Young sevens stars shine brighter

Tanerau Latimer arrived on the sevens rugby scene earlier this year as a fresh-faced schoolboy with a star-struck look in his eye.
Now there's a glint of steel there, a knowledge that he's earned his place in the team on merit rather than potential.
The Tauranga Boys' College star enhanced his reputation this week in fitness testing, recording an impressive result on a test which measures aerobic endurance.
Along with Liam Messam, Tafai Ioasa and Orene Ai'i, Latimer is one of the few certainties in Gordon Tietjens' 12-man squad named tomorrow for the first International Rugby Board (IRB) world series tournament in Dubai.
"I feel like I've got a bit more confidence," Latimer said.
"I've been feeling good and really enjoying being back in the sevens environment.
"I know better what Titch expects of me this year."
But Tietjens doesn't know what to expect from his young squad this year, when Latimer, 18, and Messam, 20, shape as two of his most experienced campaigners.
That's why he approached Chiefs coach Ian Foster to release flying Waikato wing Sosene Anesi.
"We're pretty competitive up front in the forwards but my concern is still the outside backs," Tietjens said.
"Getting Sosene in certainly eases that. There's some real youngsters here like Sherwin Stowers and Lance McDonald who have got wheels but they just need to learn the game and learn when to use that pace."
North Harbour's Hayden Reid and Bay of Plenty wing Apoua Stewart have also joined the camp this week, as has a fourth Bay of Plenty academy member, Jason Hona.
Hona, also a Tauranga Boys' College star this year, joined McDonald, Latimer and Solomon King from the academy, after an impressive 4.97sec standing 40m time in testing last week.
But Anesi shaded everyone on Monday when he clocked 4.53sec _ not only the fastest of the current squad but the quickest ever recorded by fitness trainer Keith Roberts.
"It's the fastest I've seen _ that's real quick," Tietjens said.
"Joe Rokocoko was always the quickest _ originally it used to be Roger Randle _ but Sosene's quicker than all of them now."
Anesi's Waikato teammate and incumbent sevens captain Messam reckons he should take some of the credit.
"We've been doing secret trainings at Porritt Stadium _ I'm sort of his speed coach," Messam grinned.
The pain of missing Super 12 selection has eased for the amiable former Rotorua loose forward, taking comfort in some advice from former sevens teammate Eric Rush.
"That's just rugby _ that's the way it goes. As Rushy always says, it's only one man's opinion. But it's all right because I get to come back and train with Keith Roberts and he looks after me."
Just two seasons ago, Messam was in the same boat as several of his younger squadmates this week.
"There's some good young talent out there but they're probably just new to the game.
"It's kind of hard trying to teach them the game of sevens in a week.
"It took me a good couple of tournaments to get to know the game. I'm still learning now."
Taranaki's Lifeimi Mafi looked sharp during the simulated game at training yesterday while big Wellington wing Roy Kinikinilau was also damaging.
Kinikinilau has had several approaches from Australian league clubs after missing out on the Hurricanes Super 12 squad but has revealed he's keen to stay with rugby, especially with the sevens World Cup approaching next year.
Rush, meanwhile, was due to help Tietjens train the squad this week but has had to stay in Auckland because of a family illness.