Sevens: Young star Te Aute misses out on AB Sevens team heading to Dubai

Rotorua's Isaac Te Aute trains with the All Black sevens team in Rotorua ahead of their unofficial series against Australia in September. Photograph by Ben Fraser

Rotorua Boys' High School sensation Isaac Te Aute has missed out on the All Blacks Sevens team named today to play the opening two rounds of the 2015/16 HSBC Sevens World Series.

Te Aute was part of an 18-strong training squad in camp at Mount Maunganui this week, which was cut down to 14 today to travel to Dubai on Sunday.

The first two tournaments of the world series are being held in Dubai on December 4-5 and Cape Town on December 12-13.

Te Aute, 19, is a contracted player within the All Blacks Sevens squad and could feature in the side later in the season.

Te Aute was the captain of the Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV team which won the New Zealand title this year.

Bay of Plenty's Teddy Stanaway and Scott Curry (captain) have both been named in the team heading to Dubai and South Africa.

All Blacks Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens said he would be taking a travelling team of 14, despite only being able to play 12 players in a tournament.

Tietjens said the thinking was to provide further incentive for all players to push for places in the final 12. He will follow the same format all season.

"It's for all those players to put pressure on others at training. Knowing you're not in the starting 12 you can get complacent and lose focus. I want pressure put on every individual in all the teams we name throughout the year.

"For training it's great to have two teams of sevens up against each other which again creates more competition."

Chiefs halfback Augustine Pulu is set for a possible debut. Tietjens has been impressed with how quickly he has adapted to sevens having not played the shortened game before.

"He's a fine rugby player. He's come on in leaps and bounds in the time he has been with us. The improvement has been immense this week. This is a great opportunity for him to put his hand up to have a crack at other teams this season.

"He's got very good vision. He's quick off the mark. He's quick to spot a gap. He's going to keep teams honest and he's very strong and physical."

Dubai has not been a happy hunting ground for the All Blacks Sevens in recent years, but Tietjens said the team was determined to start this new season well.

"I have set a goal for this team; let's go and win Dubai. Let's give it our best shot.
"We may or may not win, but I'd like to think we come out of this tournament with distinction, that we are on the improve.

"We have prepared well. We have planned well. Now we have to perform. An injury-free side, no excuses really, and ready to perform."

The All Blacks Sevens travelling squad:
Dylan Collier (Waikato), Scott Curry (Capt) (Bay of Plenty), Sam Dickson (Canterbury), DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau), Tim Mikkelson (Waikato), Declan O'Donnell (Waikato), Lewis Ormond (Taranaki), Augustine Pulu (Waikato), Teddy Stanaway (Bay of Plenty), Sherwin Stowers (Counties Manukau), Isaac Te Tamaki (Waikato), Beaudein Waaka (Taranaki), Regan Ware (Waikato), Joe Webber (Waikato).