Rugby: Lomu back for sevens cup bid

All Black rugby star Jonah Lomu has returned to the national sevens squad for the first time in a year as New Zealand seek to break their title drought at the Sevens World Cup in Argentina this month.

Lomu was predictably named in coach Gordon Tietjens squad to contest the World Cup between January 26 and 28.

He will also be available for the Wellington leg of the World Sevens Series tournament on February 9-10, after gaining dispensation from the Hurricanes Super 12 franchise.

Experienced player Craig de Goldi of Auckland and Wellington's Rodney So'oialo have been bracketed due to injury.

If both pass fitness tests, Tietjens will have to decide which to omit before the 10-man squad leave for Argentina on January 22.

De Goldi is returning to full fitness after an arm injury ruled him out of the first two tournaments of the 2000-2001 sevens series. So'oialo has a hamstring niggle and was hampered by a viral infection during last week's World Cup training camp.

There is an experienced look to the squad - captained as usual by Eric Rush and including Lomu, who makes his first appearance in the sevens since New Zealand's disappointing loss to Fiji in the final of the last year's Wellington tournament.

A number of established players were unavailable because of injury or fatigue. They include Christian Cullen, Caleb Ralph, Matua Parkinson, Orene Ai'i and Rico Gear, and Dallas Seymour, who is expecting the birth of his child.

Despite a string of strong performances last year, Tietjens said, New Zealand would have a lot to prove in Mar del Plata after disappointing performances at the previous two World Cups.

The squad assemble at the Institute of Rugby in Palmerston North today. They open their campaign against Spain and also play England, Zimbabwe, Japan and Chile in pool play before the knockout matches.

Squad: Eric Rush (capt, North Harbour), Jonah Lomu (Wellington), Amasio Valence (Auckland), Karl TeNana (North Harbour), Roger Randle (Waikato), Jared Going (Northland), Craig Newby (North Harbour), Malili Muliaina (Auckland), Brad Fleming (Wellington), Rodney So'oialo (Wellington) or Craig De Goldi (Auckland).

- NZPA