Sevens team's family tour

MOST rugby union Sevens teams leave their nearest and dearest at the airport when they fly interstate or overseas to compete.

NT Sevens Team Playing in Perth

MOST rugby union Sevens teams leave their nearest and dearest at the airport when they fly interstate or overseas to compete.

But not the Colliecrew squad.

When the team heads to Perth tomorrow to make their Sevens debut outside of Darwin, player-coach Damien Collie will be accompanied by two brothers, a nephew, his mother and his wife.

But the members of Damien's immediate family are not there to go sightseeing - they all have valuable jobs to carry out.

His mother Daphine Whakaue is the team manager while his wife Meegan is the assistant manager.

Brothers Kurt Collie-Whakaue and Nicholas Skinnon are key players in the squad along with his nephew Jaden Taniwha.

The Collie-Whakaues hail from Wellington at the southern end of New Zealand's North Island.

"Kurt and I have been in Darwin for about 20 years so we had not seen the others for about 20 years until they move here recently," Damien said.

The youngest member of the squad is 17-year-old Jimi Harris, from the Palmerston Crocs.

Damien is hoping the appearance of the Colliecrew squad from Darwin in Saturday's Cockburn Sevens could be the start of something bigger and international.

"We are looking at a Bali competition so the Cockburn Sevens is a bit of a stepping stone," Damien said.

The squad: Frank Jennings (c), Robert Butcher, Kalaveti Rosova (University Pirates), Kurt Collie-Whakaue, Damien Collie, Nicholas Skinnon, Jimi Harris, Torian Ambrose, Anthony Smith, Chuck Norris, Jaden Taniwha (Palmerston), Jacob Rainger (South Darwin); Manager: Daphine Whakaue; Assistant manager: Meegan Collie.