Dubai: New Zealand may have won all six IRB World Sevens Series to date but master coach Gordon Tietjens is itching to get his hands on the Emirates International Trophy for the first time since 2002.
The men in black continue to set exacting standards in the short form of the game, despite having to start each season with a new team dominated by promising youngsters.
And Tietjens says it is this new blood which keeps him coming back for more, even after over a decade at the very top.
He said: "Sevens is all about creating a good environment within the squad, something which the players want to be a part of and where they can express themselves.
"We do set the benchmark and we are aware that a lot of teams copy us because so many of the games are now on TV and taped. But that makes us try even harder."
Tietjens also took the chance to quash reports that he is set to stand down after the Commonwealth Games in March before admitting that the loss of Orene Ai'I from his squad was a major blow.
England, Dubai winners a year ago, are also in a rebuilding phase but can still call on the considerable talents of all-time IRB Series leading points scorer Ben Gollings and captain fantastic Simon Amor as well as the returning Henry Paul.
Coach Mike Friday said: "It's going to be very difficult as there are a lot of good teams around right now."
And as well as New Zealand and Fiji, he believes that South Africa are set to pose a real threat this year.
"They have a very balanced squad which has been settled for 12 months and they're going to be well drilled," added Friday.
Off the field, Emirates are already looking to the future of a tournament which is 20 per cent bigger than a year ago and which has tripled in size since 2001.
Gary Chapman, President of Dnata and Associated Companies, Emirates Group, said: "We can do more, but I don't think it's too much more.
"We want to retain the special atmosphere we have with the way the crowd can co-mingle and walk around the ground. We will see what we can add in terms of size next year, but it is becoming a challenge."
