Core values matter as new-look All Blacks Sevens look to future

New Zealand bade farewell to 251 international tournaments, 17 HSBC SVNS titles, four World Cups, four Commonwealth golds, and two Olympic silvers when Tim Mikkelson, Scott Curry and Sam Dickson all retired earlier this month.

In doing so – with one last haka from their teammates ringing in their bones – the trio brought down the curtain on three of the most dedicated and decorated careers in the jersey. 

Coupled with the departure of young guns Moses Leo, Payton Spencer, Leroy Carter, Che Clark, Tepaea Cook-Savage and Fehi Fineanganofo, it is all change for the All Blacks Sevens, who come into the Series after disappointment at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

But, while Dickson acknowledges, “it’ll be very different without three old, grumpy grandads around,” a strong core remains and there is plenty of young talent ready to step up.

“There’s still a group of 10 or 12 boys who are really experienced but still at the top of their game,” he said. “It’s almost a perfect storm for Tomasi [Cama] to rebuild with a decent amount of experience to help these real fresh teenagers coming through. 

“Regan Ware, Amanaki Nicole and Aquila Rokolisoa are out for Dubai which has forced Tomasi to pick these young boys. It’s a new cycle – no big pinnacles coming up. It’s the right time for change.”

The rigours of more than a decade at the top have taken their toll on Dickson’s body. He was hoping to play XVs overseas but a brief stint for home club Canterbury post-Olympics brought the realisation that his body is no longer up to the physicality that hallmarked his career. 

History of heartbreak

A bulged disk causes him to lose feeling in his left arm when impacted in the wrong manner, meaning that he’s now unable to see through a full 80 minutes. There’s no doubt the Olympic dream kept him going in his latter seasons but it’s one that he and New Zealand have a heartbreaking history with.

“[In] Commonwealth Games, I had a lot of success – but the Olympics, every time it came round, it just didn’t seem to go my way. I made it to Rio despite doing my ACL three months beforehand. 

“I was lucky to get into that team, and even there I did my AC joint, cut my head open – and, obviously, we didn’t win, which was very disappointing.

“Tokyo in 2020 when the tournament was meant to be, we were really hitting our straps, peaking at the right time. Covid then delayed it until 2021 and we didn’t get back to our best and I tore my hammy just before we left.

“Then again, in 2023, the year before Paris we absolutely ripped up, made seven finals, won five but again probably peaked a year early. I was captain that season, but then [head coach] Clark Laidlaw moved on to the Hurricanes, and the new coaches had other ideas and it didn’t work out for me even though I felt I could have still gone and performed.

“You gotta take your hat off to South Africa [who eliminated New Zealand men’s sevens squad in Paris]. Our boys just dropped too many balls. South Africa D’d up hard and I think the pressure got to us. It’s a bit of a hoodoo, the old Olympics.”

Fierce challenge

With a career spanning a dozen years that started in the golden reign of Sir Gordon ‘Titch’ Tietjens, there’s little Dickson hasn’t seen. In his mind, the HSBC SVNS competition is fiercer than it’s ever been.

“For the first four years of my career, we’d have one pool game every event where we’d put 40-50 points on a team, but now it’s so rare. 

“Canada [who were relegated last year] were a great example. Even though they were at the bottom of the rankings, they pushed us so hard each time and now there’s only 12 teams, it makes it so much harder.

“Uruguay and Kenya are back this year so can’t see it getting any easier! I’m looking forward to seeing the return of Kenya.”

The quality all-court player the sport is producing is also at an all-time high.

“For me the physicality and breakdown has gone through the roof. Players weren’t necessarily that technically proficient in terms of body positioning and jackalling back in the day, but now every player on the field is a threat. 

“Aerially, players are so good now, too. Taking the ball high above your head used to be a rarity, but now there’s three or four players in each team that specialise.

“Fitness, too. When I started, that was our point of difference especially when we were playing 10-minute halves in the finals. ‘Titch’ drilled us into the ground but since it became an Olympic sport, teams have caught up on the professionalism around conditioning, but also mindset.”

Generation next

So, what about the next generation of All Blacks Sevens would-be world beaters?

“Oli Matthis, 18 years old, straight out of Hamilton Boys, he’s going to be really exciting. He played New Zealand Schools at seven, but when it came to NPC for Waikato they had so many injuries he ended up on the wing, so he’s a flanker that’s so fast and elusive he can play wing at the top level! I can already see him running in tries at Dubai.

“There’s also Joe Taumateine – an absolute beast! 6ft 4in, close to 110kg, a real power athlete playing prop, so looking forward to seeing him hanging out wide on the second phase in space, running down the wing, or over people – it’ll be cool to watch.”

For the first time in 12 years, Dickson isn’t packing his silver fern embroidered kit bag. But he will be in boots at The Sevens Stadium in a coaching capacity, hoping to help the Tropics 7s to success in the Open Invitational. It is one of the many sub-elite tournaments surrounding the main event that makes Dubai so unique.

“I always loved Dubai,” he said of the tournament at which he made his international sevens debut. “A lot of the time we didn’t have our best team, losing a few to a punishing pre-season, but it sets the tone for the Series and I love the party atmosphere, not to mention the hotel and food!”

He harbours ambitions to coach internationally and when pressed on the best he played with, he reserves (after long and agonised deliberation) the highest praise for head coach Cama.

“I played with so many boys who were hard as nails and absolute warriors with unreal skill, but Tomasi had everything. 

“His game knowledge was probably the best in the world. His mentality around relentlessness and repeated efforts was just as good as anyone and he had leadership. He played every minute of every game. I could easily name another 15 who’d be right up there with him, but it has to be Tomasi.”

Off the field, it’s clear Joe Webber isn’t afraid of a good time, with his energy and ability to bring the team together lauded by Dickson as an invaluable quality that’s brought him a lot of laughs circumnavigating the SVNS globe.

Luckily for New Zealand, both Cama and Webber remain and will be integral to the All Blacks Sevens renaissance.

Argentinian and French blue were the new colours last season, but SVNS history tells us All Black rarely stays out of fashion long. Dickson, Mikkelson and Curry have all retired, but their legacy will be forever woven into the fabric of the All Blacks Sevens jersey, starting with those shirts donned for the first time this weekend in Dubai.