Manu Samoa sing the anthem before their test against Scotland at the weekend.
Photo: AFP
Players with eligibility for more than one country can switch their allegiance by participating in Olympic qualifying events provided they have a passport for the second country and have completed a stand down period of three years.
World Rugby s rules otherwise prevent players from representing more than one country at senior level.
Lakapi Samoa s General Manager of High Performance, Seumanu Douglas Ngau Chun, said they ve had discussions with some high-profile players who are keen to pull on the blue jersey. For us, I think we ve got a couple of interested former All Blacks that are keen to use this opportunity to switch allegiance back to us.
Underdog Tag For Our Olympic Champions? Although these players have played in the World Sevens Series but they still need to time to adapt to the sevens game, which is of a faster pace compared to fifteens. by leone cabenatabua
10 May 2021 10:00 Fijian 7s training squad members Livai ikanikoda and Alasio Naduva (with ball) during training. Photo: Much of Life
2021-05-11
What are we to lose if our Fijian men’s 7s team go in as underdogs to the Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan from July 23 to August 8?
Nothing, but there have been many factors that were beyond our control, which had affected our campaign in defend
RNZ
A top epidemiologist is urging the International Olympic Committee it s not too late to call the Games off while we hear from Olympic silver medallist Sarah Walker on why the Games must go ahead.
Bring on the Aussies. With New Zealand s sevens teams, the All Blacks sevens and the Black Ferns sevens, returning to the international stage against Australia in an Olympic warm-up event on May 21-23 in Auckland, each takes a major step towards July’s Tokyo Olympics after the Covid-19 pandemic obliterated their calendar last year. Neither team has played an international fixture since the World Sevens Series, which has travel at its core, shut down last March, but the tantalising prospect of an Olympic gold medal is on the horizon, Covid-19 permitting.
The Fiji Times » NZ sevens teams long-awaited comeback ahead of the Olympics fijitimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fijitimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
There was a similar format when the Kiwi teams played in Wellington in April, with matches at Hataitai Park, then at Sky Stadium either side of the Super Rugby Aotearoa fixture between the Hurricanes and the Crusaders. The Auckland tournament is important for both nations as they step up preparations for Tokyo and there will be a rematch of the 2016 Rio Olympics final when Australia’s women’s team broke the hearts of the Black Ferns sevens to win gold. It will also be the first opportunity for the men s Super Rugby players, if they decide to chase Olympic gold, to get reacquainted with sevens after months of 15-a-side rugby.