jorja Miller, Manaia Nuku, Mahina Paul, Risi Pouri-Lane, Alena Saili, Theresa Setefano
