Rugby: All Black Gear available for Wellington sevens

Hosea Gear. Photo / Brett Phibbs

All Black wing Hosea Gear has made himself available for the New Zealand sevens team for next weekend's Wellington tournament.

Former Hurricanes player Gear will be released by the Highlanders if he is selected in the tournament squad.

Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has named four new caps in his first squad of 15. Wellington's 18-year-old Ardie Savea, the younger brother of Hurricane and former New Zealand sevens player Julian Savea, has been named in Tietjens' squad for the first time. Ardie Savea was nominated for the New Zealand Rugby Union Age Grade Player of the Year at last year's Steinlager Rugby Awards and he also captained the New Zealand Schools side in the same year.

Other new caps include Hawke's Bay's Mark Jackman, Taranaki's Waisake Naholo and 19-year-old Lolagi Visina from Auckland.

The squad includes plenty of experience with senior players Lote Raikabula, captain DJ Forbes and playmaker Tomasi Cama all heading into their seventh season with the side.

Tietjens said: "DJ, Lote and Tomasi have played in over 40 tournaments and there are quite a few players in this squad that travelled to every tournament in the Series last year which gives them invaluable experience to pass down to the younger players.

"There are some young players in this squad showing great promise which bodes well for the future as we head towards the 2016 Olympics,'' he said.

The New Zealand sevens team will be holding a public training session at Porirua Park this Saturday at 10am.

2012 New Zealand Sevens Squad

Toby Arnold (Bay of Plenty), Tomasi Cama (Manawatu), Scott Curry (Bay of Plenty), DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau), Frank Halai (Waikato), Bryce Heem (Auckland), Mark Jackman (Hawke's Bay), Solomon King (North Harbour), Tim Mikkelson (Waikato), Waisake Naholo (Taranaki), Kylem O'Donnell (Taranaki), Charles Piutau (Auckland), Lote Raikabula (Wellington), Ardie Savea (Wellington), Lolagi Visinia (Auckland).