New Zealand sevens team suffered a huge blow ahead of the Australia sevens tournament which starts today in Adelaide.

They have lost experienced player Lote Raikabula through injury.

Raikabula was injured in training yesterday and is replaced by young Leka Tupuola from Wellington.

With 33 tournaments under his belt, Raikabula is the most experienced member of New Zealand's wider Sevens squad, while Tupuola is their only player never to have experienced the World Series.

Coach Gordon Tietjens said it's a big loss to his side, as they are aiming to win in Adelaide for the first time.

But he said, New Zealand will try to extend their IRB World Sevens Series competition lead, and hold off surging Samoan and Fiji teams, both of whom have claimed one of the last two legs each.

New Zealand has a 14 point lead in the IRB World sevens Series points standings, but is closely followed by Samoa with 70 points and Fiji on 68 points.

While New Zealand set the early pace winning two from two in Dubai and South Africa, victories by Fiji in New Zealand and Samoa in the US has ensured that it will be far from a one horse race this season.