Wellington Pride Sevens squad looking forward to National tournament

Above: This year’s captain Aimee Sutorius and Amanda Rasch watch on as Lizzie Goulden crosses against Canterbury at this tournament last year. Rasch and Goulden are two of five Oriental-Rongotai club players and 10 current Wellington Pride Women’s NPC players competing at Rotorua.

Youthful exuberance is a feature of the Wellington women’s squad for this weekend’s National Sevens tournament in Rotorua.

The 12-player squad includes two players still at school in Wellington Pride wing Ayesha Leti'Iiga and newcomer Monica Tagao'i, both aged 17, and Wellington Pride wing Timena Tuma'ai aged 19.

Porirua College’s Leti'Iiga played a full season of fifteens rugby last year for Oriental-Rongotai and for Wellington in the Women’s NPC, while Tagao'i caught the selectors’ attention playing for her school St Mary’s College at the recent Condor Sevens regional and national tournaments.

The trio are joined by a group of young players this weekend, with the average age of the squad 22. Ten of the 12 players playing this weekend were involved in the Wellington Pride side that finished second in the NPC.

The team will look to co-captains Aimee Sutorius and Kat Whata-Simpkins to help guide them throughout a series of tough matches on day one, against Otago, Waikato, Counties Manukau and North Harbour.

Wellington finished 8th out of 10 teams at this tournament two years ago and fifth last year (winning the Plate) so a stated aim by team management for this weekend is to go at least one better and make the Cup semi-finals.

Wellington’s build-up has included finishing third to defending National champions Auckland at the invitational Auckland 7s tournament in November, second to the Manawatu Cyclones at the Central region qualifiers in Levin in December and also finishing runners-up to Manawatu again at last weekend’s Bay of Plenty tournament at Mount Maunganui.

Last weekend Wellington lost 19-12 to Manawatu in the final after leading 12-7 at halftime, after earlier beating Counties Manukau 14-12, Auckland 14-5 and Waikato 26-5.

Co-captain Sutorius said last weekend was a good build-up tournament for the team.

“We went up there with a goal of just wanting to perform our best in each game, she said. “Teams from the upper North Island are perennially strong so for us to beat those sides is pleasing and shows that we’re putting stuff together well at training.

“I think that has given us a good confidence boost, knowing that we can beat those sides if we play well this weekend. I think it was the first time that we have beaten an Auckland team since the 2006 NPC final.”

Sutorius said the four teams they played last Saturday at the Mount should be the teams to beat this weekend.

“Manawatu probably will be the favourites, based on them winning both the Central region and Bay of Plenty tournaments. I am not sure they have got their full complement of players [injuries] but they will be very strong.”

Last year Wellington won the Plate, and Sutorius stated that qualifying for the Cup semi-finals is the goal this weekend. “Last year we did believe that we were one of the top four teams, but Sevens is such that if you have an off game or drop your concentration then you make it hard on yourself.”

Regardless of where they finish this weekend, she said the squad has come together well. “We have built our core team over the past three years, and then we have got the young ones that have come in, with the likes of Ayesha and Monica bringing a good attitude as well as being not shy about what they are doing on the field. They have added that little bit more to the team from what we had last year.”

Kat Whata-Simpkins is Wellington’s only New Zealand Sevens contracted player this weekend. “Her being in there gives us another level of experience, and she is also someone who can inspire the young players.”

New Zealand coach Sean Horan will finalise his 2016 squad after this weekend.

The Wellington Sevens women’s team for this weekend’s Nationals Sevens is:

Aimee Sutorius (Northern United, captain)
Ayesha Leti'Iiga (Porirua College/Oriental-Rongotai)
Ruby Finau ( Avalon Wolves)
Georgia Daals (Old Boys University
Monica Tagao'i (St Mary’s College/Marist St Pat’s
Kat Whata-Simpkins (Avalon Wolves)
Amanda Rasch (Oriental-Rongotai)
Fa'asua Makisi (Oriental-Rongotai)
Carol Sio (Avalon Wolves)
Vaine Marsters (Northern United)
Timena Tuma'ai (Oriental-Rongotai)
Elizabeth Goulden (Oriental-Rongotai)

Wellington’s games on Day one are:

• 11.05 am v Otago (field 2)
• 12.45 pm v Waikato (field 1)
• 2.55 pm v Counties Manukau (field 1)
• 4.55 pm v North Harbour (field 2)

For the full draw visit: http://www.nationalsevens.co.nz/draw/