The Bay of Plenty Provincial Sevens Tournament is set to kick off this year's sevens action.
The competition will feature Provincial Sevens title holders Taranaki, last year's Bayleys National Sevens winners Counties Manukau and a talented Samoan Barbarians side, this Saturday at Blake Park, Tauranga.
Distinctive local flair and talent will be on display with the selection of two Bay of Plenty men's sevens sides competing for tournament honours.
Bayleys National Women's Sevens champions Manawatu will look to defend their title in the women's section, alongside Southern Regional winners Canterbury and Northern Regional runners-up plus local favourites Bay of Plenty.
The tournament will be the final opportunity for teams to prepare ahead of the Bayleys National Sevens on January 14 at Rotorua International Stadium.
The Bay of Plenty men's Blue team is a side mixed with experience, featuring the return of All Blacks Sevens squad players Dan Hollinshead and Teddy Stanaway - a selection coach Paul Tietjens is excited about.
"We have four New Zealand Sevens players who have been involved with the All Blacks Sevens squad over the past couple of years," he said. "It is great for these young players coming through to be training and playing alongside these experienced New Zealand players. They are learning a lot and gaining a lot of knowledge from around the game of sevens which pretty vital."
Tietjens stressed the importance of having depth in the sevens squad with two sides entered in this year's provincial event.
"It is really important that we promote and we build that depth into the side, especially if we concede an injury and need to bring players in," he said. "It also pushes and challenges players to be playing at their best so we can take the best team we can away to the Bayleys National Sevens next weekend."
The Bay of Plenty women's team will feature the return of Black Ferns Sevens player Kelly Brazier. Brazier will join a youthful side that produced a commendable performance at the Northern Regional Sevens Qualification Tournament.
Coach Victoria Grant commented on her youthful team this weekend: "We have a relatively young side, with the loss of Kendra Reynolds to injury Kelly will be welcomed back into the fold and provide plenty of experience. This will no doubt lift the younger players in our squad.
"This will be the final opportunity for the players to put their hand up for next weekend's Bayleys National Sevens. The girls have been training hard and pushing one another for those final places in the side which is great to see."
Bay of Plenty Blue men's team:
Matt Clutterbuck
Elijah Nicholas
Teddy Stanaway
Danny Kayes
Adam McGarvey
Jesse Parete
Lalakai Foketi
Isaac Te Aute
Alex Jessop
Dan Hollinshead
Akira Mako
Leigh Bristowe
Marnus Hanley
Josh Honey
Coach: Paul Tietjens
Manager: Courtney Barrow-Fraser
Trainer: Aiden Butterworth
Bay of Plenty Gold men's team:
