NZ Set The Benchmark Says Teitjens

Far from being worried by the side's start to the 2008/09 IRB World Sevens Series, New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens puts it down to a by-product of their own success.

Having dominated last year's tournament, New Zealand are winless after the opening two rounds this year, losing in the semifinals in Dubai and the final of the George leg.

Next up is their home tournament, Wellington, at the beginning of February and Tietjens expects the standards to be just as high.

The great coach, who has been in charge of the New Zealand Sevens side for 15 years now, believes it was his side's dominance last season that has sparked the rise in standard this year.

Tietjens said that New Zealand set the benchmark and players and coaches from other teams have learnt a lot now and that is the main reason for the rise in standard this season.