Highlanders release Blackie

New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has gone for a good mix of raw talent and experience in the naming of his 18-man training squad ahead of the opening two rounds of the 2004 and 2005 International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens.

Three of this year's New Zealand Schools representatives, Bay of Plenty's Tanerau Latimer and Lance McDonald and Auckland's Sherwin Stowers have been included along with David Smith, an outside back who has played for the Auckland Colts Sevens team. 

Latimer made his New Zealand Sevens debut as a 17-year-old during the 2003-2004 season.

Wellington scrum-half Nigel Hunt, Waikato fly-half William Ripia, North Harbour flanker Brent Wilson and Bay of Plenty loose forward Solomon King are four other new faces in the squad.

Ripia was part of the New Zealand Under-19 side that won the IRB World Championship in South Africa earlier this year.

Highlanders Super 12 coach Greg Cooper has also agreed to release Josh Blackie for the training squad.

Wellington's Justin Wilson (foot) and North Harbour's Hayden Reid (shoulder) were not considered for the training squad due to injury.

"The training squad has a good mix of experienced and young players and the camp will be ideal to introduce these young players to the Sevens environment," said Tietjens.

The training squad will assemble at Mt Maunganui from 22-27 November. The New Zealand Sevens squad of 12 for the first two IRB Sevens tournaments in Dubai and South Africa will be named at the conclusion of the camp.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has confirmed that up to two players from each of the five Super 12 franchises may be selected for the New Zealand Sevens squad for next year's IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong in March.

Only one of these players can be selected from a franchise's protected 24. The two players cannot play in the same position.

New Zealand Sevens training squad: Orene Ai'i, David Smith and Sherwin Stowers (Auckland), Lance McDonald, Charles Baxter, Solomon King, Nathaniel Walker and Tanerau Latimer (Bay of Plenty), Amasio Valence, Tafai Ioasa and Rangi Vallance (Hawke's Bay), Brent Wilson (North Harbour), Josh Blackie (Otago), Lifeimi Mafi (Taranaki), Nigel Hunt and Roy Kinikinilau (Wellington), Liam Messam and William Ripia (Waikato).

IRB Sevens tournament schedule:
2004:
December 2-3: Dubai
December 10-11: George, South Africa
February 4-5: Wellington
2005
February 12-13: Los Angeles
April 16-17: Singapore
June 4-5: London
June 11-12: Bordeaux