Turner headlines Aussie challenge
Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:19
Lachie Turner seems pretty happy with his call-up. (c) Gallo
Wallabies winger Lachie Turner will head Australia's charge for Sevens gold in Delhi, after winning selection in coach Michael O'Connor's 12-man Commonwealth Games squad.
Turner joins Super 14 Rookie of the Year Pat McCabe, Western Force winger Nick Cummins and Wallabies 2009 spring tourist Luke Morahan as four fresh faces in the Games team among seasoned Sevens campaigners who competed during the recent IRB Sevens World Series.
(Waratahs speedster Turner, of course, boasts some previous experience in the shortened version of the game.)
Australia recorded their best result in over eight years on the world circuit after finishing third and are expected to turn in an even better performance in Delhi on October 11-12, following the inclusion of the experienced quartet.
The squad has a chance to create history if they can finish with gold or silver as Australia has not medaled at the Commonwealth Games since securing bronze in 1998 when Sevens was first granted entry in Kuala Lumpur.
Coach O'Connor has opted for a mix of big game experience and proven combinations, naming three members of the London Sevens-winning team in Bernard Foley, Nicholas Phipps and James Stannard.
Australia have been drawn alongside archrivals England in the pools and will take plenty of confidence from their performance at Twickenham where they defeated the hosts during the pool rounds and then went on to claim the title - Australia's first since 2002.
Australia will also take on Namibia and Sri Lanka in Pool D, but 2006 silver-medalists England pose the biggest threat to Australia finishing top of their pool and securing a favourable seeding in the quarterfinals.
Waratahs recruit Patrick McCutcheon reassumes the Sevens captaincy from Stannard after missing the final two legs of the Sevens World Series to compete in the Super Rugby finals.
The 23-year-old flanker was involved with the national squad during June alongside Turner and Cummins, playing two midweek games for the Australian Barbarians against England.
O'Connor said he was confident in his squad's ability, commenting on his selection: "Three quarters of this squad is from this year's Sevens Series and they've tasted good success, they've got good experience and solid combinations.
"I've been able to keep the nucleus of the team together and the four that have come in have been brought in to enhance the side.
"I think they've got the attributes which tick all of the right boxes.
"Morahan was our best player in 2009 and he's come back into the squad very seamlessly."
Turner, meanwhile, said the squad was working hard ahead of the Commonwealth Games - which includes a hit-out against world champions Samoa in Darwin on October 1-3 in a warm-up tournament prior to Delhi.
"We're just all working on our individual skills and fitness and hopefully that will give us that extra edge come the Delhi Games," Turner said.
"We'll be hard to beat and I'm sure we'll come away with some silverware."
Nine of the 12 members of the Games squad hold Super Rugby contracts for 2011 and Morahan, Kimami Sitauti and Liam Gill recently competed at the IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina where the Australian Under-20s recorded their best-ever result to finish runners-up to New Zealand.
The Australian Sevens squad: Robbie Coleman (NSW), Nick Cummins (WA), Bernard Foley (NSW), Liam Gill (QLD), Pat McCabe (NSW), Pat McCutcheon (NSW), Luke Morahan (QLD), Nick Phipps (NSW), Brian Sefanaia (NSW), Kimami Sitauti (QLD), James Stannard (ACT), Lachie Turner (NSW).
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