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All Blacks Sevens, Fiji enjoy contrasting preparations for World Cup

July 17, 2018

Clark Laidlaw says it was important to find the balance when preparing his players for the Rugby World Cup Sevens.

The preparations of great sevens rivals New Zealand and Fiji for the Sevens World Cup are in stark contrast, with All Blacks Sevens coach Clark Laidlaw admitting time will tell whether his team’s approach was correct.

New Zealand’s women's and men's sevens teams have had a chance to see for themselves how much the game has grown.

Laidlaw told 1 NEWS it was important to find the balance while preparing for this weekend’s Rugby World Cup Sevens rather than try to replicate an overseas camp like an extended Fiji squad had held in Utah.

“I suppose we’ll tell you on Sunday night whether we’re happy with what we’ve done but with such a big year and time away from home, we felt it was important to get the balance right between training and time at home with family and friends,” he said.

The men's sevens program is making major gains away from the field with contracted players now centralised in Mt Maunganui.

The other factor in Laidlaw’s decision not to hold any “flash camps” was the new centralised sevens program in Tauranga.

“We’re centralised now so we train together every day so we didn’t feel we needed to go to any flash camps.”

“We had a couple days over in Raglan which suits us, we got a bit of training done over there so that was cool before we left on Friday (for San Francisco).”

Conversely, Gareth Baber, the coach of Olympic champions Fiji, hoped two weeks training at altitude would give his star-studded team a physical edge in the knockout tournament at sea level in San Francisco.

"We're in a good training environment, there's as little distraction around us, we have the training ground, we have a training gym, swimming pools, recovery centres - all the things that makes it easy," Baber said last week.

Baber included Europe-based stars, Josua Tuisova, Leone Nakarawa, Semi Kunitani and former Eels star Semi Radradra in the 12-man squad.

Every game of the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens will be live from July 21-23 on TVNZ’s Duke channel - Freeview 13, Sky 23, and streaming on tvnz.co.nz

The All Blacks Sevens will play the winner of Russia v Hong Kong in their first match on Saturday 21 July (kick off 3.31pm NZT).

Andrew Knewstubb said the team had been stopped around the city for photos and autographs ahead of the Rugby World Cup Sevens.

The New Zealand men's side went through strength and conditioning exercises today.

The Black Ferns Sevens face Mexico in their opening match of the World Cup on Friday 20 July (kick off 6.50am Saturday 21 July NZT).

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