Visa delay grounds All Blacks Sevens coach for North American leg
NEWS: A visa delay has forced All Blacks Sevens coach Tomasi Cama to remain in New Zealand while his squad travels to the upcoming World Series tournaments in Vancouver and New York.
New Zealand Rugby confirmed Cama will not accompany the team after being advised that his visa application would not be processed in time for departure. The squad is due to leave on Tuesday.
The setback is an awkward one for NZ Rugby, particularly as it continues efforts to grow the All Blacks brand in the northern hemisphere and especially in the United States.
While the senior All Blacks side remains the flagship product, including a scheduled Test against the Springboks in Baltimore on September 12, sending the Sevens team abroad without its head coach is far from ideal optics.
The Vancouver tournament takes place on March 7-8, followed by New York the next weekend.
In Cama’s absence, assistant coach Willie Rickards will step up as acting head coach, with Scott Curry serving as his assistant for the two events.
The development comes during a period of significant transition within NZ Rugby.
The organisation is still searching for a permanent chief executive after Mark Robinson’s departure at the end of December, despite announcing mid-last year that he would step down. Steve Lancaster is currently serving as interim CEO.
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