The Australian Sevens team will be looking to capitalise on the confidence boosting result in Hong Kong as it heads into Round Eight of the HSBC World Series in Singapore with just the one change.
Coach Andy Friend has mainly kept the team which secured the Bronze medal last weekend.
Boyd Killingworth, named in the Hong Kong squad is still out with the effects of concussion suffered on the final day in Hong Kong where he was replaced by Tom Kingston.
Kingston now remains in the line-up for Singapore with young Dylan Pietsch stepping in to the 13th man position.
Hong Kong was Australia’s best finish on the HSBC Sevens World Series this year, having finished fourth at the HSBC Sydney Sevens and fifth in Dubai late last year.
Andy Friend has been pleased with the progress made by the team and their performances on the park.
“This group has continued to improve and last week marked a real turning point for the side, showing that they can beat top four teams when they back themselves,” he said.
“The challenge now is to not rest on our laurels and lift our performance this week in Singapore.”
There were strong performances from both the old and the new guard in Hong Kong with James Stannard again showing his wily determination with both his conversion kicking and running to the try line several times, especially getting the final score on the siren to seal the bronze medal win.
Henry Hutchison received the ‘Best Newcomer’ award as well as being named in the tournament Dream Team while Lachie Anderson favoured the try line yet again.
@Aussie7s @WorldRugby7s @Aussie7s @WorldRugby7s as well as Best Newcomer it seems... pic.twitter.com/Zt0etMYR2y
— Jill Scanlon (@jdscanlon) April 9, 2017
Australia’s confidence of is up but each tournament is another hurdle to be overcome and the opposition on Day One is just the next step.
TEAM
IN: Tom Kingston
OUT: Boyd Killingworth
Qantas Australian Men’s squad HSBC Singapore7s
Henry Hutchison
Simon Kennewell
Nick Malouf
Liam McNamara
James Stannard
John Porch
Tim Anstee
Tom Kingston
Ed Jenkins
Tom Lucas
Charlie Taylor
Lachie Anderson
13th man -Dylan Pietsch
FIXTURE
Pool Round
Australia v Samoa - Saturday April 15, 1:22pm AEST
Australia v Kenya, Saturday April 15, 4:22pm AEST
Australia v Argentina, Saturday April 15, 8:18pm AEST
