9 Jul 2014

NZ sevens team named for Glasgow

1:15 pm on 9 July 2014

The New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has shown faith in most of his World Series regulars in naming the team he hopes will win a fifth consecutive Commonwealth Games gold.

The All Black sevens team perform the Haka.

The All Black sevens team perform the Haka. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 12-strong team to travel to Glasgow includes three players who won gold in Delhi four years ago - captain DJ Forbes, Sherwin Stowers and Tim Mikkelson.

The squad also features the return of two former members in last year's World Cup winner Pita Ahki and Declan O'Donnell.

Missing the cut are the veterans Lote Raikabula and Tomasi Cama.

Two additional players will be named as reserves at the end of this week's training in Mt Maunganui and will travel with the team to the Netherlands for a pre-Games training camp on July the 14th.

They will return home if not required.

New Zealand play Canada, Scotland and Barbados in pool play at the Glasgow games, with all three games taking place on Saturday, July the 26th (NZ time).

The team is:

Pita Ahki (North Harbour)

Scott Curry (Manawatu)

Sam Dickson (Canterbury)

DJ Forbes (captain) (Counties Manukau)

Bryce Heem (Tasman)

Akira Ioane (Auckland)

Gillies Kaka (Hawke's Bay)

Ben Lam (Auckland)

Tim Mikkelson (Waikato)

Declan O'Donnell (Waikato)

Sherwin Stowers (Counties Manukau)

Joe Webber (Waikato)