Sevens: Highflier's hot to trot but not to Bay

Shiray Tane

If you have been left scratching your head trying to figure out for the past two days who is that Shiray Tane girl from Hawke's Bay in the New Zealand women's sevens equation then you aren't alone.

That's because Tane, who is among a squad of 15 at Mt Maunganui to be whittled down to a travelling dozen for the first leg of the international HSBC Women's Sevens Series starting in Dubai on December 3-4, doesn't actually hail from the fruit bowl of New Zealand.

She is registered as a Clive Rugby Club player but, according to NZRU PR manager Mike Jaspers, "she's adamant she's doing Waikato sevens".

Outgoing Bay sevens coach Tom Blake yesterday said he had approached the Waikato touch and sevens rep to play XV rugger for his Havelock North Rugby Club women's side. She was keen but national women's sevens coach, Sean Horan, didn't want her to risk injuries.

"She is Gillies Kaka's girlfriend. They were walking their dog down the road at Havelock North when I bumped into them and asked her to play for us.

"Oh, Gillies has told her, 'By crickey, don't you go there [Clive]'," Blake said, adding the utility back had all the attributes of making the Kiwi side to the Rio Olympics although she's a late bloomer in rugby.

Horan will name the squad tomorrow before they depart for Dubai on Friday via Auckland.

Several players were unavailable through injury: Charlotte Scanlan (shoulder), Kayla McAlister (foot), Stacey Waaka (shoulder), Lesley Ketu (ankle), Alexis Tapsell (neck), Selica Winiata (back).

The rest of the squad predominantly from Auckland, BOP and Taranaki are: Ruby Tui, Honey Hireme, Hazel Tubic, Jordon Webber, Sarah Goss, Gayle Broughton, Tyla Nathan-Wong, Kelly Brazier, Morgan Morrow, Katarina Whata-Simpkins, Portia Woodman, Niall Williams, Michaela Blyde, Lavinia Gould.