IRB Sevens- NZ name powerful team aiming at another title.

Lote Raikabula has been included in the New Zealand Sevens 12-man squad for the final two legs of the 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series in London on 22-23 May and Edinburgh a week later.

Gordon Tietjens welcomes back Raikabula, one of his key quartet alongside captain DJ Forbes, Zar Lawrence and Tomasi Cama, to a side that are still in the hunt for the Series title, sitting just three points behind Samoa.

Sherwin Stowers and Solomon King also return to the squad after recovering from injuries, the latter making his first appearance of the season for New Zealand.

Despite having missed the last two legs in Adelaide and Hong Kong with an ankle injury, Stowers remains New Zealand's joint top try scorer this season with 20, alongside Kurt Baker.

Tietjens, who has coached New Zealand to the title in eight of the 10 World Series to date, will travel to Europe in confident mood having been able to field his strongest squad for the last final tournaments of the season.  "It's great to have Lote, Solomon and Sherwin back into the mix and have a fully fit team. All the players know they really have to dig deep and lift our game for these next two tournaments if we want overtake Samoa and win the Series," he said.

Taranaki teenager Beauden Barrett will have a double reason to celebrate as he makes his New Zealand Sevens debut and also celebrates his 19th birthday while away with the team.

Last year New Zealand lost in a dramatic Emirates Airline London Cup final against hosts England in sudden death extra time and anything better in 2010 will definitely see them leapfrog Samoa into top spot heading into the final leg in Scotland a week later.

New Zealand will face RWC Sevens champions Wales, Portugal and Kenya in the pool stages at Twickenham, before taking on recently announced Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 hosts Russia, Italy and South Africa in Edinburgh.

New Zealand Sevens team for London and Edinburgh: Kurt Baker, Beauden Barrett, Tomasi Cama, DJ Forbes, Solomon King, Tim Mikkelson, Zar Lawrence, Lote Raikabula, Ben Souness, Toby Arnold, Sherwin Stowers, Save Tokula.

Source: IRB.com