No one knows that better than Aerospread Hawke's Bay sevens team member Jonathan Ruru, who has jumped the hoops and hurdles of trainer Grant Dearns with discipline, especially during the off season.
"I'm not so much fast as I'm fit. I'm more tactical," says Ruru who is venturing into the domain of sevens for the first time this weekend when the Tafai Ioasa and Danny Lee-coached Hawke's Bay side compete at the Central Zone Regionals Tournament in Levin from today.
"I'm not one for speed and stepping. I'm a person who organises things on the field for more flashier people," says the 22-year-old before the sixth-seeded side kick off their campaign against No 3 Manawatu at Playford Park at 11am today.
The fast-twitch fibre boys, such as captain Shannan Chase, Mason Emerson and Lewis Marshall, will provide the flashier bits, but Ruru emphasises everyone will bring certain qualities that they'll have to weave with intent on the paddock.
His portfolio is that of a halfback or pivot that will enable him to pave a path to the middle of the field to dictate the tempo of a game.
Nevertheless, it's attributes such as vision, on the platform of patience, knowledge of each other's strengths and weaknesses and thinking collectively on one's toes that will ensure success.
It's going to be hard to get past old-fashioned tackling in sevens - stop dead an aggressor in his tracks and you save a mountainous seven points to claw back when the lungs start screaming for mercy.
In many respects, it goes without saying it's about keeping things uncomplicated despite the temptation to engage in the razzle-dazzle of the big boys on TV.
"Simplicity is when we play our best game," says the Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports halfback, who made his Hawke's Bay Magpies debut last season.
"In sevens, you catch and pass and it's one-on-one stuff, so you have to do the basics well."
Former All Blacks sevens player Ioasa has drummed into the boys the importance of embracing "the micro skills of defence" and "working the systems right".
No 2 seeds Taranaki beckon at 12.20pm in pool B before No 7 Poverty Bay at 1.40pm will round up their pool play to be televised live on SkySport 3.
In pool A, top seeds Wellington will be the litmus test for No 4 Horowhenua Kapiti, No 5 Wairarapa Bush and No 8 Wanganui.
However, Ruru hastens to add sevens is a beast that has no respect for seedings, if the United States' two-time upsets over Gordon Tietjens' men were anything to go by last weekend in Dubai.
"No one's better than anyone else," Ruru says, mindful that putting a tick against the Poverty Bay box before earning the points will be unwise but aware their works cut out against Taranaki and Manawatu.
The Bay haven't rocked the sevens domestic foundation as of late "so we're in the same boat".
Despite the ra-ra of making the Magpies squad last ITM Cup, Ruru sees the sevens campaign as just adding more ammunition to his rugby XV repertoire.
The former Napier Boys High School pupil, who will graduate from the Eastern Institute of Technology in April next year with a sport and recreational degree, made his cup debut against Otago.
Without mincing words, he was part of the backdrop for the 2016 promoted Premiership campaigners with just 10 minutes of game time.
This weekend will be an opportunity for him to "show what I've got if I get a bit more game time".
"I want to spend more time playing at the top because in 10 minutes it's hard to get a break, so I want to get up there."
He speaks highly of Ioasa, who brings out the best in players with his coaching style.
"He's done his time in sevens and is an expert," reveals Ruru, emphasising Ioasa is direct and prefers players to think for themselves to reinforce good habits.
Spoon feeding during training isn't on the menu.
"He'll ask you what you could have done better when we're trying to fix things."
In last month's hit-out tourney in Dannevirke, Ruru was in the HB White who won a game, drew one and lost one by a try in their matches against Manawatu and Wairarapa Bush counterparts.
"We were getting clarity on what we were doing," he explains of Dannevirke when Bay Black and White's game plan wasn't that definitive.
If Chase's dozen want to go on to foot it at the national tourney in Rotorua next month they'll need to finish in the top five this weekend.
HAWKE'S BAY DETAILS
The Aerospread Hawke's Bay sevens team and schedule for the Central Zones Regional tournament at Playford Park, Levin, this weekend (number denotes player's shirt):
1 Marino Mikkaelo-Tu'u (HBHS - 2016 club unknown), 2 Jonathan Ruru (Pirates), 3 Penikolo Latu (MAC), 4 Mason Emerson (Hastings Rugby & Sports), 5 Sisa Vosaki (Taradale), 6 Kaleb Whakataka (NOBM), 7 Jonah Lowe (Clive), 8 Ellery Wilson (NOBM), 9 Shannan Chase (c, Havelock North), 10 Lewis Marshall, 11 Neria Fomai (Hastings Rugby and Sports), 12 Billy Ropiha (Taradale).
Coach: Tafai Ioasa.
Assistant coach: Danny Lee.
Trainer: Grant Dearns.
Manager: David Russell.
Physio: Jeremy Poff.
POOLS
Games televised live on SkySport3 and number in brackets denotes seeding:
A: Wellington (1), Horowhenua Kapiti (4), Wairarapa Bush (5), Wanganui (8).
B: Taranaki (2), Manawatu (3), Hawke's Bay (6), Poverty Bay (7).
HB MATCHES
11am: v Manawatu.
12.20pm: v Taranaki.
1.40pm: v Poverty Bay.
