DJ Forbes says he is shocked at the timing of Ardie Savea's withdrawal from the New Zealand sevens squad.
Hurricanes loose forward Savea said on Sunday that he had changed his mind about representing Gordon Tietjens' team at the next two World Series tournaments in Paris and London, plus Rio, a revelation that has apparently caught everyone, including NZ Rugby and former teammate Forbes, by surprise.
"I was a little bit shocked - because of the timing," Forbes told Radio Sport yesterday.
"He's a good mate of mine - I've played sevens with him and 15s against him so I can only wish him the best. Obviously he's got different aspirations and probably wants to be a part of that All Black squad."
Forbes, speaking at a dawn service marking 100 days before the Olympics start, said he believed attitudes towards sevens would change after the sporting festival which starts on August 5.
NZ's Olympics sevens team isn't named until late June, but Forbes is a lock-in for it, just as Savea would have been.
"In terms of rugby in New Zealand, 15s is our national sport so [sevens] probably doesn't hold that prestige right now ... but as an Olympic sport, and definitely after this first one, I think that's going to change," Forbes said.
"As a sevens advocate who has been here for 10 years, I'd like to think that, in terms of prestige, an Olympic opportunity for any sport would have to be the highest of anyone's career."
Forbes, who gave up the captaincy this year to focus on his game, has been one of the most consistent players in Tietjens' squad. He is also the longest serving. Tietjens' decision to send him home after the Hong Kong tournament rather than attend the one in Singapore meant Forbes, who has played in 391 World Series sevens matches - a record - had to put another big milestone on hold.
One more tournament and he will be the longest-serving sevens player of all time. "I was stoked [to get the break] ... at the same time I wanted to be there because there are a few milestones to be broken."
