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NZ contracts 'up for grabs'

Image: DJ Forbes: Looking to secure one of the 15 contracts

New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens has named a 30-strong training squad ahead of the Wellington leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

Tietjens looking to the future

New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens has named a 30-strong training squad ahead of the Wellington leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series. The group will assemble at Mount Maunganui on 17 January - with 15 players set be awarded central contracts for 2012 three days later. The contracted players will then regroup on January 26 to step up preparations to the Wellington Sevens on February 3 and 4. And Tietjens believes the camp is a vital to New Zealand's long-term goal of securing Olympic gold in 2016. "The players know they are competing for contracts for the 2012 season but they also know we have an eye on talent for the Olympics in Rio de Janerio in 2016," he said. "This is a really exciting time to be involved with Sevens rugby. With fulltime Sevens contracts up for grabs in the future there are some talented young players coming into this trial that could put their hands up as Olympic medal hopefuls in Rio in four years' time." Defending champions New Zealand are currently joint-top of the World Series rankings with Fiji following their success in South Africa last time out. And they will be aiming to move clear at the Westpac Stadium, though, after they were handed a kind draw - with Tietjens' side set to face Samoa, Scotland and Japan on day one. New Zealand: Toby Arnold, Tomasi Cama, Frazier Climo, Scott Curry, Matt Faddes, DJ Forbes, Frank Halai, Bryce Heem, Nathan Hughes, Joe Hill, Mark Jackman, Solomon King, Warwick Lahmert, James Lowe, Jono Malo, Tim Mikkelson, Kieran Moffat, Waisake Naholo, Kylem O'Donnell, Ken Pisi, Charles Piutau, Lote Raikabula. Glen Robertson, Ardie Savea, Ben Souness, Ahsee Tuala, Nafi Tuitavake, Lolagi Visinia, Joe Webber, Jack Wilson