Former Magpies player Mark Jackman will not be watching the New Zealand Sevens from the stands this year - instead he will make his debut in the black jersey in front of 35,000 spectators.
Selected last week as one of 15 players to emerge from coach Gordon Tietjens' training camp, yesterday it was announced he had made the final 12-man squad for the Wellington leg of the International Rugby Board series.
"I attended it (the sevens) last year, it was amazing," he said. "It's a big party and it will be pretty special to be out there."
Jackman played for the Magpies from 2008-11 but was not contracted for the 2012 season. He represented Canterbury at the domestic sevens competition in Queenstown earlier this month.
The 23-year-old said he attended a "pretty tough" training camp two weeks ago and was now working through the team moves and set pieces.