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Sport | Rugby 7's

Enabling futures through rugby sevens

All Blacks Sevens player Niko Jones has been ruled out of the Ignite7 tournament due to a hamstring injury.

However, he and other up-and-coming players are hopeful the game will be a springboard for future careers as professional athletes.

Jones says, "Sevens is a great sport and it's an amazing environment but also it's the best place to develop my fifteens game.  I'll be under great coaches, still learning how to tackle, how to pass and if I can transfer that to fifteens it'll be the best place for me now."

Talent Development Manager Chad Tuoro says sevens is the perfect sport for Māori to realise their athletic potential.

Tuoro says, "It provides a lot of opportunity to our athletes in terms of career.  Both our men and women's sevens programmes are full-time- let alone the health and well-being benefits."

There’s also an equal focus on enabling female players.

Kahurangi Sturmey says, "There are a lot of avenues for women now, I'm fortunate to follow these avenues.  My younger sister also plays and in time she'll also follow in my footsteps.”

Only 6 players out of a staggering 96 will make the 2019 NZ Sevens Development Camp, but the ultimate dream is getting to the Olympics.

“That's the main goal," says Daeja Kaponga, "But I'm only young so for now I'm going to work hard until I reach my peak.”

The Ignite7 tournament kicks off at midday tomorrow at the Trusts Arena in Waitakere.