Star-studded New Zealand teams named for Oceania Sevens

SVNS icons Jorja Miller, Tim Mikkelson, Shiray Kaka and Sam Dickson will light up Brisbane’s iconic Ballymore Stadium at the Oceania Sevens from Friday to Sunday.

With the new-look SVNS season just a matter of weeks away, All Blacks and Black Ferns Sevens stars will look to continue their preparation for the upcoming campaign against world-class opponents.

While the Oceania Sevens serve as an Olympic qualifier event, both New Zealand teams have booked their tickets to Paris 2024. They’ll play other qualified teams alongside the main draw.

Rather than calling themselves the Black Ferns, the women’s team will play under a development banner with the squad including a combination of young talents and contracted players.

Olympic gold medallists Theresa Fitzpatrick and Tenika Willison will co-captain the New Zealand Development Sevens side which is made up of rising stars in Waikato’s Reese Anderson and Bay of Plenty’s Olive Watherston.

Black Ferns assistant Ed Cocker will coach the development side in Brisbane, with the New Zealanders set to test themselves against Australia in four matches over three days.

As for the All Blacks Sevens, they’ve named an extended squad of 15. World Series legend Tim Mikkelson will take the field alongside younger players including Manawatu’s Jayden Keelan and Payton Spencer.

The All Blacks Sevens will play in a non-qualifying pool that includes Australia, Fiji, Niue and an Oceania Barbarians outfit. Following pool play, the top two teams will meet in a final on Sunday afternoon.

The New Zealand Development Sevens (women’s)
1.    Tenika Willison (cc)
2.    Reese Anderson
3.    Manaia Nuku
4.    Tysha Ikenasio
5.    Olive Watherston
6.    Kelsey Teneti
7.    Jorja Miller
8.    Dhys Faleafaga
9.    Shiray Kaka
10.    Theresa Fitzpatrick (cc)
11.    Grace Steinmetz
12.    Terina Te Tamaki

The New Zealand Men’s Sevens
1.    Che Clark
2.    Tim Mikkelson
3.    Scott Curry
4.    Cody Vai
5.    Ngarohi McGarvey-Black
6.    Akuila Rokolisoa
7.    Dylan Collier
8.    Fehi Fineanganofo
9.    Moses Leo
10.    Tepaea Cook-Savage
11.    Sione Molia
12.    Regan Ware
13.    Sam Dickson
14.    Payton Spencer
15.    Jayden Keelan

Day One – Friday 10 November *times listed in NZDT
3.18pm New Zealand men v Oceania
7.20pm New Zealand Development women v Australia
7.42pm New Zealand men v Fiji

Day Two – Saturday 11 November
4.08pm New Zealand Development women v Australia
4.30pm New Zealand men v Niue
7.04pm New Zealand Development women v Australia
7.26pm New Zealand men v Australia

Day Three – Sunday 12 November
3.18pm Mens Final
4.02pm New Zealand Development women v Australia

Matches will be broadcast on Sky.