Sevens: Newbie put in hard yakka abroad

HARD YAKKA: Hayden Hann will be one of eight Hawke's Bay players making their national Sevens debuts this weekend. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

If players were rewarded for commitment and sacrifices Hawke's Bay outside back Hayden Hann would be among the stars of this weekend's national Sevens tournament in Rotorua.

Last week the Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports club player flew for 23 hours to arrive in Tauranga at 3pm on the Friday so he could play for Aerospread Ltd Hawke's Bay the following day in the Mount Maunganui-hosted inter-provincial tournament, the final selection event for this weekend's nationals which will involve 16 men's and 12 women's teams. He flew from Phuket, where he had been on holiday for a fortnight, to Bangkok from there to Auckland and then to Tauranga.

"I know I had jetlag but the body still held up and fortunately I did enough to get the nod for this weekend," Hann, 22, recalled.

Sacrifices and commitment don't equate to outstanding performances. Combine these factors with some arduous training sessions, a decent skill base and disciplined eating habits and there's a good chance one will perform to full potential.

Fortunately for Hann he put in the hard yards when it could have been easy for him to sit back, relax and enjoy some of the best beaches of Thailand.

"I found some sand hills and thrashed myself. I also did plenty of hotel gym work ... the sweat was just dripping off as it was hotter over there than it has been in the Bay this week," Hann said.

"I did a few beach drills ... whatever I could. There aren't too many fields over there."
Hann is thrilled with how the Bay players have combined in the countdown to Rotorua.

"We are running off each other really well and learning how each other plays. It's important we play to our structures, use our width, build phases, forget the 50-50 stuff, be patient, take our chances and grind out the opposition we should do well," Hann said.

Hawke's Bay will take on North Harbour, Southland and Waikato in pool play today.

"We will target all three. We want to be in the top division on day two," Hann said.

A quiet achiever for the Hawke's Bay Saracens team last year, Hann, hopes some tidy displays this weekend will enhance his chances of Magpies selection in the future.

"I know I have to get my weight up to around the 85-87kg mark. I was 82kg at the end of the 15s season but with all the sevens work I'm back down to 77kg. Getting the weight back up will be the goal as soon as we finish this weekend."

One of eight players in the Hawke's Bay squad of 12 who will be playing at their first nationals, Hann, was prominent as his club won the Hawke's Bay Sevens title for the first time in Waipukurau last February. He believed he put himself in serious contention for Rotorua when he impressed during the November hit-out tournament in Napier when he played for one of two Hawke's Bay teams.

A physio for Cape Physio, Hann, has also benefitted from his club making sevens a priority during the past two summers and travelling to away tournaments in Gisborne and Wainuiomata. Hawke's Bay coach and former All Black Sevens forward Tafai Ioasa is excited about the youth and potential within his squad.

"The boys have worked pretty hard for several weeks and have been pretty receptive to Oz [assistant coach Mark Ozich] and myself. While the preparation has been OK another couple of weeks would have been better but it is what it is," Ioasa said.

Among the newcomers are Jeriah Mua, a classy loosie for the Hastings Boys' High School 1st XV Ozich and Ioasa coached last year, and Napier Old Boys Marist colts loosie Ricky Hayes who shone for his club's premier team which won their club's invitation sevens tournament last month. Ioasa has been impressed with their attitude.

"We got what we wanted out of Mount Maunganui and if the boys bring the same level of enthusiasm they will give themselves a good chance of being where they want to be this weekend," Ioasa added.

Hawke's Bay's pool draw for today is:
10.45am v North Harbour; 1.05pm v Southland; 3.35pm v Waikato.
The Hawke's Bay team is:
Damien Scott, Billy Ropiha, Matt Garland, Tamati Samuels, Hayden Hann, Neria Fomai, Mason Emerson, Jeriah Mua, Trent Hape, Tane McGuire, Cole Eru, Ricky Hayes.