Sevens: To Sir Titch with love

All Black sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens' gruelling training sessions have been well documented over the years.

Every player who has experienced them will tell you they are second to none in terms of the toll they take on one's body. Hawke's Bay's sole All Black Sevens representative for this month's World Cup in Russia, Gillies Kaka, will also tell you "Titch" is also pretty good at torturing his troops mentally.

Kaka, 23, was referring to last week's naming of the 12-strong World Cup squad for the trip to Moscow.

"It was awesome to hear my name read out but it was a nervous time. Titch was talking to several of our extended squad and I wasn't sure whether the ones he was talking to were the ones who had missed the last cut. I saw him speak to DJ [captain DJ Forbes and Junior [Tomasi Cama] but he still hadn't spoken to me ... I suppose it is his way of keeping us guessing," Kaka explained.

While Kaka became a regular starter as he played the last six of the World Series tournaments as the All Black Sevens won a record 11th title from 14 attempts and one of two Kiwis, Tim Mikkelson was the other, to be named in the World Series Dream team, he isn't taking his starting position for granted in the countdown to Moscow.

"There's a few guys who have come back into the mix who played a few tournaments before me. But retaining the starting berth is the aim," Kaka said.

The Palmerston North Boys' High School product, who has played 26 first-class games for the Magpies, pointed out he and his teammates had an extra incentive to help the Kiwis win their first World Cup since 2001.

"The fulltime contracts for the buildup to the Olympics have yet to be finalised and handed out. So a good tournament in Moscow will definitely enhance our chances of scoring one."

Although he has been to Europe in the past, Kaka will be making his first trip to Russia. He has no intention of reducing his individual training sessions time this week to learn some key words and phrases in the Russian language.

"Our nutritionist sent us some information the other day and there were some words which could prove handy. They looked a bit hard to learn ... it looks like I will be sticking with the team when we go out over there," Kaka said.

"I'm picking we will get thrashed when we get back into camp on Monday, so I better be prepared."

Kaka agreed making the All Black Sevens World Series and World Cup teams had been the ideal form of consolation for missing out on the New Zealand Under-20 team in 2010.

"When I missed out on that team I decided to work hard, make the Magpies and make the necessary improvements to my game. Now I'm touring the world with players who were my Sevens idols a couple of years ago ... it's an awesome life," Kaka said.

Like so many Sevens players in the past, he celebrated his World Cup selection with a longer than normal sleep last week.

"I just crashed out. It was the most sore I have been ... because the field at our Bay Park training venue in Mount Maunganui was so muddy the going was tougher than normal, so sleep was the best form of celebration."

He also agreed New Zealand had a good opportunity to win the men's and women's titles in Moscow. Kaka's side will meet Canada, Georgia and the United States in pool play.

"Canada and the United States will be tough. But playing them at that stage of the tournament is better than playing South Africa. There are no easy games and we have to be on our game in every match," Kaka said.

Kaka joined several of his Hawke's Bay Magpies teammates last night in coaching sessions for youngsters aged 8-10 at Elwood Park, Hastings. The sessions were part of Unison's "Weigh in to Win" promotion and involved one player from each club.