New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Teitjens introduced four new players into the 16 man squad to play at the 6 IRB World Series events in 2012.
Here is how we rated their performance.
Mark Jackman
Jackman was somewhat of a revelation in sevens rugby this year. He plays for Hawkes Bay in the NPC at fullback or wing and is a skilled footballer.
But he did not play sevens for Hawkes Bay at any of the provincial tournaments in the last 2 years. He emerged playing for Canterbury at the Bay of Plenty Invitational tournament in early January this year.
Canterbury had been absent from provincial play for a time, returning at the 2011 Nationals led by ex-international Craig DeGoldi.
This year it was Jackman who led Canterbury and they went quite well making the final of the BOP Invitational and then the semi-finals of the Nationals in Queenstown the week after.
Jackman showed pace and awareness at the first receiver position and won selection into the 30 man trial squad.
Wellington
Jackman was introduced into the playing team a little earlier than many would have expected. Toby Arnold hurt his knee minutes into New Zealand’s first match against Scotland and Jackman replaced him from that moment forward.
The World Sevens Series is a step up in pace and intensity from anything he would have played in before but the Hawkes Bay man handled it well.
There were 1-2 nervous mistakes but he settled quickly and built in confidence with more game time.
Las Vegas
Jackman made a significant contribution to the team’s performance. His fitness, speed and scoring nous got him into several scoring opportunities.
Our verdict: Jackman will go on from here to become an integral part of Gordon Teitjens’ magnificent seven for the remainder of the series
Ardie Savea
Savea has maturity beyond his 18 years. He captained Wellington at the Nationals earlier in the year and has taken the promotion to the New Zealand team in his stride.
Wellington
In his limited game time Savea did everything that was asked of him.
International Sevens is a step up in physicality as well as pace and intensity but Savea did not look out of his depth.
Las Vegas
Like Mark Jackman, Ardie Savea grew in confidence with his first hit out in Wellington.
His positioning was excellent and he scored the try that kept New Zealand in the final, cutting back, beating defenders as showing enough pace to score under the posts.
Our verdict: Savea will go from strength to strength as we start to see what he can do in the rugby field. I just hope it will be playing sevens rather than as a squad player among strong competition in a loose forward bunch.
Waisake Naholo
[Only played in Las Vegas]
Naholo came into the New Zealand squad with a lot of anticipation.
In Las Vegas he got taken around the outside a couple fo times which is a worry. We don’t see this happening in New Zealand domestic sevens very often but the international game is clearly a lot quicker.
THere was also a time when Naholo’s disciline let him down. He was of on a run down the left hand touchline and put his foot on the chalk. When he was pulled up for it, he threw the ball down in frustration and was penalised for time-wasting.
This kind of rookie mistake will nto sit well with coach Gordon Teitjens. It’s this kind of ill-discipline that can cost a team. The competition among the top 4 teams in the Series in fierce and a penalty can make all the difference.
Our verdict: Hopefully Naholo’s first hit out was just that and he will settle in. The spot is open in the New Zealand team and so it’s u to him to do the hard yards and make it his. If he can do this then he could be hitting his straps in a year or so and spearhead New Zealand’s build up for gold in Rio.
Jono Malo
[Only played in Las Vegas]
It was tough for the young Waikato man to come into the playing squad ahead of others who were in the tighter group of 15 (i.e. Kylem O’Donnell). Also, he was brought in mainly as cover for Tomasi Cama and Mark Jackman.
Cama had another wonderful tournament in Las Vegas backing up from his sublime effort in Wellington. Jackman also played well and so Malo’s game time was severely restricted – only getting on in weaker games and when the injuries forced everyone off the bench.
Our verdict: Malo is more of a utility than O’Donnell or Joe Webber and so this gives him an advantage when he is there to provide cover. As a specialist half, it remains to be seen what Gordon Teitjens plans are. Hopefully New Zealand will have the resources to keep players like Malo in sevens full time to provide positive selection choices and the best possible team.
One of New Zealand’s major strengths over the last 4 IRB World Sevens Series has been the nucleus of experienced players that coach Gordon Teitjens has had to work with.
