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All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens set for World Series return
By Sam Smith
Eight months after they won gold and silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics, the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens are primed to return to the international stage.
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In an announcement on Friday, New Zealand Rugby confirmed its two national sevens teams will feature at the Super Sevens Series and Marist Sevens in Fiji between next week and early April before returning to the World Sevens Series later next month.
The return of both teams to regular international sevens action has been made possible by confirmation that New Zealand’s border restrictions have eased to allow vaccinated Kiwis to return to the country without having to self-isolate at home or in MIQ.
The announcement comes after both the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens missed the opening four rounds of the 2021-22 World Sevens Series, two of which were held in Dubai, while the other two were hosted in the Spanish cities of Malaga and Seville.
South Africa have won all four of the men’s tournaments, while Australia have dominated the women’s events, winning all but three competitions, with the United States claiming the title in Malaga.
Both of New Zealand’s national teams will feature in all remaining World Sevens Series events throughout the rest of the season, with the All Blacks Sevens set to feature at the next men’s tournament to be held in Singapore between April 9-10.
That tournament looms as the Olympic silver medallists’ first outing on the World Sevens Series since they won the Vancouver Sevens in March 2020, the last tournament of the 2019-20 campaign before Covid cut that season short.
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Likewise, the Olympic champion Black Ferns Sevens haven’t featured on the World Sevens Series since they won the Sydney Sevens in January 2020, but that will change when they play at the Langford Sevens between April 30 and May 1.
Those tournaments, and the remaining World Sevens Series events, will serve both teams as well as they prepare for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham between July and August, as well as the Sevens World Cup in Cape Town in September.
“We know they have continued to train so diligently, and it’s been hard for them to see the World Series continue without them,” New Zealand Rugby head of high performance Mike Anthony said.
“While the teams have had some internal and domestic hit outs, nothing beats international competition so these matches in Fiji will be vital to kick start their on-field performance ahead of a huge six months that features two pinnacle events.”
All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens 2022 schedule
10-11 March: Black Ferns Sevens at Super Sevens Series, Fiji
18-19 March: All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens at Super Sevens Series, Fiji
24-25 March: All Blacks Sevens at Marist Sevens, Fiji
9-10 April: All Blacks Sevens at the World Sevens Series, Signapore
16-17 April: All Black Sevens at World Sevens Series, Vancouver
30 April – 1 May: Black Ferns Sevens at World Sevens Series, Langford
20-22 May: All Black Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens at World Seven Series, Toulouse
28-29 May: All Blacks Sevens at World Sevens Series, London
29 July – 1 August: Commonwealth Games, Birmingham
27-28 August: All Black Sevens at World Sevens Series, Los Angeles
9-11 September: Sevens World Cup, Cape Town
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