The following is a Media Release from New Zealand Rugby.
Liam Messam to captain All Blacks Sevens at Singapore Sevens.
Isaac Te Aute earns first cap, as Liam Messam captains the All Black Sevens at the Singapore Sevens tournament this weekend. Messam takes over the leadership following injury to Tim Mikkelson in Hong Kong, and the decision to rest long serving former captain DJ Forbes.
Former Rotorua Boys High School First XV captain Isaac Te Aute will make his debut having joined the Sevens squad late last year after finishing school.
Bay of Plenty centre Teddy Stanaway and Manawatu loose forward Antonio Kiri Kiri earn their second caps having last been called into the side that played in Cape Town in December. Kiri Kiri, Te Aute and Josh van Lieshout join the team as injury replacements following the Hong Kong Sevens.
The team is;
Kurt Baker (Taranaki)
Dylan Collier (Waikato)
Gillies Kaka (Hawke’s Bay)
Antonio Kiri Kiri (Manawatu)
Josh Van Lieshout (Counties Manukau)
Liam Messam (captain) (Waikato)
Sione Molia (Counties Manukau)
Teddy Stanaway (Bay of Plenty)
Isaac Te Aute* (Bay of Plenty)
Isaac Te Tamaki (Waikato)
Regan Ware (Waikato)
Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau)
*new cap
Singapore Sevens tournament schedule 16th/17th April. Pool B match times – 10.44 (14.44 NZT) v France | 14.05 (18.05) v Canada | 17.48 (21.48) v USA
“Main photo credit”
