Recovering Chiefs wing Jonah Lomu thought his comeback to rugby might be better served if he went to the Hong Kong sevens instead of straight back into Super 12 action.
A gentle inquiry to the NZRFU about that idea received an equally gentle, but firm, knockback.
Lomu will miss thisweekend's game against the New South Wales Waratahs because of a knee problem and illness, and with the bye the week after, his return to Super 12 is earmarked for March 26 against the Auckland Blues in Hamilton.
That same weekend the New Zealand sevens side play in Hong Kong, a tournament where Lomu has starred in recent years and an event he felt gave him confidence.
It was that theory which prompted his curiosity about playing in the tournament again.
National sevens coach Gordon Tietjens will have his other regular senior stars like Eric Rush and Dallas Seymour to take to Hong Kong, but he has left them all behind for this weekend's tournament in Fiji.
Tietjens traditionally uses this tournament to experiment with new players and combinations in the buildup to Hong Kong.
"Fiji is the hardest place to play sevens but the best place to learn about sevens," he said.
Bay of Plenty's Craig de Goldi will lead the young squad where the most experienced players will be Karl Tenana and Dan Parkinson.
NZ squad: Craig de Goldi, Craig Newby, Massey Tuhakaraina, Luke Andrews, Jarrod Going, Todd Blythe, Dan Parkinson, Matua Parkinson, Paul Steinmetz, Karl Tenana.
