Tomorrow morning Scotland 7s will kick-off their fourth HSBC Sevens World Series campaign in Wellington, going head-to-head with hosts and reigning champions New Zealand before meeting Samoa and Japan in Pool A.
With only four new faces in the squad from that which travelled to Australia, Dubai and South Africa earlier this season, the team are continuing to gel well together. They are looking to improve on their opening three tournaments by reaching the Cup quarter-finals and for the youngsters welcomed into the side there is a chance to show what they can do on the world stage.
The Scots will start their day with New Zealand at 2.12am (GMT) and for head coach, Graham Shiel, the team are acclimatised and ready to compete.

 He said: “Training this week has been really positive and with eight players in the side making it to every tournament so far there is an ever-increasing settled feel to the squad.
“Even the new players (Sean Kennedy, Hamish Watson, Byron McGuigan and Fraser Harkness) who have travelled for Wellington and Las Vegas, have been training with us over the past few months so are in the right mind set for the abbreviated game. It’s an exciting opportunity for them to perform and announce their arrival on the world stage.
 “We’re confident to go out and give this tournament our best shot.”
Following their opening match with New Zealand the team will then play Samoa at 5.30am (GMT) and Japan at 7.28am (GMT), with their eye completely focused on reaching their first Cup quarter-final.
Shiel continued: “We want to reach our first Cup quarter-final here in Wellington. It’s a simple aim but a stepping stone to keep building on the growing continuity of our full-time sevens squad.
“First up we have New Zealand and it goes without saying that they are the best sevens team in the world. It’s a great challenge taking them on to start with and on their turf, but we must improve on the last time we met in South Africa (45-0). It’s an exciting challenge and we will go into this game with optimism.
“Second we have Samoa. Their team this year is quite unfamiliar to us but we know this is a must win game if we are to fulfil our aim, and finally Japan. We have to control this game and perform well to ensure the win.”


Scotland 7s have made a change to the 12 man squad which will travel to Wellington (3-4 February) and Las Vegas (10-12 February) on Thursday. Peter Horne drops out of the squad due to a shoulder injury and will be replaced by Kerr Gossman.
Scotland 7s head coach, Graham Shiel, said: “We’re extremely disappointed for Peter having sustained this injury. He will be a huge loss to the squad for the next two tournaments.
 
“However, as one door closes another opens. We are fortunate to bring in Kerr Gossman, a young talent in the game of sevens. Kerr has gained HSBC World Sevens Series experience in Australia, Dubai and South Africa so far this season.
“Because he is a direct replacement to Peter he will be presented with an opportunity to expand on that experience and contend for a starting position.
“With the new Scotland 7s strategy in place, which includes an identified squad, we have players readily available who have been training with the team and understand the concepts of the abbreviated game. Although losing a player is detrimental, we are able to bring in a replacement, able to perform to the best of their ability, at short notice.”
In the 2011/12 season, so far, Kerr Gossman was given his Scotland 7s debut and has travelled to Australia, Dubai and South Africa, scoring a try in each of the latter two competitions against UAE and Argentina respectively. He is also one of Scottish Rugby's Elite Development Players and plays his club rugby with Glasgow Hawks.

This article was originally posted on 2-Feb-2012, 20:55 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 2-Feb-2012, 20:57.