NZ and Samoa returning on the World 7s Series after 25 months

After 25 months on the sidelines, the national men’s 7s teams of New Zealand and Samoa will finally return to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Singapore tomorrow.

Neither team has played since the HSBC Canada Sevens in Vancouver in March 2020 due to the effects of COVID-19.

Singapore will be the starting point of New Zealand’s build-up to the Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 later this year and head coach Clark Laidlaw has named a mixture of experienced heads and young blood in his squad.

The five debutants include Bay of Plenty half-back Leroy Carter, North Harbour speedster Moses Leo, teenager Caleb Tangitau, Auckland’s Kitiona Vai and Northland’s Brady Rush who is the son of All Blacks 7s legend Eric Rush.

The squad also features seven silver medallists from the Tokyo Olympics – Sam Dickson, Dylan Collier, Andrew Knewstubb, Tone Ng Shiu, Akuila Rokolisoa, Regan Ware and Joe Webber.

Fiji will meet Ireland in their first match of the Singapore 7s at 2.22pm tomorrow.

They will then face France at 5.06pm tomorrow in their second match and play Japan at 8.22pm tomorrow in their final pool match.

You can catch the live commentaries of all of Fiji’s games on our sister station, Viti FM.