BOP players make Black Ferns sevens squad

Bay of Plenty's Kelly Brazier has been named in the Black Ferns Sevens squad of contracted players. Photo/Ben Fraser

Two Bay of Plenty players have been named in the Black Ferns Seven squad of contracted players.

Kelly Brazier, who co-captained the Bay of Plenty women's team in last weekend's National Sevens tournament in Rotorua, and Michaela Blyde have been named to contest the remainder of the 2016-2017 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The squad of 20 contracted players is made up of 18 fully-contracted players and two training contracts, leaving a further spot to be filled later in the year.

Black Ferns Sevens Head Coach Allan Bunting said he was excited about the mix of talent in the team.

"There is a lot of potential in this team. The high level of performance at the National Sevens tournament on the weekend made selections very hard. The higher standard of coaching at provincial union level is really making our job difficult which is great, but we are lucky because they are delivering quality rugby players which will make coaching the squad easier.

Michaela Blyde in action last weekend. Photo/Ben Fraser

"There is already a lot of experience in the squad, but it is youthful experience. Every player can go through to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and most of them could still be going for gold at the two games after that.

Bunting said the focus for the next couple of weeks heading into Sydney would be continuing on from what we they started in Dubai which was building their foundations and bringing the new members up to speed on what they had learnt.

The full Black Ferns Sevens squad will go into camp in Wellington from Monday January 23. The squad will be attending the Wellington Sevens tournament on Saturday January 28 before a travelling team of 14 will leave for the Sydney tournament on Sunday January 29.

The contracted squad is (* indicates a new contracted player):

Sarah Goss (Captain) - Manawatu
Shakira Baker - Waikato
Michaela Blyde - Bay of Plenty
Kelly Brazier - Bay of Plenty
Gayle Broughton - Taranaki
Rebekah Cordero-Tufuga - Manawatu*
Lyric Faleafaga - Wellington (Training Contract)*
Theresa Fitzpatrick - Auckland*
Crystal Mayes - Manawatu (Training Contract)*
Tyla Nathan-Wong - Auckland
Cheyelle Robins-Reti - Waikato*
Alena Saili - Otago*
Terina Te Tamaki - Waikato
Ruby Tui - Canterbury
Stacey Waaka - Waikato
Katarina Whata-Simpkins - Wellington
Renee Wickliffe - Counties Manukau*
Niall Williams - Auckland
Tenika Willison - Waikato*
Portia Woodman - Counties Manukau

HSBC 2016-2017 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series

Sydney, Australia: 3-4 February, 2017
Las Vegas, USA: 3-5 March 2017
Kitakyushu, Japan: 23-24 April, 2017
Langford, Canada: 27-28 April, 2017
Clermont-Ferrand, France: 24-25 June, 2017