Clark Laidlaw Recalls Webber, Fijian 3 For Hong Kong 7s

After more than a year on the side- lines, Joe Webber has been named in the New Zealand 7s team for the HSBC Hong Kong 7s which is from April 5-7.

Webber has recovered from reactive arthritis and joins Scott Curry and Dylan Collier in the 13-man squad who are also returning from injury breaks.

Coach Clark Laidlaw has included three Fijian players in the team. They are Joe Ravouvou, Jona Nareki and Akuila Rokolisoa.

Laidlaw said the ability to pick from an almost fully fit squad sees a strong team selected for the seventh tournament on the World Series.

“We have really tested our depth in the forward pack in recent tournaments and all the players have really stepped up. It is good to have Scott and Dylan back going into Hong Kong, their experience will be crucial in such a big event,” he told NZ Rugby.

Laidlaw said Webber's return is exciting for the entire team.

"Joe is one of the best attacking players in  the game of sevens. He has worked so hard over the past year and kept such a positive attitude; we are all looking forward to seeing him out on the field again.”

The New Zealand 7s team sit second on the World Series behind the USA and know a strong result in Hong Kong will go a long way to secure an Olympic berth in 2020.

A tough pool assignment sees the All Blacks Sevens come up against the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s side, Australia and Kenya in the first two days of competition.

“It doesn’t get much harder than that. We start on Friday against Australia and that is where our focus is at the moment, we need to be ready to fire straight away.”

Following the Hong Kong tournament the team will travel to Singapore for the Singapore Sevens the following weekend.

New Zealand squad: Kurt Baker, Dylan Collier, Scott Curry, Sam Dickson, Andrew Knewstubb, Tim Mikkelson, Sione Molia, Jona Nareki, Tone Ng Shiu, Joe Ravouvou, Akuila Rokolisoa, Regan Ware, Joe Webber.

Edited by Anasilini Natoga 

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