Rugby sevens: Big names to feature in Mount Maunganui

Waisake Naholo will run out for Taranaki at the provincial sevens in Mount Maunganui. Photo / Getty Images

Many of New Zealand's best rugby sevens exponents will be in action as the New Zealand Herald Summer of Sevens resumes in Mount Maunganui tomorrow.

Defending national champions Taranaki are one of 12 teams contesting the provincial sevens at Blake Park as the Willie Rickards-coached side use the one-day event to tune up for the nationals next weekend.

Waisake Naholo, one of Sir Gordon Tietjens' contracted sevens players, features for the amber-and-blacks, while other national squad members stepping out tomorrow are Declan O'Donnell (Waikato) and Ben Lam (Auckland), both returning from injury, as well as North Harbour's David Raikuna.

Linda Itunu (Auckland), Hazel Tubic and Renee Wickliffe (Counties-Manukau) and the Manawatu group of Sarah Goss, Selica Winiata, Kristina Sue, Hayley Hutana, Crystal Mayes and Shakira Baker are among the internationals in the eight-team women's competition.

Auckland heads south looking to repeat their 2013 victory in the men's division.

Having dispatched Northland 31-0 in the Northern Region qualifier the Aucklanders are among the favourites, although the Taniwha get a chance for revenge in Pool A which also contains the hosts.

Hawkes Bay meet Waikato and the Tomasi Cama-coached Manawatu in Pool B.

Gilles Kaka is being rested for the tournament, however Tom Iosefo, the Samoan speedster, and the promising Trinity Spooner-Neera are both turning out for the Central Region Sevens winners.

Pool C includes Canterbury, Wellington and Bay of Plenty B. The southerners have a decidedly international flavour with a trio of Chileans in their squad. Ignacio Silva, Juan Pablo Metuaze and Felipe Brangier - continue the province's growing relationship with South America ahead of Rio 2016, where the sport makes its Olympics debut, while four Fijians also feature for the South Island Sevens champions.

Taranaki are joined by North Harbour and Counties-Manukau in Pool D, the toughest of the four groups given it features both finalists from the 2013 National Sevens.

Reigning national champions Manawatu and Auckland are drawn in the same group and therefore odds-on to meet again in the Women's Championship Final after each comfortably won their respective qualifying tournament last month. Counties-Manukau and Bay Of Plenty 'B' make up Pool B.

Waikato, Bay Of Plenty, Canterbury and Wellington are in Pool A.

The top two from each pool progress to the quarter-finals.

45 matches will be played from 9.00am with the women's and men's Championship Finals scheduled for 5.40pm and 6.05pm respectively.