All Blacks Sevens: Bay of Plenty athletes to debut at Fiji's Oceania Sevens

Mahina Paul is one of two Bay players who will make their debut in the national sevens jerseys this week. Photo / File

Bay of Plenty's William Warbrick and Mahina Paul will make their debut in the black jersey, gaining international experience at the Oceania Sevens competition in Fiji.

The All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens teams are looking to develop young talent at this week's tournament, with Warbrick named to take the field for the national men's sevens side and Paul named in the national women's teams.

The pair are part of a total of eight players who will make their international sevens debut across the two teams in the tournament that plays alongside the Oceania Olympic Qualifiers.

With several members of the All Blacks Sevens squad still to return from Mitre 10 Cup commitments, Warbrick, along with Te Rangaira Waitokia, Jamie Spowart and Niko Jones will have the chance to don the black jersey for the first time when they play New Caledonia, Niue, Japan and Fiji.

William Warbrick during last year's Ignite7 event. Photo / Getty Images

Coach Clark Laidlaw said it was a great opportunity for the young players to gain international experience.

"Pre-season tournaments allow us to give younger players some good exposure. It's a genuine opportunity for us to build depth; we've got a long season ahead of us so its important," Laidlaw said.

"We've got a good balance, some of the older players are hungry for game time so they are looking forward to getting out there and seeing them alongside some of our developing players is great," Laidlaw said.

The Oceania tournament will be the second pre-season hit out for the All Blacks Sevens, after placing third at the Ocktoberfest Sevens in Germany last month. Their first World Series tournament is in Dubai in December.

With 12 months out of the game recovering from an Achilles injury, Portia Woodman is expected to make her Black Ferns Sevens return with some game time in Fiji.

"She has been working really hard in the background and this is an exciting opportunity to get off the training field without the pressure of it being a World Series event," said co-coach Cory Sweeney.

Paul, who earned her Black Ferns Sevens contract in January, will debut, with fellow squad member Jazmin Hotham and development players Tysha Ikenasio and Amy Du Plessis.

"It's the perfect opportunity to expose new and exciting talent to an international tournament with quality opposition. Mahina and Jaz have been with us for the year but have had injuries; we've seen a shift in their energy and focus as this tournament approaches and they know they are going to get on the field," said Sweeney.

The Black Ferns Sevens opened their season with a third place at the Glendale Sevens in USA and will travel to Dubai next month for their next hit out.

The All Blacks Sevens team:

Kurt Baker (Manawatu).
Dylan Collier (Waikato).
Scott Curry (Bay of Plenty).
Taylor Haugh (Otago).
Trael Joass (Tasman).
Niko Jones (Auckland).
Ngarohi McGarvey-Black (Bay of Plenty).
Tim Mikkelson (Waikato).
Amanaki Nicole (Canterbury).
Akuila Rokolisoa (Counties Manukau)
Jamie Spowart (Tasman).
Te Rangatira Waitokia ( Manawatu).
William Warbrick (Bay of Plenty).

The Black Ferns Sevens team:

Shakira Baker (Waikato).
Amy Du Plessis (Otago).
Tysha Ikenasio (Auckland).
Rhiarna Ferris (Manawatu).
Theresa Fitzpatrick (Auckland).
Jazmin Hotham (Waikato).
Huia Harding (Waikato).
Mahina Paul (Bay of Plenty).
Cheyelle Robins-Reti (Waikato).
Alena Saili (Southland).
Montessa Tairakena (Waikato).
Tenika Willison (Waikato).
Portia Woodman (Counties Manukau).

Schedule
Thursday, November 7 (NZT):
1.12pm: All Blacks Sevens vs New Caledonia.
2.18pm: Black Ferns Sevens vs Japan SDS.
4.02pm: All Blacks Sevens vs Niue.
Friday, November 8 (NZT):
12.06pm: Black Ferns Sevens vs Australia.
2.40pm: All Blacks Sevens vs Japan SDS.
4.30pm: Black Ferns Sevens vs Canada.
7.26pm: All Blacks Sevens vs Fiji.
Saturday November 9: Finals Day