All Blacks target Sevens record

New Zealand can become the first team to win the same leg of the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series for a fourth consecutive time when the South African round takes place in Port Elizabeth.

No other team has achieved this feat since the tournament started in 1999.

England won the Hong Kong leg from 2002 to 2004 and New Zealand retained the title at home from 2003 to 2005, but in South Africa they'll gun for their fourth.

The Kiwis will also want to recover from their 26-15 defeat agains Samoa in last week's Dubai final.

"You've got 16 pretty tough teams now; there's no easy games," said coach Gordon Tietjens ahead of Saturday's start.

He was less than pleased with the draw that put them in a pool featuring first leg winners Fiji-- who triumphed in Australia -- England and Scotland, which he called "ridiculous".

Each side plays its three opponents once with pool winners and runners-up advancing to the Cup quarter-finals Saturday when there will also be Plate, Bowl and Shield silverware up for grabs.

AFP