Former New Zealand sevens player Warwick Lahmert has taken the first step towards an unexpected Olympics dream with inclusion in the England squad for next week’s world series tournament in Wellington.
The former Horowhenua-Kapiti and Taranaki player played five games for New Zealand in the 2012-13 season before dropping out of Gordon Tietjens’ squad.
A shift to England has seen him find favour there with coach Simon Armor, gaining a sevens contract on the back of his talent and “great potential”.
Lahmert, who has a British mother, is able to make the instant switch because of a relaxation in eligibility rules in the year leading into the Olympics. He’ll need to play four tournaments to qualify for England selection for Rio and he’s underway with a homecoming of sorts.
He will line out against his old New Zealand mates in pool play in Wellington.
It’s likely he’ll hold his place for the following tournament in Las Vegas.
He is one of two new caps in the England squad for Wellington alongside Worcester Warriors’ James Stephenson as injuries hit.
England are without Dan Bibby, Sam Blanchet, Sam Stanley, Phil Burgess and Callum Wilson through injury while Dan Norton is absent on compassionate leave.
