Alex Gibbon has been selected in the Australian side for the Gold Coast Sevens this weekend
Photo: Sean Wong

ARU Media and Brendan Bradford –

The Australian squad has been named ahead of the 2013/14 HSBC Sevens World Series opener on the Gold Coast this weekend.

With two uncapped players joining a well-established team, coach Michael O’Connor is confident his 12-man squad has the right balance to succeed over the weekend.

“The side is the most experienced team I have taken into the opening tournament of the year,” he said.

“Our two debutants, Alex Gibbon and Tom Lucas are both coming off impressive performances in Suva, Fiji last weekend at the 2013 Oceania Sevens Championship. I am confident they can step up and play at IRB level.”

Selection in the national Sevens side caps off a stellar season for Southern Districts winger Gibbon. The speedster represented the Combined NSW/QLD Country Side against the British and Irish Lions, earned a trip to Argentina with the NSW Barbarians in August and finished the Shute Shield season as the second top try-scorer with 16.

Ed Jenkins will captain the Australian Sevens side for the third consecutive season

Lucas on the other hand follows a well-worn family path to highest rugby honours. The younger brother of Waratah and Sevens player Matt and Reds back Ben, Tom is a member of the National Academy and has been a standout for Sunnybank in Brisbane where he was the club’s top point scorer in 2013.

The inclusion of local star and Series speedster Shannon Walker will be a major drawcard for fans over the weekend too.

“Shannon is a fast mover and an exciting player to watch with his deft footwork” O’Connor said.

Captain Ed Jenkins is leading the side for a third consecutive season and is looking forward to the series opener where Australia will take on Samoa, Argentina and Scotland in the pool stages.

“It’s great to have the support of the crowd. It always provides such a good atmosphere to play in,” he said.

“The draw will provide some tough matches, especially with Samoa coming off a win last week in Fiji at the Oceania Sevens.

“We have a well-balanced squad, with some fresh faces, and we have been working hard in the off-season to make sure we can come out in fighting form.”

The Gold Coast Sevens is the first of nine tournaments in the Series, and sees 16 international teams play 45 matches across two days. Kicking off at 10:30 on Saturday morning when New Zealand play a USA side boasting Carlin Isles – the fastest man in rugby – the tournament concludes with the Cup Final at 7pm on Sunday.

Australia’s first game is against Scotland at 1:05 on Saturday afternoon.

Australian Squad for the Gold Coast Sevens:

Paul Asquith, Cameron Clark, Con Foley, Alex Gibbon, Ed Jenkins ©, Junior Laloifi, Tom Lucas, Nick Malouf, Sean McMahon, Jesse Parahi, James Stannard, Shannon Walker