February 2 - Sean Horan (pictured) has been appointed to the newly created role of head coach of the New Zealand women's sevens team as the Black Ferns step up their quest to secure Olympic gold when the sport features at the Rio 2016 Games.

Horan has vast experience in the sport, having coached the Bay of Plenty Steamers in the ITM Cup for the past three seasons following a spell as assistant coach with the Chiefs' development team.

He has also had resource coaching jobs with the Black Ferns but will now play a central role as they target the Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow in 2013 before setting their sights on the Rio 2016 Olympics.

"We are starting this programme with a blank canvas which will be incredibly exciting and challenging at the same time," said Horan.

"The Black Ferns have proven that this country produces world-class women's Rugby players and I am excited about the prospect of identifying talented female athletes and developing potential Olympians."

Since it was announced in October 2009 that Rugby Sevens would be an Olympic Sport in 2016, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has been working on Olympic campaign plans for both the men's and women's games with an aim to win gold medals.

Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ) investment has allowed the creation of the full time women's sevens head coach position that Horan has taken up as well as 14 regional sevens resource coaches to assist in the implementation of the women's Olympic campaign.

NZRU general manager of professional rugby Neil Sorensen said Horan had the right mix of skills to develop the women's sevens game in the country.

"Sean had a great season with the Steamers last year, seeing them finish a credible fourth in a very tight ITM Cup Premiership, and has proven he is a quality coach," he said.

"His aim now is to build an identification and development programme for women's sevens in New Zealand and this will be a great chance for him, a young coach, to really get stuck in and make his mark in what is an exciting time for sevens rugby."

As part of the national women's sevens development programme, NZRU high performance staff will travel to 14 Provincial Unions in 2012 looking for talented female athletes who want the chance to be a part of the programme.

By Tom Degun

Source: www.insidethegames.biz