Sam Dickson ruled out of the Olympics for All Black 7's
- 2097
The All Blacks Sevens have been hit with an injury blow on arrival to Tokyo with senior player Sam Dickson ruled out of the Olympics due to a hamstring injury sustained in training.
The All Blacks Sevens announced Dickson’s injury this afternoon, saying he picked it up in Townsville.
“We are absolutely gutted for Sam,” the team said on social media.
Travelling reserve forward Amanaki Nicole will replace Dickson in the Tokyo tournament.
The All Blacks Sevens also noted changes to the alternate replacement rule by the IOC will see William Warbrick and Tenika Willison being available to start in games.
“The amendment to the rules sees sevens’ teams able to pick from the 12 selected players and the alternative reserve in the starting 12 for each match in the tournament, whereas previously the travelling reserves were only able to be used as a permanent injury replacement,” the team said.
The men’s sevens team was welcomed to the athletes’ village in Tokyo this afternoon after training in Australia for the Games.
The men’s competition runs from next Monday 26 July until Wednesday 28 July with the All Blacks Sevens being drawn in a pool with Korea, Argentina and Australia
via via tvnz.co.za
