Tietjens says big improvement needed for Wellington sevens

Gordon Tietjens

New Zealand has been given an opportunity for revenge in February's Wellington leg of the IRB sevens series.

Defending champion's NZ have drawn Samoa in their pool, with the Samoans beating the New Zealanders 17-5 in the Plate final in the latest tournament in South Africa.

Coach Gordon Tietjens says it will not be an easy pool, as Kenya and the Cook Islands have also caused upsets in the past.

Tietjens points out Samoa is the big improver on the world scene at the moment, beating his team comprehensively in South Africa.

Tietjens says his side will have to improve 200 per cent on their performances in the first two tournaments to take top spot.

New Zealand is likely to face either South Africa or Argentina in the quarterfinals.

England and Australia are in Pool A, while Fiji and France are the big guns in Pool B.

Pools for the International Rugby Board world sevens series tournaments in Wellington from February 3-4 and Los Angeles from February 11-12:

Wellington:

Pool A: England, Australia, Scotland, Papua New Guinea
Pool B: Fiji, France, Canada, Niue
Pool C: NEW ZEALAND, Samoa, Kenya, Cook Islands
Pool D: South Africa, Argentina, Tonga, United States

Los Angeles:

Pool A: England, France, Kenya, United States
Pool B: Fiji, Argentina, Scotland, Uruguay
Pool C: NEW ZEALAND, Australia, Tonga, West Indies
Pool D: South Africa, Samoa, Canada, Mexico

- NEWSTALK ZB, NZPA