Toulon confirm Brisbane Tens squad while Habana extends stay

26 Jan 2017

James O'Connor will return to his hometown for the Brisbane Tens. Photo: AFP.

Australians Drew Mitchell and James O'Connor will play with Toulon in the Brisbane Global Tens.

Drew Mitchell and James O'Connor will return to their hometown of Brisbane with Toulon for next month's Global Tens rugby union tournament.

But fellow Australians Matt Giteau and Liam Gill, as well as All Blacks powerhouse Ma'a Nonu, have not been selected in the French Top 14 club's 18-man squad.

James O'Connor will return to Suncorp Stadium where he once played at for the Queensland Reds. Photo: AFP. Mitchell and O'Connor will line up on Februrary 11-12 alongside fellow former Queensland player and star Japan fullback Ayumu Goromaru at Suncorp Stadium.

Goromaru was dumped by the Reds after one season last year.

Former Wallaby O'Connor was released by the Brisbane-based franchise in 2015 after a year, before joining for a second stint at Toulon.

Mitchell, a 71-Test veteran, left the Reds in 2006 to join Super Rugby rivals Western Force before being recruited by the NSW Waratahs.

Drew Mitchell will line up for Toulon at the Brisbane Tens. Photo: AFP. "The chance to return to Australia and play at Suncorp Stadium as part of the first-ever Toulon side to set foot in the country really is a dream come true," Mitchell said.

European powerhouse Toulon will contest the two-day tournament with all 10 Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.

Japanese club Panasonic Wild Knights, South Africa's Blue Bulls and the Samoan national team are also locked in.

Toulon will meet NZ's Hurricanes and the Force in the group stages.

Meanwhile, veteran Springboks winger Bryan Habana has signed a new one-year deal at Toulon, keeping him at the Club until 2018.

The 33-year-old arrived at Toulon for the 2013-2014 season and has since scored 18 tries in 57 matches.

He has also played in two victorious European Cup teams as well as collecting a Top 14 title.