GAMES GOLDEN BOY TO LEAD EMERGING NEW ZEALAND SEVENS FOR HYPERION GOLD COAST SEVENS

Rugby 7s, November 9:One of the match winners who sank Australia's chances of Commonwealth Games gold will spearhead the Emerging New Zealand team named today for this weekend's Hyperion Gold Coast International Sevens at Albert Park.

First five-eighth Toby Arnold was one of coach Gordon Tietjens key play-makers in New Zealand's 24-17 gold medal winning match against Michael O'Connor's Australians in Delhi last month.

The four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallists and eight-time IRB World Champions will field a new-look team built around Arnold, 2009 New Zealand Sevens Player-of-the-Year Zar Lawrence and exciting Sevens star Soloman King.

Arnold is one of the most exciting players in Sevens Rugby and the experience of his Bay of Plenty team mate Lawrence and fellow IRB Sevens World Series player King will give Tietjens plenty of Sevens know-how.

Lawrence, although a shock omission from the star-studded Kiwi Sevens outfit for the Games, has been a regular member of the Tietjens' star-studded Kiwi Sevens Group since 2005.

King, who played in last year's World Series, has been touted as one of the most improved Sevens players in the country.

Emerging New Zealand, along with reigning IRB World Series champions Samoa and Michael O'Connor's Aussie Thunderbolts will be the major drawcards when the Sevens returns to the Gold Coast.

Australia, as the Aussie Thunderbolts, will head Pool C which also includes the Queensland Reds 7s, Davetalevu (Fiji), the Pacific MMI Rebels (Papua New Guinea) and Island Breeze (Fiji).

The Reds, coached by former Wallaby Paul Carozza, will feature Breakers star, former Australian Schoolboy Jarrad Butler and fellow Southport School, Queensland and Australian Schoolboy Simon Morahan, brother of Wallaby Luke Morahan.

Emerging New Zealand will top Pool B along with the NSW Junior Waratahs, Lloyd McDermott, Brisbane Nadroga Navosa and Sunnybank.

The Samoan Barbarians and defending champions South Sea Drifters will be joined in Pool A by Olex Taranaki Academy (NZ), the Gold Coast Breakers and the Aussie Legends, while in Pool D the Arabian Gulf Barbarians will be joined by the International Samurai, Southern Chiefs (PNG), Australian Maori (RL) and the Bombers from Warwick.

O'Connor will unveil a new-look 13-man squad, with three Delhi Commonwealth Games silver medallists, Bernard Foley, Ed Jenkins and Shaun Foley, head-lining the youthful group which will play its first tournament together on the Gold Coast.

The Hyperion Sevens will be the start of a key preparation ahead of Australia's assault on the 2010/2011 HSBC Sevens World Series, which swings into action in Dubai on 3-4 December before stops in South Africa, New Zealand, the US, Hong Kong, Australia, England and Scotland.

O'Connor, who is rebuilding his stable of talent after losing the majority of his top flight squad to Super Rugby, says the timing of back-to-back Sevens tournaments in his home state is perfect.

Samoa will send the most experienced team of any of the major Sevens playing nations, led by one of the world's finest Rugby Sevens players Simaika Mikaele who was a key player in Samoa's history-making IRB World Series Championship-winning team and will be one of the star attractions in the 20-team tournament.

But they were forced to make a late change when Taupo Sefo suffered a broken hand at training yesterday and he has been replaced by exciting under 20 World Championships fly-half Patrick Fa'apale.

Mikaele, a feared defender, will be joined by fellow IRB World Series stars, backs Alatasi Tupou and Reupena Levasa and forwards Pale Toelupe and Alafoti Fa'osilva.

All five played in this year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi alongside emerging players Apelu Fa'aiuga and Paul Chan Tung, who have also been named in the 12-man Gold Coast team.

Samoa finished out of the medals after being beaten by England in a tournament which saw New Zealand topple Australia to win their fourth Games gold.

HYPERION GOLD COAST INTERNATIONAL SEVENS TEAMS

MEN (20) - Samoa 7s Samoa Rugby Football Union, Emerging New Zealand New Zealand Rugby Football Union, Aussie Thunderbolts Australian Rugby Union, Arabian Gulf Barbarians Arabian Gulf Rugby Union, Queensland Reds 7s Queensland Rugby Union, NSW Jr Waratah 7s New South Wales Rugby Union, Taranaki Academy New Zealand, South Sea Drifters Fiji, International Samurais UK / New Zealand, PNG Southern Chiefs Papua New Guinea, Davetalevu Fiji, Pacific MMI Rebels Papua New Guinea, Lloyd McDermott Australia, Gold Coast Breakers Australia, Sunnybank Australia, Australian Maoris RL Australia, Brisbane Nadro Navosa, Island Breeze Australia, Bombers Australia/Fiji, Aussie Legends, Australia

WOMEN (8) - Eastsyde Brisbane Australia, Samurai International Australia, PNG Southern Chiefs Papua New Guinea, Sunnybank Women's Australia, Gold Coast Academy Australia, PNG Defence Women's Rugby Papua New Guinea, Sydney Uni Women's Australia, Wests Women's Bulldogs Australia

TICKETING INFORMATION - SAVE MONEY AND TIME - BUY ONLINE!

Beat the queues and pay less by securing your tickets online http://www.goldcoastsevens.com/

HYPERION VIP LOUNGE: Enjoy the fast, exciting action of some of the world's best 7s teams in the comfort of the Club House area. Premium viewing, private bar area, substantial finger food, big screen TV with all the action of a two-day Rugby carnival. Tickets are limited!
Single Day: $65
Two-day pass: $110

Concession - Pensioners and Full Time Students (aged, TPI, War Service Widow)12 years and under: FREE

Family:  2 adults, 2 juniors or 1 adult, 2 juniors

Dont Drive ... PARK AND RIDE...check website for service information (NB: Parking limited)

TICKETING PRICES

1 Day Pass
Adult pre sale	$15.00
Adult	$20.00
Conc / Student Pre sale	$10.00
Concession / Student	$15.00
Child under 12 yrs	Comp w/- paying adult
Pre sale Family (2A+2J)	$40.00
Family (2A+2J)	$45.00
2 Day Pass
Adult pre sale	$30.00
Adult	$40.00
Conc / Student Pre sale	$20.00
Concession / Student	$30.00
Child under 12 yrs	Comp w/- paying adult
Pre sale Family (2A+2J)	$65.00
Family (2A+2J)	$75.00