Resigning of senior trio welcomed
WELLINGTON: Three senior members of the All Blacks Sevens are the first to sign through to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Following Commonwealth Games gold and World Cup victory, Scott Curry, Tim Mikkelson and Joe Webber have all recommitted to the side.
Curry and Mikkelson cocaptained the All Blacks Sevens throughout the 201718 campaign, leading the team to Commonwealth Games gold, World Cup victory and third place in the World Series.
Webber’s season was struck short as an arthritic infection ruled him out of the Commonwealth Games and the remaining tournaments of the season. The exciting playmaker is recovering and set to return to the sevens field next season.
Coach Clarke Laidlaw said the three players would form a core base of the squad for the next two seasons.
‘‘It’s good news for our team to lock in three senior players as we build a squad that can qualify for the Olympics. Having that experience in our group is not only hugely important but hugely exciting as well.’’
The cocaptaincy of Mikkelson and Curry had been a big part of the team’s recent success, Laidlaw said.
‘‘Both Tim and Scott have worked incredibly well together both on and off the field. They have grown as leaders this season, and they have grown other leaders within our group and that’s a big driver of the success we have had.’’
Although Webber’s season was curtailed by injury, Laidlaw believed he would be a key component in the side in the future.
‘‘He is one of the best attacking players in the world and I don’t think we have seen the best of him yet. He’s been unfortunate this year with his illness but his attitude in that time has been so positive; he’s the heartbeat of this team,’’ Laidlaw said.
The work now continues to build the squad going into the 201819 season.
‘‘We want to keep the majority of the squad here because that experience is important in a qualification year. In saying that, we are openminded and looking forward to watching provincial, representative and schoolboy rugby over the next couple of months to see if there are players that could add value in our environment.’’
The All Blacks Sevens players are on leave. They start their season in earnest at the Oceania Sevens in November, before the first leg of the World Series in Dubai.