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New Zealand Rugby Names 96 Players for Ignite7 in Tauranga
The men’s and women’s development tournament also features international warmup matches involving New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa.
New Zealand Rugby has named 96 players for the fifth Ignite7 tournament at Blake Park in Tauranga, with four men’s teams and four women’s teams taking part.
The squads, announced Wednesday, will compete as Surge, Power, Inferno and Bolt. The women’s field includes Black Ferns Maia Davis and Amarante Sititi, established sevens player Alena Saili and nine members of New Zealand’s under-21 fifteens squad.
The men’s teams include 13 players who appeared in this season’s National Provincial Championship. Former Black Ferns Sevens player Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is among the coaches, working with the women’s Bolt team.
New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa will also play men’s international sevens matches alongside the development competition.
Play begins Friday at 4 p.m. EST, corresponding to Saturday morning in Tauranga. The men’s and women’s finals are scheduled for Saturday at 7:08 p.m. and 7:56 p.m. EST. New Zealand Rugby will stream matches on its YouTube channel.
