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Victor Vito will be called on to repeat his sevens rugby magic of last year after being named in an injury-affected New Zealand team to contest next week's World Cup in Dubai.
Hurricanes loose forward Vito is the only Super 14 player injected into the 12-man squad, which otherwise comprises players who have failed to win any of the four tournaments in this year's International Rugby Board World Cup circuit.
The sight of Vito rampaging down the sideline was a trademark of last year's dominant series win by New Zealand.
Coach Gordon Tietjens will be hoping he can rediscover that form quickly at the four-yearly World Cup from March 5-7.
Injuries that have plagued the side this season continued at a training camp from which Tietjens selected his team today.
Chiefs player Sosene Anesi was ruled out with an existing hamstring injury, while Southland's Willie Rickards and North Harbour's Nafi Tuitavake also missed all or part of the training camp with hamstring and ankle injuries respectively and were not considered.
"We have had a bad run right up to and during our training camp when we lost three more players to injury. So I'm hoping our injury run is over," Tietjens said.
"That said, we are now focusing solely on the Rugby World Cup and believe that if we can perform to our best and avoid any more major injury setbacks we can match any of the other teams on the day."
Anesi and Vito were the only Super 14 players to make it as far as the camp, with none of the players Tietjens chased from other franchises making themselves available.
Those not considered due to injury were Anesi, Rickards, Tuitavake, Edwin Cocker (broken leg), Solomon King (wrist) and Tim Mikkelson (shoulder).
Some good news is that captain and reigning IRB world sevens player of the year DJ Forbes has overcome a foot fracture and will lead the side.
The injury crisis has created room again for New Plymouth electrician Ben Souness, who was not part of this season's sevens-contracted squad but made his debut at the recent San Diego IRB tournament, where New Zealand were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
That was the worst performance this year from New Zealand, who have also twice lost in the final and once in the semifinal in the world series.
"This year has been one of the most competitive I have seen," Tietjens said.
"I have said for a number of years that on any given day any one of the top teams can win these Tournaments and this year has highlighted that, so the World Cup is going to be a close-run thing."
Just two members of the squad - Lote Raikabula and Nigel Hunt - were in the team which claimed the sevens gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Tietjens will turn to Vito for much of his strikepower, along with North Harbour speedster Viliame Waqaseduadua, who found form with eight tries at San Diego.
New Zealand squad
Tomasi Cama (Manawatu), DJ Forbes (Captain, Counties Manukau), Paul Grant (Otago), Nigel Hunt (Bay of Plenty), Zar Lawrence (Bay of Plenty), Tim Nanai Williams (Counties Manukau), Lote Raikabula (Manawatu), Ben Souness (Taranaki), Chad Tuoro (Counties Manukau), Tu Umaga Marshall (Wellington), Victor Vito (Wellington), Viliame Waqaseduadua (North Harbour).
- NZPA
