The two-day national tournament will enable him to seek new talent for the Wellington leg of the series on February 1-2 as well as check out the fitness of his regulars, including his captain DJ Forbes and Edwin Cocker, who plays for three-time national champions Auckland, now coached by Eric Rush.

Canterbury, last year's beaten finalists, will be captained by another regular -- Steven Yates -- while Tafai Ioasa will be hoping to prove his fitness as Hawke's Bay captain after suffering a knee injury on the eve of the Dubai tournament.

Solomon King (Bay of Plenty), Israel Dagg (Hawke's Bay), Tomasi Cama, Lote Raikabula (Manawatu), Rene Ranger (Northland), Tim Mikkelson, James Kamana (Waikato), Nigel Hunt and Victor Vito (Wellington) will also be out to retain their places in the team.

Samoan sevens captain Uale Mai will join Hunt, Vito and All Black halfback Piri Weepu, who missed the World cup, in the Wellington squad, while Mikaele Pesamino, the leading try scorer in last season's international series, will play for Auckland.

Siaosi Tuatao captained Tonga to the Pacific sevens title in December and will turn out for Counties-Manukau and could come face to face with his

national teammate Sione Tuitavake when they meet Northland in pool D.

Counties Manukau have also named Cook Island player Koiatu Koiatu in their squad.

The Cook Islands will face Fiji, England and Wales in pool B at the Wellington tournament.

The national tournament will feature former All Black fullback and sevens star Christian Cullen as a guest.

Past guests have included Jonah Lomu and Tana Umaga.

Southland are in pool D alongside Counties Manukau, Manawatu and Northland.

While all three of those teams have a better sevens pedigree than Southland, Grant Dermody's team was one of the surprise packages in Queenstown last year.

This year's team includes plenty of pace with Mark Wells, Kenny Lynn and Pehi Te Whare, along with talented youngsters Robert Robinson, John Hardie and Thomas Bird.

Otago face Auckland, Waikato and Horowhenua Kapiti.