Sevens: Rokocoko ready for action, says Tietjens

Joe Rokocoko. Picture / Fotopress

New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens was in a confident mood as he departed for the last two International Rugby Board series tournaments with a new-look squad.

New Zealand lead the series on 94 points followed by England and Fiji on 64, and a win in either London this weekend or Paris a week later would probably seal yet another title.

Tietjens has named arguably his best squad of the series -- although usual captain Liam Messam is away with the New Zealand Colts squad for the under-21 World Cup -- having called in All Blacks Joe Rokocoko, Jerome Kaino and Mark Ranby.

Rokocoko and Kaino were drafted in at the request of All Blacks management, who left them out of this week's All Blacks trial and sent them back to sevens to sharpen their form.

Tietjens believes that has paid off, after a week of tough training in Tauranga.

"Joe's looking really good, he'll be fine," Tietjens said.

"He'll get a bit more space and I know he's enjoying the culture so the key for him is to get out and express himself.

"We'll obviously be moving it a lot wider, a lot quicker, with him in the side."

Kaino and Ranby are set to make their international sevens debuts but Kaino, in particular, struggled with the heavy aerobic workload in training.

"He's got a solid week of training in front of him and hopefully he'll be away by the second tournament.

"He's been making inroads every day and I've got no problems with his speed -- it's just building up his endurance and aerobic base."

Both Kaino and Ranby played Super 12 this season, for the Blues and Chiefs respectively.

Playmaker Orene Ai'i will captain the side in Messam's absence.

For the London tournament this weekend, New Zealand are grouped in pool A alongside Tunisia, Russia and Scotland while for the Paris tournament on June 10-11 the defending champions are with Samoa, Kenya and Italy in pool A.

New Zealand squad: Orene Ai'i (captain), Tafai Ioasa, Jerome Kaino, Joe Rokocoko, Amasio Valence, Charles Baxter, Tanerau Latimer, George Naoupu, Tomasi Komainaua, Hayden Reid, Edwin Cocker, Mark Ranby.

- nzpa