The Black Ferns Sevens are out to finish Niall Guthrie's [nee Williams] time in the team on a high with this weekend's tournament in Toulouse being her last before her code swap to NRLW.
Guthrie stunned fans last month after she announced a two-year deal with the Gold Coast Titans in NRLW; a deal that sees her swapping codes at the end of this month.
As such, this weekend's event in France will be her last after making her Black Ferns Sevens debut back in 2015.
"Niall has been a huge contributor for the Black Ferns Sevens and has proudly represented this team," coach Cory Sweeney said.
"We want to add to her memories in this jersey and wish her all the best for her next adventure."
Sweeney has named an experienced team for the campaign with New Zealand all-but-securing the title heading into the final event having won five consecutive legs after opening the calendar with a second-place finish in Dubai.
Should they make the quarter-finals, it would be enough to seal the deal with their 16-point lead over Australia but Sweeney said the team aren't getting ahead of themselves in chasing their first Series title since 2020.
"We've had a great couple of weeks of training here in France, alongside the French team. They have been amazing hosts and we are grateful we have had the opportunity to assist each other prepare for this weekend.
"We know our success to date, is credit to the whole squad and the roles each member has played. This weekend our challenge is to ensure we deliver a performance we are proud of and finish the season on a high."
The Black Ferns Sevens open their tournament against Poland at 9pm NZT tonight before taking on USA at 2:30am NZT on Saturday morning.
Black Ferns Sevens
Stacey Waaka, Niall Guthrie, Tyla Nathan-Wong, Kelly Brazier, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Alena Saili, Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Shiray Kaka, Sarah Hirini (C), Risaleaana Pouri-Lane, Mahina Paul, Jorja Miller
Unavailable for selection: Michaela Blyde, Terina Te Tamaki and Theresa Fitzpatrick.
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