Two debutants named for Wellington Sevens

Jan 24 • General News • 1194 Views • Comments Off on Two debutants named for Wellington Sevens

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Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens coach Andy Friend has named two new faces for this weekend’s World Series event in Wellington (28-29 January).

Queenslander Tate McDermott and Sydneysider Dylan Pietsch will make their debuts for Australia, as two of five changes to the squad that finished 11th in Cape Town last month.

Former captain Ed Jenkins will sit out the Wellington event after injuring his shoulder in Cape Town last month while forward Jesse Parahi succumbed to a jaw injury at training.

Parahi joins Nick Malouf (knee), John Porch (ankle) and Tom Lucas (knee) amongst those not considered for selection but all four are expected to return to full training ahead of the Las Vegas leg in March. Skipper Lewis Holland continues his achilles rehabilitation ahead of a return next season.

Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens coach Andy Friend said: “Both Tate and Dylan performed well up at Darwin on the weekend, they really stood out and now they get a chance to represent their country.

“Dylan’s quite a big bloke for an 18-year old, he’s got a good step on him and a good carry of the football. Momentum is his friend, he’s a powerful boy.

“Tate is more of a half, he sees the game of football and has very good feet on him to put people through holes and he can get through holes himself as well.”

Australia has been drawn in Pool B alongside South Africa, Japan and Olympic Gold Medallists Fiji but is keeping one eye on their home tournament in Sydney the following weekend.

“The important thing for us is to get out of that third tier of teams. We finished 11th in our last tournament and we have put ourselves in a very tough pool, so we have to fight and get out of that.

“Sydney is our target tournament this year and it’s our home tournament. It’s Australia playing in Australia so it’s very exciting but in saying that, we have to go to Wellington and do a job there. We know Sydney is around the corner but Wellington is the main focus right now.”

FOX SPORTS will broadcast all of the action from Wellington. FOX SPORTS 2 will be on air from 8.50am AEDT on Saturday 28 January.

Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens fixtures in Wellington, New Zealand, 28-29 January
Australia v Fiji, Pool B, 9.46am AEDT
Australia v South Africa, Pool B, 1.33pm AEDT
Australia v Japan, Pool B, 4.52pm AEDT

Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens squads for Wellington Sevens:
1. Henry Hutchison, Club: Randwick NSW
2. Tom Kingston, Club: Sydney University NSW
3. Sam Myers, Club: North Sydney NSW
4. Alex Gibbon, Club: Souths QLD
5. James Stannard, Club: Souths QLD
6. Tate McDermott*, Club: University of Queensland QLD
7. Boyd Killingworth, Club: Warringah NSW
8. Dylan Pietsch*, Club: Randwick NSW
9. Tim Anstee, Club: Eastwood NSW
10. Michael Adams, Club: Warringah NSW
11. Charlie Taylor, Club: Warringah NSW
12. Conor Mitchell, Club: University of Queensland QLD
13th man – Simon Kennewell, Club: Randwick NSW
*denotes uncapped