Sevens: Quantum leap leaves confidence brimming

The Northland Sevens men's team.

The Northland sevens team are as ready as they'll ever be as they look to make the most of their good form heading into this weekend's National Sevens Tournament in Rotorua this weekend.

Northland were near unstoppable at the qualifying competition last month as they made the cut to play in the competition next month, but they will have their work cut out for them this time around.

While considered one of the favourites to go far, Northland will have no easy run as they have drawn Tasman, Counties Manukau and home team Bay of Plenty in their pool for the tournament which starts tomorrow at 12.05pm.

Coach Peter Nock was obviously happy with his side's form over the qualifying competition weekend, saying the squad was well ahead of where they were last year.

"We're so far ahead of where we were this time last year it's not funny," he said, acknowledging that at the same point last year Northland had only just qualified.

"The culture is good and the boys want to work hard, they've got that belief that they can do something special. It's exciting."

The tournament, which is being played in Rotorua rather than the usual venue in Queenstown, could see Northland's top players gaining selection into the All Blacks Sevens side as super-coach Sir Gordon Tietjens looks to build his squad leading into this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Tietjens will be looking to select four players for the All Blacks Sevens wider training group as well as keeping his eye out for rising stars.

"The real objective of going to this tournament is to look for promising players who are coming through and also to pick players who are ready to make that international step right now," he said.

"I have spotted a number of players over the years who have played really well at the nationals."

Northland manager Kyal Collins said this sevens team was really starting to make ripples around New Zealand, adding that he had heard people complaining about being in the same pool as them.

"We've got other provinces saying they don't want to be in our pool," Collins said. "I don't think we've ever had that. People are saying 'we're in a pool with Auckland and Northland, how are we meant to qualify?"'

Nock concluded that a contributing factor to this side's success was the willingness of the Northland Rugby Union to believe in them and send them overseas for experience.

The Northland Sevens men's team

Jun Yamagushi (physio, left), Alex Ashton (physio), Denny Windelborn, Peter Nock (coach), Warren Dunn (captain), Derek Carpenter, Mat Moulds, Jone Maceli, Jack Goodhue and Tim Hurst (trainer). Tyler Lansdown (left), Rhys Te Nana, Whiria Meltzer; absent: Mac Sykes, Josh Brown and Troy Lobendahn.