The Black Ferns Sevens will feature three new faces, including one from Bay of Plenty, and one impending milestone as they head away for their first two tournaments of the 2024/25 season.

Coach Cory Sweeney has selected Black Ferns winger Katelyn Vahaakolo, Justine McGregor and Olive Watherston as three debutants, while Dhys Faleafaga returns for her first SVNS Series tournaments since the birth of her twin boys.

Olive Watherston, 20, first came to the attention of sevens selectors as the youngest player selected for the 2021 Red Bull Ignite7 tournament. Born and raised in Central Otago, she has since relocated to the Bay of Plenty where she plays for the Volcanix in FPC and was contracted to the Chiefs Manawa for the 2024 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki season.

Katelyn Vahaakolo, 24, has taken the rugby world by storm since transitioning from rugby league in 2022. A member of the Auckland Storm and Blues, Vahaakolo was selected for the Black Ferns in 2023, making her debut against Australia in Brisbane. A standout season in the black jersey saw her earn the World Rugby Women’s Rookie of the Year.

Justine McGregor, 18, is the most recent school-girl sensation to graduate into the Black Ferns Sevens. McGregor finished up at St Mary’s College in Wellington last year. She made her debut for Wellington in the Farah Palmer Cup in 2022 as a 16-year-old and has two seasons of domestic rugby under her belt, while last year she was a member of the Black Ferns XV and the New Zealand Under 18 Girls Sevens team.

Veteran Kelly Brazier will run out for her 49th tournament in the black jersey in Dubai, with her milestone 50th tournament set to be the following weekend in Cape Town.

The team will be captained by Sarah Hirini, with Risaleaana Pouri-Lane as vice-captain, and eight players selected who won gold at the Olympics back in July. Sweeney said the squad is excited to get back onto the world stage.

“This is a new sunrise for this group. We have been really successful, but this is a blank canvas, and we want to try to play slightly differently. We are without some big names, but we have new energy, and everyone is ready to put their best foot forward.”

Speaking of the debutants, Sweeney said each of them brings unique qualities to the team.

“Justine has been with us for a year now, and while she hasn’t debuted, she has attended a number of international tournaments and she is really determined to take her opportunity.

“Olive was injured for a lot of the FPC but we saw a few weeks ago at the Sarah Hirini Cup she has amazing work rate, energy and a real relentlessness about her game; she’s an exciting talent.”

Thirteen-test Black Fern Katelyn Vahaakolo is set to debut in the absence of regular wingers Michaela Blyde and Stacey Waaka.

“Katelyn’s focus is the Rugby World Cup next year but it’s a perfect opportunity to bring her in, introduce her to the sevens environment and hopefully help her 15s pre-season. She is a strong learner, has huge energy and wants to know as much as she can. On the field she is strong, physical, fast, has great feet and can make a whole lot out of nothing,” Sweeney said.

The team departed New Zealand on Monday and will train in Abu Dhabi for the week.

The Black Ferns Sevens squad is: Kelly Brazier Dhys Faleafaga Jazmin Felix-Hotham Sarah Hirini (c) Justine McGregor (debut) Jorja Miller Manaia Nuku Mahina Paul Risaleaana Pouri-Lane (vc) Theresa Setefano Alena Saili Kelsey Teneti Katelyn Vahaakolo (debut) Olive Watherston (debut)

Unavailable for selection: Michaela Blyde (leave), Shiray Kaka (injury), Tysha Ikenasio (injury), Stacey Waaka (injury)