New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens will be without five of his key players from last season as he embarks on the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series.
The quintet - Sherwin Stowers, Fritz Lee, Save Tokula, Julian Savea and Kurt Baker - have all earned Super 15 contracts for the coming season after impressing on the World Series.
Stowers has been signed by the Blues, Lee and Tokula will play for the Chiefs, World Junior Player of the Year Savea has signed for the Hurricanes and try-machine Kurt Baker joins the influx into the Highlanders squad.
The players' success in securing contracts further underlines the factory line of talent which Tietjens turns over each year.
In recent seasons the likes of Rene Ranger, Isaia Toeava, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Tim Nanai-Williams, Hosea Gear, Cory Jane, Victor Vito, Israel Dagg, Kendrick Lynn, Ben Smith, Alando Soakai and Adam Thomson have all graduated from his Sevens outfit, while even before them the likes of Ma’a Nonu, Rodney So’oialo, Jo Rokocoko, Eric Rush and Jonah Lomu all used Sevens as a springboard.
Following New Zealand's well-documented success, Australia have adopted a similar approach under Robbie Deans, who works closely in talent identification with the country's Sevens coach Michael O'Connor.
In the past few seasons the likes of James Kingi, James O'Connor and Luke Morahan have all stepped from the Sevens straight into contracts and Wallaby tours.
More recently, half back James Stannard has led the charge of Sevens graduates from last season's squad, followed by the likes of Liam Gill, Dominic Shipperley, Ed Quirk, Pat McCutcheon, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Ed Stubbs and Nick Phipps.
