New Zealand sevens rugby stalwart, DJ Forbes, will play in a record 80th World Series tournament in Dubai this weekend.
The 33 year-old's been a permanent fixture in the team for the past decade, and he said bringing up the milestone means a lot personally.
"Growing up you just want to get out there and play as hard as you can and as good as you can and treat each game as your last. For me to be here 11 years later and 80 tournaments down the track is pretty special," he said.
"It’s a really proud moment for my family and friends who have supported me along the way. It’s been a huge sacrifice for them to allow me to be here this long."
Forbes, whose debut was in 2006, is looking to create a strong culture with a bunch of fresh faces in the mix.
Under previous coach, Sir Gordon Tietjens, Forbes played a big-roll as captain and locker room leader, and he said it's important for himself and other senior members of the side to establish the balance between the 'old' and the 'new'.
The new-look New Zealand side will play Russia, Samoa and England in pool play beginning Friday night.
Newshub.
