KEY POINTS:
A fellow Canterbury back has been entrusted with filling Steven Yates' place in the New Zealand Sevens squad for the final two tournaments of the season.
Yates has left the squad to take up a professional contract in Japan and has been replaced by 22-year-old Ben Nowell.
New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens expects Nowell will slot into the front row position, and describes him as having all the skills, being really fit and a real worker so he will fill the same role that Yates did.
The other new face is Southland fullback Kendrick Lynn, who has been brought into the side because Victor Vito is focusing on 15s.
Tietjens says Lynn is a perfect fit to fill the wing position left open by Vito as he is a speedster and has been part of the greater squad all season so deserves his opportunity.
Tietjens says he never gave much thought to picking from outside his squad. He says sevens is a lot different to 15 a side rugby so good rugby players can not be just thrown into a sevens tournament as they would not handle it.
The squad leaves for London on Sunday, with the England tournament starting next Saturday night New Zealand time.
- NEWSTALK ZB
