Samoa and Japan lifted the intensity at Blake Park yesterday as they continue their Mount Maunganui training camps ahead of the Wellington Sevens next weekend.
The Japanese team wanted some physical contact in a game situation and they got plenty of that from the eager Samoan squad, who don't mind hitting hard in the tackles.
Both teams have strong Bay of Plenty links.
Samoa are coached by Sir Gordon Tietjens with Japan under former Steamers backs Damian Karauna (head coach) and Steve Miln (assistant coach).
Bay of Plenty sevens rep Danny Kayes is the latest connection with the talented ball runner called into the Samoan squad following the Bayleys National Sevens held in Rotorua last weekend.
Tietjens is delighted how his young, raw squad is progressing since they assembled in Mount Maunganui.
"The shifts in the last three weeks we have been in New Zealand have been certainly huge in the sense of how they have got a lot fitter, they have adapted to the intensity," he said.
"Since the tournament here [Bay of Plenty Provincial Sevens] I have seen a massive improvement and remember all these guys are off the island except for two, which is really positive.
"Japan today is all about pushing for a spot to go to Wellington and that is the drive for them. Again if they can keep the intensity up and work as hard as they have been and make these shifts, then they will be a team to be a threat on the World Series."
Tietjens is back doing what he loves most after finishing up as All Blacks Sevens coach following last year's Rio Olympics.
"I suppose 22 years of expectation's been lifted off my shoulders. I am looking to move Samoa up the ladder and get them to be a real force back in sevens rugby.
"They have lost a lot of ground to be fair but promoting the talent from inside the island is the pleasing part from my perspective. I'm energised. I want to see them improve and I am seeing little steps, one at a time."
For Miln, rekindling his Japanese language skills has been one challenge after he spent 15 years playing and coaching rugby in Japan from 1990 to 2005.
"At the moment we have quite a young group and quite an inexperienced group because the Top League and Microsoft Imagine Cup in Japan are still going. So we are waiting for that to finish up so we can get a few more players available," Miln said.
"The group we have are doing a really good job. We are yet to get that [World Series leg] win but we are working hard on that. Wellington hasn't helped us with the draw but we just have to keep working hard on developing the group into reasonably good players."
For Mount Maunganui local Kayes, 21, playing international sevens has been a long held ambition - it was just a matter of whether it was in a black or blue jersey.
"The World Series has always been a goal, whether that was for New Zealand or Samoa," he said.
"I have been brought into games with New Zealand before they have headed off so have been exposed to their camp but with Titch moving to Samoa that has opened up a few other opportunities."
PHOTO/JOHN BORREN :Former Steamers player and Japan assistant coach Steve Miln at Japan training at Blake Park yesterday.