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Super future awaits Halai

Super future awaits Halai

02/05/2012 07:54:15 PM

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New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens does not expect to have the services of powerful Waikato winger Frank Halai for many more campaigns.

Halai, 23, was the star of the show for New Zealand as they retained their Wellington Sevens crown on Saturday night to move three points clear at the top of the HSBC Sevens World Series standings after four rounds.

Halai is leading the series try count with 24 after scoring six during two days of intense competition in the capital.

The Tonga-born player's power and pace was one of the key differences between New Zealand and the other sevens powerhouses Fiji, England and South Africa.

He scored the decisive try in extra-time against England to set up the final showdown with Fiji and bagged a brace as he outpaced and outmuscled the Pacific Islanders in the 24-7 victory.

"I'm really staggered I've still got him," admitted Tietjens. "He did the same for me last year as well to win a world series.

"He is a magnificent footballer. He's about 110kg and ran a 14 in a beep test which is tremendous for a young Tongan boy who is 23.

"I'm just staggered he can't make a (Super Rugby) wider training group."

Tietjens continued: "It's just his ability to beat players one on one. He has a great fend and he's really quick.

"For someone so young he offers so much. Sevens is his game at the moment but he can play equally well in fifteens, I've seen him do it.

"As long as he's not wanted by the Super Rugby teams I'll certainly have him any time."

Highlanders wing Hosea Gear, who was used as an impact player off the bench by Tietjens, was equally as impressed by his young Sevens team-mate.

"I've been watching him for the last couple of years and I'm surprised he's not in that (Super Rugby) sort of set up yet," he said.

"After (Saturday) he's shown that he's capable of stepping up. Even training with him I'm pretty confident that he'll be there one day."

New Zealand leave for Las Vegas and the fifth leg of the world series on Monday.

Gear is returning to the Highlanders and will be replaced by Taranaki's Waisake Naholo.

Tietjens is yet to announce a replacement for Toby Arnold, who seriously injured his knee in the opening game against Scotland and is likely to be out of rugby for up to nine months.

Kylem O'Donnell, part of New Zealand's Sevens 15-strong contracted squad, shapes as the player most likely to come in.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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