The New Zealand Olympic Committee have announced; alongside New Zealand (NZ) Rugby, the Rugby Sevens Olympic Teams that will head to Rio de Janiero for the 2016 Games.
In a gala event held at Eden Park, the Olympic movement officially welcomed Rugby Sevens into the movement. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will now ratify the teams named. Head coaches Sir Gordon Tietjens (men’s) and Sean Horan (women’s) selected 12 players that will join the full NZ Olympic team (pictured) in August. That full team [that could number well over 400] will carry the Mission Statement “Be the Inspiration” and the 24 sportspeople presented today would find no better inspiration than the masters of ceremonies on hand to read out the players names:
The women’s team was named by Olympic gold medalist Barbara Kendall [and IOC member]. The men’s team announced by Commonwealth Games gold medalist, former New Zealand Sevens player, Karl Te Nana.
The New Zealand Rugby Sevens Olympic teams: Men
Scott Curry – captain (Bay of Plenty)
Sam Dickson (Canterbury)
DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau)
Akira Ioane (Auckland)
Rieko Ioane (Auckland)
Gillies Kaka (Hawke’s Bay)
Tim Mikkelson (Waikato)
Augustine Pulu (Counties Manukau)
Teddy Stanaway (Bay of Plenty)
Regan Ware (Waikato)
Joe Webber (Waikato)
Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau)
Travelling reserves*; Sione Molia (Counties Manukau), Lewis Ormond (Taranaki) *will cover for one injury during the tournament.
Captain Scott Curry (pictured) is looking forward to the event, after a long road back from injury. “What’s really exciting for me is just being part of the wider New Zealand Olympic team. To see other athletes from New Zealand in Rio who are the very best in their sport will be inspiring for sure.”
All Blacks loose forward Liam Messam has been left out of the New Zealand Olympic sevens side that will compete in Rio. “I’ve got some great players” Tietjens told media “and Liam hadn’t played sevens since 2010 in Delhi, and that’s a long time. He’s so passionate about the game and playing for his country and he gave it everything. In the end it just wasn’t quite good enough.”
Kurt Baker too has missed selection, along with Beaudein Waaka, Dylan Coolier and Isaac Te Tamaki. Injury has ruled out Ben Lam and Sherwin Stowers. With that being said, Dickson has recovered from knee injury and Curry, from shoulder injury. Tietjens clarified the sides goals when he said “We’ve got to produce three days of quality rugby, win six games, play particularly well and hopefully get through injury-free.”
WATCH all the action from today’s #NZ7s Olympics squad naming!
VIDEO: https://t.co/P0ACVGzL0w#RoadtoRio pic.twitter.com/IlhXKn06CC
— NZ7s (@nz7s) July 3, 2016
The New Zealand Olympic Rugby Sevens teams: Women
Shakira Baker (Waikato)
Kelly Brazier (Bay of Plenty)
Gayle Broughton (Taranaki)
Theresa Fitzpatrick (Auckland)
Sarah Goss – captain (Manawatu)
Kayla McAlister (Auckland)
Huriana Manuel (Auckland)
Tyla Nathan-Wong (Auckland)
Terina Te Tamaki (Waikato)
Ruby Tui (Canterbury)
Niall Williams (Auckland)
Portia Woodman (Counties Manukau)
Travelling reserves*: Michaela Blyde (Manawatu), Shiray Tane (Hawke’s Bay)
Horan is confident he has the right players within the group. “We know it’s a big challenge, but we’ve trained hard. We have the ability, and the character to cope with all that may come our way and we’re very determined to build a legacy for rugby at the Olympics.”
“We know we have one of the first opportunities to win a medal for New Zealand so we’re determined to get the Games off to a great start and help our other team-mates.”
Sevens Sisters honoured to attend 2016 Olympics
Captain Sarah Goss (pictured) is proud to lead her ‘Sevens Sisters’ onto the Olympic Stadium, . “It’s a huge honour to not only be selected for the Olympic Games, but also to lead the team.”
The teams will assemble in Rio de Janiero, at the Deodoro Stadium for the tournament that opens on August 6. The sport returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1924.
New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO Kereyn Smith congratulated all the players selected. “To have both the men’s and women’s Rugby Sevens Olympic Teams selected today signals an exciting new chapter in our Olympic history.
“I’ve no doubt that these players will be hugely valued members of our Olympic Team and the excitement and pride which is building around the sevens in Rio is brilliant. With just 33 days to go, we wish each of these 24 athletes the very best for the challenge that lies ahead.”
As well as the competitors, NZ will be represented by World Rugby match officials Richard Kelly and Nick Briant.
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The men are drawn in Pool C, alongside Great Britain, Kenya and Japan. The women are in Pool B, alongside Spain and Kenya.
“Main photo credit”
