Syndesmosis sidelines Longbottom

Aussie Sevens dynamo Maurice Longbottom will miss the next two World Series legs but is expected to be fit for the Commonwealth Games after an ankle injury.

Longbottom's Hamilton tournament was cut short when the speedster suffered an ankle injury in the Cup quarter-final against Kenya.

Scans on Tuesday showed Longobttom had suffered a sydnesmosis injury, ruling him out of next month's Las Vegas and Vancouver legs of the World Series.

It is expected he will be ready to go for April's Commonwealth Games, with that tournament on April 13.

Longbottom would hypothetically be a chance of playing in Hong Kong a week earlier as well, though that is dependent on his rehab.

It's a tough blow for the Aussie youngster, who has lit up the Sevens scene since making his debut with the squad late last year.

Australia currently sits fourth in the World Series after four legs of the 2017-18 season.

They will play Samoa, the USA and Spain in the Las Vegas Sevens, kicking off on March 2.