New Zealand name strong Olympic rugby sevens squads for Tokyo 2020

The reigning Rugby Sevens World Series champions have named strong and experienced men's and women's squads for their Tokyo 2020 Olympic campaign in 2021.

Ranked no.1 in the world, both the All Blacks 7s and Black Ferns 7s are among the favourites to medal when Olympic rugby commences on 26 July.

The All Blacks 7s will be led by co-captains Tim Mikkleson, the most capped sevens player in history, and Scott Curry, who captained the team at Rio 2016.

Sam Dickson also bring a wealth of experience to the squad with more than 50 World Series tournament appearances.

Six players who featured in New Zealand's side that finished fifth at the last Olympic Games have been named including Sione Molia, Joe Webber and Regan Ware.

While rugby XV convert Caleb Clarke missed the main 12-player squad, he will still head to Tokyo as a travelling reserve. The All Black young gun made the decision to skip out on the Trans-Tasman Super Rugby season with the Auckland Blues and subsequent Test matches to have a chance of gold at the Olympic Games.

The decision on the final 12 wasn't an easy one as coach Clark Laidlaw explained, in fact it was one toughest team selections he has been involved in.

“Going to Olympics is the pinnacle of four or five years work. We were conscious of that as coaches and selectors, so we made sure we were really clear on how we want to play the game, where the players were at, and picked the best team to go forward," he commented.

The Scotsman took over the head coach reigns of the All Blacks 7s side in mid-2017. Since then Laidlaw has lead New Zealand to first and two third-placed finishes on the World Series tour, a World Cup title and a Commonwealth Games gold.

Laidlaw made the decision to go for versatility in his squad.

“When you’ve only got 12 players for one tournament, and it could be 40 degrees with high humidity, having players who can rotate and share the load throughout a weekend and still nail their core role is important. We’ve selected backs who can change positions and that is genuinely important.”

Much like the All Blacks, the Black Ferns have dominated the rugby sevens scene since their silver at Rio 2016.

From winning 16 out of the 22 World Series tournaments, resulting in three overall series wins plus a runners-up finish, they've also clinched the 2018 Sevens World Cup and a Commonwealth Games gold.

At Tokyo 2020 more than half the team has Olympic experience including Portia Woodman, Sarah Hirini, Ruby Tui and Tyla Nathan Wong. Meanwhile Shiray Kaka and Michaela Blyde, who both travelled as reserves in 2016, have earnt selection in the 12-player roaster.

Blyde is one of the top women's players in the world, and has the awards to back it up. She was named the top try scorer of the 2016-17 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series and named the back-to-back World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018.

Risaleaana Pouri-Lane has a different Olympic experience, captaining New Zealand to a gold medal at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games.

"We’ve got a spine that operates really well who we have massive faith in, but then we’ve got these great young players and players, I describe as hidden warriors, who have been doing a lot of work that you don’t really hear much about," co-coach Allan Bunting said.

"It’s the drive from all our players to make this squad that has made some of these decisions really tough."

In recent months, the Black Ferns have continued to show that the pandemic didn't slow them down as they won all their matches at the Trans Tasman Sevens; against Rio 2016 gold medallist Australia, then over the weekend in the Oceania 7s where they faced Australia once again, alongside Fiji and Oceania Barbarians.

"We’ve recently had a taste of some international sevens and when we played against Australia in Auckland we were off our game," Bunting said. "We’ve had to evolve, we went back, simplified our game and narrowed our focus. The next step is the Olympics and that’s what a lot of these players have been dreaming of since 2016.”

The New Zealand men, who are in Pool A alongside Australia, Argentina and Republic of Korea will begin their Tokyo campaign on 26 July before the Black Ferns come up against ROC, Great Britain and Kenya, also in Pool A, on 29 July.

New Zealand Men’s Rugby Sevens team

Tim Mikkelson (c), Scott Curry (c), Dylan Collier, Tone Ng Shiu, Sam Dickson, Andrew Knewstubb, Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Sione Molia, Kurt Baker, Joe Webber, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Regan Ware

Travelling reserves: William Warbrick, Caleb Clarke, Amanaki Nicole

New Zealand Women’s Rugby Sevens team

Portia Woodman, Sarah Hirini (c), Ruby Tui, Tyla Nathan Wong, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Stacey Fluhler, Michaela Blyde, Alena Saili, Risaleaana Pouri-Lane, Kelly Brazier, Gayle Broughton, Shiray Kaka

Travelling reserves: Tenika Willison, Jazmin Hotham, Terina Te Tamaki