Bay Sevens last chance to sharpen skills for nationals

COMPETITIVE: Bay of Plenty's Josh Hall takes on Kyle Nu'uali'itia from North Harbour during the plate final of the Provincial Sevens tournament at Blake Park in 2013.PHOTO/FILE

New Zealand's top provincial teams will descend on Blake Park for today's Bay Engineers Supplies Provincial Sevens.

It is the ideal location for a sevens tournament.

The hard and fast main pitch is officially known as Sir Gordon Tietjens Field, after the All Blacks Sevens guru, and the park is widely regarded as the Western Bay's spiritual home of sevens.

There is plenty of stake for the 10 men's and eight women's teams competing from 10am today.

It is the final opportunity to iron out any kinks in team combinations and tactics ahead of the Bayleys National Sevens in Rotorua next weekend.

Defending champions Auckland, national champions Wellington and Taranaki are likely to contest the men's finals with plenty of local support in the expected for Bay of Plenty.

Coach Peter Woods said today's tournament would likely help decide the final side for next weekend, with the squad of 22 to be trimmed down to 12 players.

"It is the last trial opportunity for the players," he said. "I would have loved to have taken about 16 players [to Mount Manganui] but we are only allowed to take 14 this weekend."

He said hosting the nationals in the Bay added both incentive to do well and pressure for the players to perform.

"I would say it is a lot more pressure at home in terms of support, with your family and friends watching, but on the flipside you are hoping it lifts the boys, so it can go either way."

In the women's competition, defending tournament and national champions Manawatu are strongly favoured to win again with a number of New Zealand reps, while an emerging Bay of Plenty women's side look to continue the gains they have made over the past few seasons.

Event sponsor Bay Engineers Supplies have been involved as Bay of Plenty Rugby's sevens partner going back 25 years since the birth of the then Whales tournament held in Whakatane.