New Zealand's hopes of retaining their World Sevens Series crown have been strengthened by the inclusion of six Super 12 players in a 17-man training squad to prepare for the final two rounds of the circuit at the end of this month.

New Zealand currently leads the series with 122 points, four ahead of Australia and 18 clear of Fiji. Tournament victories are worth 20 points, four more than second place. The two remaining tournaments are in London on May 27 and 28 and Cardiff on June 2 and 3.

The early exit of New Zealand sides from the Super 12 has allowed Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens to consider former Sevens stars Amasio Valence, Malili Muliaina, Justin Wilson and Dallas Seymour, as well as Jared Going and Hayden Reid who were both drafted into Super 12 teams during this season.

Valence and Muliaina were both members of New Zealand's World Cup-winning side in Argentina in January while Wilson and Seymour were regular members of last year's world series-winning squad. Valence and Seymour also played in the first two rounds of this year's series.

Further encouraging news for Tietjens is that speedsters Rico Gear and Dan Parkinson have both recovered from hamstring injuries while impressive young forward Johnny Leo'o is back in the frame after a three-week stand-down for a concussion suffered in Tokyo.

The 17-man squad will assemble in Rotorua on Tuesday morning and will be cut to 10 before departing for England on Monday, May 21.

The squad is: Amasio Valence, Malili Muliaina, Craig de Goldi, Justin Wilson, Mana Ashford (all Auckland), Ross Martin, Donovan Nepia (Bay of Plenty), Johnny Leo'o, Jason Tiatia, Dallas Seymour (Canterbury), Rico Gear, Karl Te Nana (North Harbour), Jared Going (Northland), Dan Parkinson, Hayden Reid (Otago), Chris Masoe (Taranaki), Damian Karauna (Waikato).