A predictable mixture of experience and exciting raw talent headlines the All Blacks Sevens first step in defending their World Series crown on the Gold Coast next week.

After a week of lung busting efforts in summer-like conditions at Mount Maunganui College coach Sir Gordon Tietjens has named his 12-strong squad featuring seven players from the side which won this year's Rugby World Cup Sevens and 10 from the side who played the 2012/13 HSBC Sevens World Series.

Belgium Tuatagaloa in action under the watchful eye of coach Sir Gordon Tietjens at Mount Maunganui College this week.

The usual names of captain DJ Forbes, Lote Raikabula and Tomasi Cama once again make the cut while exciting backs Joe Webber and Ambrose Curtis are given a chance to shine on the sevens circuit.

This means there is no room for Tauranga's Sam Gavigan who spent the week training with the squad.

For Webber it is his second appearance in the black jersey after playing seven tournaments in 2011/12. He was also a member of the 2013 Under 20s team and made his debut for Waikato in 2012.

Ambrose, a Wellington ITM Cup back, earns his first cap after trialling for the team last year. The 21-year-old has played ITM Cup this year and was a member of the 2012 Under 20s team.

'Ambrose is big, fast and strong and a great prospect for the future,” says Sir Titch.

'He hasn't played sevens at this level before, but he certainly has the skill set. He was unlucky not to make my squad last year, he had a shoulder injury, but he has come back strong and has played some great ITM Cup rugby for Wellington.”

'Joe Webber as grown has a rugby player and certainly matured. He has some wonderful skills, brilliant step, acceleration, fitness, he has got it all really so the future is in front of him and I am expecting big things from him because he oozes a lot of talent.”

Scott Curry also returns to the side after the disappointment of having to withdraw from the World Cup squad after sustaining an injury just before departure.

New Zealand faces a challenging first day at Gold Coast next Saturday, with pool games against USA, Tonga and Kenya on 12 October.

'There are no easy games in the pool in any tournament now.

"USA went close to beating us in Moscow and they are going to be tough. Tonga, like any Pacific Island team they can be tough and Kenya, we know who they can beat.

'It's our first tournament and we are a little underdone as some teams have already been playing in tournaments so that is the challenge for us is to get up and get into it early and we really need to start well.”

New Zealand Sevens squad: Tomasi Cama, Scott Curry, Ambrose Curtis, Sam Dickson, DJ Forbes (c), Mark Jackman, Tim Mikkelson, Waisake Naholo, Lote Raikabula, Sherwin Stowers, Belgium Tuatagaloa, Joe Webber.