Six 15s players who could win gold in Paris with the New Zealand 7s
The All Blacks and Black Ferns Sevens have made it clear that winning an Olympic gold medal in Paris in 2024 will be their top priority.
As the defending World Series champions, both clubs seem well-established. In contrast, none of them emerged victorious from the first two rounds of this year’s HSBC SVNS.
Although there isn’t much reason for concern, it is evident that some competitors have increased their game. This raises the question of what improvements could be made to both New Zealand teams?
When Antoine Dupont steps onto the field for France in 2024, he will undoubtedly intensify the country’s efforts to win a gold medal at home.
Superstar fifteens converts haven’t necessarily been a success in the recent past. In 2016 and 2021, respectively, Sonny Bill Williams and Caleb Clarke both scored touchdowns for New Zealand. But which talent, if you could choose, would you like to see crossover?
With 40 tries in 53 games for Auckland and 22 tries in 39 appearances for the Hurricanes, the 1.94 cm, 105 kg speedster has developed into an effective finisher. With a rejuvenated Kini Naholo putting in a strong bid for his starting left-wing jersey in the Hurricanes, it’s unlikely that he’ll pose a threat to the All Blacks. With his speed and strength, Rayasi can still be a real threat in the game’s shortened format, having enjoyed success with the All Blacks Sevens in the past.
Nanai-Seturo, another player with All Black Sevens experience, was awarded the Duane Monkley medal for being the best player in the NPC recently. Even though he has established himself as the Chiefs’ starting left wing, he is far down the All Blacks’ selection hierarchy. Then why not nuzzle Paris a little? Is Nanai-Seturo the only player in New Zealand with superior footwork? His ability to use a sidestep to defeat opponents one-on-one creates a plethora of opportunities.
The captain of the Highlanders is far too underappreciated. Despite being around the All Blacks, he hasn’t participated in a Test match and doesn’t appear likely to do so anytime soon. Harmon was playing at an elite level, but Canterbury didn’t have a historic season in NPC 2023, winning just six of 11 games. With the ball in his hands, he was a formidable presence for Canterbury, recording the most carries (143) and offloads (47). With 175 tackles, Harmon trailed only teammate Tom Christe (183) on the overall NPC tackle list. Harmon was a threat at the breakdown. Harmon has the potential to develop into a very valuable forward with some “sevens” conditioning. He possesses all the abilities needed to be a weapon in close quarters, both offensively and defensively.
After Super Rugby 2023, Sotutu became an outsider after not even being selected for the All Blacks XV tour of Japan. He was named Steelers Player of the Year after having a strong NPC for Counties Manukau. Sotutu has the height and athleticism to be a fantastic Sevens player. Success on kickoffs and lineouts is crucial to Sevens. In addition to being able to run more freely, attract defenders, and improve his offloading technique, Sotutu could do this well.
The 19-year-old flanker’s outstanding performances in her Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) debut season for Canterbury earned her a spot on this year’s Black Ferns XV. She scored a hat-trick in twelve minutes against Hawke’s Bay in the semi-final, and two weeks prior, against Counties Manukau, she made a standout solo effort by sprinting 40 meters. When her name was left off of the Super Rugby Aupiki squad lists, it really caught us off guard. Wratt-Groeneweg and Jorja Miller have been likened. They both attended Christchurch Girls’ High School.
