Scott Curry in action for the Bay of Plenty men's team at the Bayleys National Sevens at the Rotorua International Stadium. PHOTO/ BEN FRASER
Scott Curry in action for the Bay of Plenty men's team at the Bayleys National Sevens at the Rotorua International Stadium. PHOTO/ BEN FRASER
Two Bay of Plenty players have been named in the All Blacks Sevens squad for the HSBC Wellington Sevens tournament next weekend.
Scott Curry has been named as captain, and Regan Ware has also been selected in the 14-man squad.
Interim All Blacks Sevens head coach Scott Waldrom said selections were based on performance at the recent National Sevens tournament in Rotorua.
"We said that the guys performing well would be the ones rewarded with selection. We are confident that this squad contains the best sevens rugby players in the country at the moment," he said.
"This is a team based on form, and it shows that exciting talent coming through can put their hand up and be successful with national selection."
Bay of Plenty men's player Regan Ware impressed at the Bayleys National Sevens at the Rotorua International Stadium. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
Four new caps were also rewarded to Tasman's Trael Joass, Andrew Knewstubb and Tone Ng Shiu plus Otago's Vilimoni Koroi, creating a new-look national squad that contains a mix of youth and experience.
"It's exciting to put Trael, Andrew, Vilimoni and Tone into the All Blacks Sevens environment in Wellington. Our focus when we go into camp next Monday is to bring the new guys up to speed with our structures and the team culture," Waldrom said.
"There is also a lot of experience in the squad. DJ Forbes will play his 82nd World Series Tournament in Wellington, and a number of the other players have been part of successful campaigns over the years. It is good to have a mix of experience and new talent to keep us fresh."
Waldrom added the squad were prepared and confident ahead of the HSBC Wellington Sevens tournament.
"We are feeling confident. There were big improvements in the team between the Dubai and Cape Town tournaments as the squad got to spend more time together. Since then we have had the Nationals and a four-day camp together in Rotorua, so we enter the build-up this week match-fit and gelling as a group," he said.
"Wellington is always the highlight of the series for the boys. There is nothing like having a big crowd at Westpac Stadium cheering the team on. It's also special to be able to play in front of our family and friends.
"We enter the tournament defending champions and we will be giving it our all to hold onto the Wellington trophy and make it four wins in a row."
All Blacks Sevens squad for the HSBC Wellington Sevens tournament:
Scott Curry - Captain - Bay of Plenty Dylan Collier - Southland DJ Forbes - Counties Manukau Iopu Iopu-Aso - Taranaki Trael Joass* - Tasman Rocky Khan - Auckland Andrew Knewstubb* - Tasman Vilimoni Koroi* - Otago Tim Mikkelson - Waikato Sione Molia - Counties Manukau Tone Ng Shiu* - Tasman Sherwin Stowers - Counties Manukau Isaac Te Tamaki - Waikato Regan Ware - Bay of Plenty
