The New Zealand women's sevens team will take on the world's best in Brazil next month after a successful training camp held at Mount Maunganui this week.
Tauranga-based coach Sean Horan selected his 12-strong squad for the second leg of the World Series including Bay of Plenty's Kelly Brazier. Two other Bay players " Alexis Tapsell and Morgan Morrow " trained but were not selected due to injury.
Horan said last weekend's Bayleys National Sevens tournament in Rotorua gave him great confidence for the rest of the World Series and to form the crucial backbone of his Olympic hopefuls.
"The game is definitely progressing, it really excites me how far things have gone," Horan said. "There seems to be a real competitive edge out there and girls are working hard to compete for these precious contracts.
"It's also clear that some provinces are really starting to see the potential of sevens, and we're seeing athletes coming through, particularly from rural areas, with good skill sets, and professional standards keep improving."