Top rugby players add strength to Northland sevens team

Invaluable experience has been added to the Northland sevens team in the form of New Zealand representative Zar Lawrence and up and coming Auckland age group player Kolio Hifo.
The pair have signalled their intention to play 15-a-side for Northland in the 2011 ITM Cup and lining up for the sevens season was a way for new Taniwha coach Adriaan Ferris to see some commitment from the duo to their new province.
Born in Kaitaia, 28-year-old Lawrence is affiliated to Ngapuhi and Northland sevens coach JT Thomas has welcomed the wing back to the fold with open arms.
"Zar's experience at playing top, high pressure sevens is what this team is really lacking. His experience will be invaluable," Thomas said.
Lawrence made his New Zealand sevens debut in 2005, and has played provincial rugby for both North Harbour and most recently Bay of Plenty.
He came off the bench for runners-up Bay of Plenty in the 2010 National Pub Charity Sevens final at Queenstown last January, and was included in the national team for the 2009-2010 IRB World Sevens Series tournaments.
However, he missed out on making the Commonwealth Games squad as well as the New Zealand sevens team for the opening rounds of the 2010-11 World Sevens Series after injury prevented him from playing provincial rugby in 2010.
A move to Northland for both sevens and 15-aside rugby may put him back on national coach Gordon Tietjens' radar again which is a goal for Lawrence, Thomas said.
"He is still carrying a bit of a hamstring niggle which affects him sometimes during speed work , but we are nursing him through ... he was one of the fittest at training on Tuesday night though," Thomas said.
Meanwhile, Hifo, a Grammar-Carlton Rugby Club player in Auckland, has played in the under-20 Auckland team at either wing, fullback or centre for the past two years, and he is looking very sharp, the coach said.
The pair have been included in the 14-strong team to play at the 2011 Bay Engineers Supplies Bay of Plenty Provincial Sevens Tournament on Sunday, ahead of the 2011 Nationals in Queenstown on January 8-9.
"Unfortunately, we had to cut two players who were already in the squad - Kadin Te Nana and Karaitiana Vette-Walsh. They have been working hard and have a great attitude.
"They were just unlucky ... it was a hard thing for me to do," he said.
Two more players will be cut ahead of the nationals following the one-day tournament held at Mount Maunganui's Blake Park.
Northland placed third at Mount Maunganui in the 2010 event but this year the competition will be even tougher with heavyweights Canterbury making their comeback to the sevens scene. Northland's Matthew Moulds will line up in red and black this time, as the former Otamatea High School student is studying in Canterbury and is part of the province's Rugby Academy.
North Harbour and Wellington are in Northland's pool at the tournament, and Northland need to win one of their pool matches to qualify for the top eight, something Thomas is confident his side will achieve.
"We had a hard two-hour training session at Moerewa on Tuesday, and the guys are looking good after Christmas. There will be high quality sevens at this tournament - we already know North Harbour are good from our pre-tourny work and Wellington always have good athletes.
"It will be in the boys' best interests to have a quiet New Year but that's not too much to sacrifice ... the guys have worked too hard to throw it away," Thomas said.
The Northland team leave on January 1 for Mount Maunganui and play at Blake Park on January 2.