Australian Youth Sevens coach Hugh Carpenter has named two strong squads to compete in Saturday’s World Schools Sevens tournament in Auckland.

Following last weekend’s National Championships in Brisbane, the two squads headed straight into a two day camp at Nudgee College before flying out to New Zealand on Tuesday.

Australia’s boys and girls sides will compete against national teams from New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, Canada and Japan in the one day tournament.

“Both squads are looking really good. We were really impressed with the talent at the National Championships last weekend and the squads we’ve picked are full of talent,” Carpenter told Rugby News.

“Three of the girls have already got full time contracts with the Australian Sevens squad for next year and Tristan Reilly has also been picked up by (Australian Men’s coach) Andy Friend already.”

16-year old Australian Schoolboys star back Albert Hopoate headlines a young Australian boys’ squad, who will use Saturday’s tournament to kickstart their preparations for next year’s Youth Olympics.

“I think most of the players are starting to realise now that there is a strong pathway in Sevens, from an early age at school through to our national squads, playing at the Olympics,” Carpenter added.

The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in New Zealand.

Australian Boys’ squad: 

Albert Hopoate (St Augustines College), Angus Bell (St Ignatius College), Braydon Law (Marist College Ashgrove), Daniel  Ala (St Augustines College), Haloti Fonua (Victoria University Secondary College), Hunter Ward (St Stanislaus College), Isaac Crowe (Daramalan College), Jackson Pugh (Aranmore Catholic College), Jakob Styles (The Scots College), Jordan Williams (The Kings School), Samuel Warner (The Cathedral School Townsville), Tiko Twist (St Peters Lutheran College), Triston Reilly (St Josephs College), William Harris (The Scots College).

Australian Girls’ Squad:

Grace Kaihua (Mountain Creek SHS), Alysia Fakaosiliea (Canterbury College), Lily Dick (Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School), Georgia Hanaway (Bray Park SHS), Madison Ashby (McCarthy Catholic College), Lily Rose Bennett (Narooma High School),Sariah Paki (Narrabeen Sports High School), Abby Holmes (Illawarra Sports High School), Pihuaka Duff (Freshwater Senior Campus), Faith Nathan (The Entrance Campus), Courtney Hodder (Aranmore Catholic College), Terri Anne Egan (Marymount College), Rhiannon Revell -Blair (St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School), Jakiya Whitfield (Mackillop College Bathurst).