James Mortimer    06.Apr.2012Getty Images

All Blacks could be tempted to try and gain selection in Gordon Tietjens Sevens squad that he selects in 2016, with the lure of an Olympic Gold medal an honour that some players might rate as high as a Rugby World Cup.

In the past Commonwealth Games Sevens squads have recruited All Blacks and Super Rugby players, providing they are able to match the gruelling fitness programmes that the legendary New Zealand Sevens’ mentor regularly puts his charges through.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said that the profile of Sevens had grown thanks to the heroics of New Zealand who have claimed four Commonwealth Games medals in a remarkable run.

"There's no doubt that seeing four teams go to Commonwealth Games and come back with gold medals has meant a lot to the image of the game and the status that sevens has," Tew said.

Mr Tew admitted that All Blacks and other players in the 15-man game would have to switch to the abbreviated version of rugby a long time in advance, especially considering the profile of the game when it re-enters the Olympics after a near century long hiatus.

"To be good at sevens you've got to be playing it and training for it. The ideal lead-in for a player if he wasn't already part of the sevens programme – you're probably looking at three or four months,” he said.