At first glance the Hawke's Bay men's sevens team's three losses from as many games in Mount Maunganui at the weekend makes dismal reading.
But it's better to have those losses a week out from the national tournament in Rotorua than at it.
"Those little things you can get away with in club sevens you can't get away with at the next level," Aerospread Ltd Hawke's Bay manager Tim Jones said as he reflected on Hawke's Bay's 19-10 loss to eventual winners Waikato and 24-14 loss to Tasman in pool play and a 20-17 extra-time loss courtesy of a dropped goal to Manawatu in crossover play in the 12-team tournament at Blake Park.
"Yes we competed well for 14 minutes in all of our games. It's just those little things like supporting and ruck clean outs which will be the difference come nationals. I think we can turn these close games into wins," Hawke's Bay coach Ellery Wilson said.
Both he and Jones stressed their young squad boasted plenty of potential. Wilson said Havelock North forward Teihana Brown and Napier Old Boys Marist speedster Sonny Lilo were the pick of the Bay players.