Twenty man squad named for NZ tour

Mon, Sep 7, 2015, 2:00 AM
AAP
by AAP

Interim Qantas Australian Men's Sevens Head Coach Tim Walsh will take 20 players for the week-long pre-season tour to Rotorua in New Zealand.

Walsh has named five uncontracted players who have impressed in development camps for either New South Wales or Queensland in the travelling party.

The Aussies will play New Zealand in a six-match series over three days between 12-14 September. Each match will feature ten minute halves.

Tim Walsh: "Everything we do at the moment is with the aim of being at our peak for the Regional Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Auckland in November.

"This is a great opportunity to get away from our normal environment in Sydney and take on a world-class outfit such as New Zealand. It's also a genuine chance for the uncontracted boys to make a statement and make an impression on the coaching staff, while at the same time giving the contracted players some vital match fitness."

Con Foley, Tom Cusack, Cameron Clark, Nick Malouf, Shannon Walker and Brad Wilkin were not considered for the tour due to injury.

Former Men's Sevens Head Coach Michael O'Connor and current set-piece and contact coach John Manenti will assume a watching brief on New Zealand's North Island.

The Qantas Australian Men's Sevens program has also announced it has signed former ACT Brumbies outside centre Stephan Van Der Walt on a six-month contract.

Qantas Australian Men's Sevens squad for tour to New Zealand:

Allan Fa'alava'au

Pama Fou

Lewis Holland

Henry Hutchison

Greg Jeloudev

Ed Jenkins

Tom Lucas

Pat McCutcheon

Sam Myers

Afa Pakalani

Jesse Parahi

Peter Schuster

James Stannard

Stephan Van Der Walt

Michael Wells

Tom Connor (uncontracted - NSW Development)

Sean Cox (uncontracted - Queensland Development)

Fred Durrough (uncontracted - Queensland Development)

James Perlowski (uncontracted - NSW Development)

John Porch (uncontracted - NSW Development)

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