The New Zealand rugby sevens team had another nightmare weekend with injuries wrecking their chances in the latest round of the World Series in Cape Town.
All Blacks Sevens stand-in skipper DJ Forbes walks off dejectedly after losing to Argentina Photo: Photosport
The All Blacks Sevens were beaten 22-19 by Argentina in the Cup quarter-finals and then lost 28-14 to the United States in the Plate semi-final.
The New Zealanders today finished with just seven fit players.
Following on from Dubai last week where they lost five players to injury, coach Gordon Tietjens suffered another four injuries this weekend.
Declan O'Donnell requires surgery on a knee and will be out for up to six months, while Joe Weber faces six weeks on the sideline with a knee injury.
DJ Forbes suffered a calf injury, Sam Dickson was ill and Issac Te Tamaki was suspended.
After Dubai last weekend and now Cape Town, Tietjens has lost a dozen players and said he had never experienced anything like it before.
"The nature of the injuries suggests it was bad luck, you know we've got knee injuries, arm injuries, every type of injury, shoulder injuries as well."
"Losing six players in Dubai was really disappointing and then to basically to lose another six here was just incredible really. Never had it like it in the entire time that I've coached the All Blacks Sevens team but it is what it is and you have to get on with it."
South Africa won the Cape Town tournament, beating Argentina 29-14 in the final.
So after two rounds Fiji and South Africa top the standings, while New Zealand are 10 points back in seventh place.
All Black Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens Photo: Photosport
