AT A GLANCE

NEW ZEALAND coach Gordon Tietjens has seen half-empty grandstands in Wellington before but usually not until after his side have been knocked out of the main draw.

That is likely to change on Friday with ticket sales to the annual world series event sitting at about 16,000 rather than the usual sellout.

Tietjens said yesterday the sight of yellow seats would not provide a distraction but he did urge fans to get along and give his young side their support after he named four new caps.

‘‘We don’t play in New Zealand very much as a national team – in fact this is our one and only opportunity of the year and that means a lot to us,’’ he said when asked about the lacklustre ticket sales.

‘‘Even last year the crowd got excited and that support makes a difference.’’

While some believe the Wellington crowd has become more interested in the party than the sevens over the years, Tietjens said he never thought the support for New Zealand had wavered.

‘‘There has always been empty seats at various times but it’s always been the way in Wellington that the further the team go, the more people come out to their seats to support us and for the team that’s a real buzz; to see them take their seats when we run out is fantastic.

‘‘But if the stands aren’t full, it doesn’t lessen the pride these guys have about pulling on the [black] jersey.’’

Tietjens urged fans to get along and have a look at the latest crop of young talent to hop on his seemingly endless conveyor belt. New Zealand sevens squad for Wellington tournament: Dylan Collier, Scott Curry, Ambrose Curtis, Sam Dickson, DJ Forbes (c), Jack Goodhue, Rieko Ioane, Gillies Kaka, Tim Mikkelson, Sherwin Stowers, Beaudein Waaka, Joe Webber.

There are four new faces in the New Zealand 12 named yesterday.

Former Warriors under-20s wing Dylan Collier, 2014 New Zealand schools captain and centre Rieko Ioane, Taranaki first five-eighth Beaudein Waaka, and Northland midfielder Jack Goodhue will make their debut at Westpac Stadium on Friday.

The quartet made the final cut after Tietjens whittled his squad down from 16 to 12 after an intense training session in pouring rain at Porirua Park yesterday morning, notably leaving out the veteran pairing of Tomasi Cama and Lote Raikabula, along with Wellington’s Murphy Taramai and Otago wing Josh Gordon.

‘‘It’s always exciting to name new players,’’ Tietjens said. ‘‘They’re pretty talented. They’re young but they know the game of sevens and it’s a big opportunity for them really. We are trying to build the base of sevens players and making the team in Wellington makes it all the more special for them.

‘‘They’re new to international rugby but they’ve performed over four camps and also at [the nationals in] Rotorua.’’

There was a time not long ago when leaving Cama out of a sevens squad would have been unthinkable but Tietjens is clearly looking to inject some young legs in the crucial role of playmaker and defensive sweeper alongside the now established Gillies Kaka.

‘‘Tomasi is the Keven Mealamu of the All Blacks sevens team in some ways I guess,’’ Tietjens said. ‘‘He’s had a few calf injuries but he’s been getting through lately.

‘‘He played for Manawatu at the nationals and at 33 he still gets out there and competes with the best, but I feel I need that extra injection of pace that Beaudein Waaka gives me. He has a really good knowledge of the game, he excelled at the nationals . . . He is very exciting to watch and I think he will open a few eyes this weekend.’’

Rieko Ioane follows older brother Akira on to the international stage a year after Akira made his sevens debut at the Wellington tournament. Rieko is another whom Tietjens expects to make an immediate impact.

While New Zealand are languishing in fourth on the series ladder, Tietjens believes they are on an upward trend after reaching the final in South Africa where they narrowly lost to the hosts.

Meanwhile, Tietjens is confident injured veteran Tim Mikkelson will be OK after he hobbled out of training yesterday with a sore groin.