Rugby sevens: Tietjens hunting for new talent

New Zealand sevens rugby is facing one of its leanest years for international success but the man behind the country's dominance of the game until now hopes to turn it around within two months.

With the Commonwealth Games looming, New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens has just two tournaments to prepare his team before his swansong in Melbourne where he is targeting yet another Commonwealth Games gold medal.

However, he could be without his assistant Eric Rush, who is undergoing treatment for blood clotting.

Rush spent over a week in hospital after the life-threatening clot that was lodged in his lung.

He won't be guiding his Auckland team in this weekend's national sevens tournament in Queenstown, where Tietjens will select a fresh squad to play in the Wellington and Los Angeles legs of the international series in February before the Games in March.

Tietjens' team have dominated the international series and the Games gold medal in the recent years but the combination have been ravaged by Super 14 teams and overseas contracts.

He has lost such players as Orene Ai'i, Liam Messam and Tamati Ellison among others.

Over the past few years he has managed to offset lesser losses with fresh blood and his ability to spot and mould new talent.

"This year we've suffered the biggest loss, a lot of players are gone from the squad," Tietjens told NZPA today.

He will be looking for a few tearaway wingers, fit strong players and those with the ability to read the game quickly.

This is the first season since the introduction of the International Rugby Board backed international series that New Zealand are struggling.

After the Dubai and South African legs of the series, Fiji lead the competition with 36 points followed by England (32), South Africa (24), Argentina and Samoa (20 each) and then New Zealand 14.

New Zealand have won all the series so far, as well as all the Games gold medals.

"It's the toughest year internationally for us," Tietjens said.

"We'll just have to wait and see and hope that the national tournament will throw up a few players we can fit into the game."

With a few more sevens specialists such as former national sevens captain Dallas Seymour (Cantabrians), former Fiji and New Zealand sevens player Waisiki Masirewa (Waikato) and Joeli Vidiri (Counties-Manukau) and former Otago sevens player Andre Bell (Bay of Plenty) coaching provincial teams this season, Tietjens is confident more talent will be on show.

Auckland are being helped by former Samoan sevens and 15s international To'o Vaega.

On paper Bay of Plenty, with established sevens players such as Matua Parkinson, Allan Bunting, Charles Baxter and Hayden Reid look the team to beat this year. They will have the backing of Fijians Joshua Rauluni and Filimone Bolavucu.

Wellington have the services of leading sevens exponent Justin Wilson and some strong players such as Thomas Ati'ilaoa, Fa'atonu Fili and Lote Raikabula.

Waikato are on the way back up after finishing 11th in the previous tournament.

They were beaten in the final of last weekend's Pacific International sevens tournament in Auckland by a Fiji national team, coached by sevens wizard Waisale Serevi.

Waikato also have Fijians in their squad in Setareki Nabanisau, Anoke Tuibua and Asipeli Dawai and are led by New Zealand Under-21 player Dwayne Sweeney.

They are drawn in the same pool as last year's semifinalists Northland, with Bay of Plenty and West Coast the other teams in the pool.

- NZPA