Stannard to captain Australia at London Sevens

Halfback James Stannard will captain the Australian Rugby Sevens squad during the final two legs of the IRB Sevens World Series in the absence of regular skipper Patrick McCutcheon who is chasing Investec Bank Super 14 glory with the NSW Waratahs.


Stannard will lead a confident Australian side at the London (22-23 May) and Edinburgh Sevens (29-30 May) alongside fellow experienced campaigners Henry Vanderglas and Ed Jenkins who return to the squad for the first time this season.


Youngsters Jesse Parahi and Daniel Yakopo are set to make their Sevens debuts at Twickenham - in front of an expected crowd of 30,000 - while Bernard Foley, Clinton Sills and Nick Phipps return to the mix after extended injury stints.


Australia head into the penultimate event on the IRB Sevens circuit in fourth place on the overall standings after a Plate final victory over reigning champions South Africa in Hong Kong took their season tally to 78 points.


A strong performance at Twickenham could see Australia overtake third-placed Fiji (94) although England, who trail Australia by just two points in fifth, could prove a serious threat on home soil.


Samoa (124) hold a three-point lead over New Zealand (121) at the top of the table after consecutive Cup Final victories in Hong Kong, Adelaide and Las Vegas.


Australian Rugby Sevens coach Michael O’Connor says he believes his side has the right ingredients to contend for the London title.


“We’ve only got a couple of newcomers that haven’t played in an IRB tournament,” O’Connor says.


“The side’s got a good balance, a good mix of experience and a few older players that have come back who have had some Sevens experience in the past and I think that puts us in really good stead.


“We’ve got players that really want to be here, we’ve gone out an actively picked the players that we’ve wanted and I think our side has a good chemistry with the desire to win and to improve.


“There’s really been a turnaround I think in Sevens, we’re taking it more seriously now, I’ve got players asking me, ringing me, trying to find out what is the criteria, what is the selection process for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later in the year and I think it’s great.”


Australia have been drawn in Pool D alongside England, Scotland and Russia.


Sevens series regulars from this year Ed Quirk, Liam Gill, Kimami Sitauti, Robbie Coleman and Dominic Shipperely are unavailable for the London and Edinburgh tournaments after earning selection in David Nucifora’s Australian U20s squad which will compete at the IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina in June.


Australian Sevens squad for London and Edinburgh: James Stannard (capt), Nick Phipps, Jacob Taylor, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Bernard Foley, Ed Jenkins, Ed Stubbs, Jesse Parahi, Daniel Yakopo, Clinton Sills, Sam Latunipulu, Henry Vanderglas.