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New Zealand will have to do without leading try-scorer Sherwin Stowers for the next leg on the IRB Sevens World Series in Adelaide (19-21 March). 

Counties Manukau's Stowers, has gone over the whitewash 20 times this season, but picked up an ankle injury in the semi-finals in Las Vegas. 

The Kiwis finished runners-up in USA losing out to an inspired Samoa in the tournaments finale. 

Aside from Stowers the squad has familiar look to it, with coach Gordon Tietjens having the luxury of keeping a similar squad to the one he has been operating with throughout the 2009/10 campaign.

Tietjens will be heartened by the inclusion of Save Tokula to the squad following the successfully appealing of the Waikato’s man six-match ban. 

On appeal the ban was reduced to four matches, meaning he will miss only the first two pool play matches in Adelaide as he stood down for two games in Las Vegas already, following a high shot on South Africa’s Cecil Afrika.

“We had a great start to the season but the team were disappointed with their performances in the last two tournaments and we know we need to play at a higher level and improve our accuracy to be successful in Adelaide and Hong Kong,” said Tietjens.

The Kiwis face Scotland, Tonga, and Argentina at the three day event in Adelaide. New Zealand currently leads the IRB Sevens World Series with two wins from four tournaments.

Following the Adelaide tournament the team will travel to Hong Kong for the sixth leg of the IRB Sevens World Series, where they will be hoping to reclaim the crown they captured in 2007/8.

New Zealand Sevens Coach Gordon Tietjens has named his 12-man squad for the Adelaide leg of the IRB Sevens World Series.

New Zealand Sevens team for Adelaide: Kurt Baker (Taranaki), Tomasi Cama (Manawatu), DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau), Paul Grant (Otago), Tim Mikkelson (Waikato), Zar Lawrence (Bay of Plenty)
Fritz Lee (Counties Manukau), Lote Raikabula (Manawatu), Ben Souness (Taranaki), Toby Arnold (Bay of Plenty)
Nafi Tuitavake (North Harbour), Save Tokula (Waikato)

UR7s Interview with Sherwin Stowers