Olympian target looms large

“We’re not here to defend anything” – that is the message from new All Blacks Sevens coach Tomasi Cama as his reigning champions prepare to kick off the revamped World Series campaign in Dubai today.

Instead, coming off their first completed series triumph in nine years (they won a 2019-20 season shortened by Covid-19), it’s all about starting from scratch, and building their way through this new “SVNS” circuit, all the while keeping their big Olympics mission simmering for eight months’ time.

The same goes for the Black Ferns Sevens, who also go into the season as defending champions but, like their male counterparts, despite the obvious targets on their backs, are equally feeling no pressure as they put the focus on improvement within.

Coming only three years after the last Covid-delayed Olympics in 2021, Paris 2024 is rolling around fast, and looms large on this season’s calendar. While the women will be gunning for back-toback golds after triumphing in Tokyo, the men have a score to settle with Fiji after coming away with silver.

“I think I’d be lying if I don’t say I think about the Olympics – that’s the end goal,” Cama admitted.

“But we want to make sure that we don’t miss a step along the way. We’re excited to make that first step, and hopefully we’ll step into the right direction.”

Indeed, Cama – the all-time leading scorer in a New Zealand sevens jersey, who was promoted from assistant coach to the top job on a contract through to the Olympics following Clark Laidlaw’s departure to the Hurricanes – noted that his team needed to be on the ball from the off in this trimmed-down competition.

Despite last season’s heroics, they made a shocking start in the opening round in Hong Kong, missing the quarterfinals for only the second time in the series’ history. And with a cut in teams from 16 to 12 – matching the format the women have been running (three pools of four) – things are set be more competitive now.

There is also less runway to play catchup, with the tweaked fixture list seeing the men’s stops on the circuit cut from 11 to eight – their tournaments now running in alignment with the women, who previously contested seven events – and featuring a winner-takes-all final round in Madrid for the top eight sides.

“So there’s no easy games. We’ve got to start well and bring our ‘A’ game from the get-go, otherwise you’re going to get caught behind,” Cama said.

Of course, the Kiwis will now also have no home advantage to look forward to, after the Hamilton tournament was axed from the calendar, amid World Rugby launching this new series in “eight iconic cities”. It “reflects summer vibes” and aims “to supercharge rugby’s growth and appeal by providing immersive experiences and turning the events into ultimate festivals”.

Not that it really mattered where in the world the teams in black took the park last season, in what turned into a memorable double for New Zealand.

While beaten by Australia in the final in Dubai first up, the Black Ferns Sevens then claimed six tournaments straight, and are on an incredible 36-match winning run in the series.

The men’s event was a more open affair, featuring different winners through the first four tournaments. On the back of two lost finals, the All Blacks Sevens then stormed home to win five of the last seven events.

The warmup form for both teams has been encouraging, too.

In what captain Sarah Hirini noted had been their longest ever pre-season, the Black Ferns Sevens, who have Cory Sweeney in his third season as coach, got acclimated to the UAE heat last weekend at the Abu Dhabi Sevens Festival– a tournament featuring Brazil, Canada and France, with the New Zealanders beating the latter 24-12 in the final.

The All Blacks Sevens, meanwhile, took out the Oceania tournament in Brisbane a fortnight back, and while they start their campaign with nine players unavailable through injury, captain Sione Molia noted that Cama had brought a “pretty chilled vibe to the environment” but also “a lot of edge” as they set out on this crucial season.

“I’d be lying if I don’t say I think about the Olympics – that’s the end goal.”

Tomasi Cama, All Blacks Sevens coach