New Zealand Sevens skipper Eric Rush believes his side have a huge task ahead to successfully defend their Commonwealth Games crown.

Fresh from completing a hat-trick of World Sevens Series titles, Gordon Tietjens side arrive in Manchester as favourites for the prestigious Games title.

"There are going to be some tough sides," Rush said. "England and Australia are very good sides. Fiji will have top side so will be very dangerous, and of course South Africa.

"Argentina and France are the only two top teams not there so it's going to be a tough, tough tournament.

"Anyway, I prefer to be the underdog and I think Fiji are the favourites," he added.

Now virtually a full-time Sevens player, Rush has struggled with injuries to his knee and hand this season.

And while he is not contemplating retirement just yet, the 37-year-old would dearly love to claim a second Commonwealth gold to round off a difficult season for him personally.

"The World Series crown was a goal for us but the Commonwealth Games is a big carrot," he said.

"It is the same for everyone. We've already won one gold medal and it was bloody good and it would be nice to win another."

Tietjens has recalled Roger Randell and Bruce Reihana to defend the title they won in 1998 plus Mils Muliana, who was a try-scorer in the 2001 World Cup final.

Tietjens believes the inclusion of Randell and Reihana, who joins Northampton in November, gives his squad the ideal balance.

"It was one of the most difficult jobs I've ever done, and the call on Dallas was real tough," he said.

"He was understandably devastated. Dallas has been a real servant of Sevens over the years and was one of the unluckiest to miss out."

But the 47-year-old added: "It is a pretty good side and the players I've named are worthy of a place. There's a lot of hard work ahead, especially with the guys who haven't been involved much this year with Sevens.

"I've looked at what we've achieved in Sevens and the way different players have coped with the pressures, particularly in Argentina when we were performing in front of tens of thousands of people.

"Everyone that trialled would make an international side somewhere but I'm satisfied I've got the fittest and best team available to me."