The country’s leading female sevens exponents have been selected for the upcoming Red Bull Ignite7.
The 52 players will spend the next month preparing and will be drafted into teams on 30 November, before the tournament is played at Blake Park in Tauranga on 5-6 December.
Black Ferns Sevens coaches Allan Bunting and Cory Sweeney have selected all of their contracted players along with several stars of the Farah Palmer Cup and emerging sevens talent.
Sweeney said this was a unique opportunity to get the best sevens players from across New Zealand for an exciting tournament.
“We believe with the players who have been selected that this tournament has the potential to be World Class.
“Many of these players were involved in the Farah Palmer Cup which was a great competition this year. We look forward to them stepping things up a notch as they turn their focus to sevens and ultimately the preparation for next year’s Olympics.
“It’s quite unique that the pressure now turns to the captains who will have the difficult task of picking their teams at the draft,” said Sweeney.
All former Red Bull Ignite7 MVPs return for 2020, with Isla Norman Bell, Kalyn Takitimu-Cook, Mererangi Paul, Renee Holmes and Grace Kukatai selected.
Seven 2018 Youth Olympic Gold medallists will be amongst those in the draft with Takitimu-Cook, Risi Pouri-Lane, Mahina Paul, Tynelle Fitzgerald, Tiana Davison and Montessa Tairakena in the selected group.
2019 Condor Sevens MVP Jorja Miller steps up, after leading for Christchurch Girls’ High School to a national title last year she is one of four school-girls that will join the programme as apprentices for the week.
The Red Bull Ignite7 players for 2020 are:
| Mia Anderson | Waikato | Isla Norman-Bell | Auckland |
| Shakira Baker | Waikato | Manaia Nuku | Waikato |
| Michala Blyde | Bay of Plenty | Mahina Paul | Bay of Plenty |
| Kelly Brazier | Bay of Plenty | Mererangi Paul | Bay of Plenty |
| Gayle Broughton | Taranaki | Risi Pouri-Lane | Bay of Plenty |
| Sam Curtis | Canterbury | Cheyelle Robins-Reti | Waikato |
| Georgia Daals | Wellington | Leanna Ryan | Waikato |
| Tiana Davison | Taranaki | Layla Sae | Manawatu |
| Princess Elliott | Auckland | Alena Saili | Bay of Plenty |
| Dhys Faleafaga | Wellington | Teuila Sotutu | Auckland |
| Lyric Faleafaga | Wellington | Kiki Tahere | Bay of Plenty |
| Rhiarna Ferris | Manawatu | Montessa Tairakena | Waikato |
| Tynelle Fitzgerald | Bay of Plenty | Kalyn Takitimu-Cook | Manawatu |
| Theresa Fitzpatrick | Auckland | Ruby Tawa | Bay of Plenty |
| Stacey Fluhler | Waikato | Terina Te Tamaki | Waikato |
| Sarah Hirini | Manawatu | Kelsey Teneti | Waikato |
| Renee Holmes | Waikato | Shyanne Thompson | Counties Manukau |
| Jazmin Hotham | Waikato | Alanis Toia-Tigafua | North Harbour |
| Tysha Ikenasio | Auckland | Hazel Tubic | Counties Manukau |
| Maia Joseph | Otago | Rebekah Tufuga | Manawatu |
| Shiray Kaka | Waikato | Leianne Tufuga | Auckland |
| Rosie Kelly | Otago | Ruby Tui | Counties Manukau |
| Grace Kukutai | Auckland | Janna Vaughn | Manawatu |
| Crystal Mayes | Manawatu | Olive Watherston | Otago |
| Jorja Miller | Canterbury | Tenika Willison | Waikato |
| Tyla Nathan-Wong | Northland | Portia Woodman | Northland |
Pictured above Tyla Nathan-Wong
