Rugby sevens: Wallabies' quartet on side

BRISBANE - Wallabies Lote Tuqiri, Matt Giteau, Scott Fava and Chris Latham have been included in the Australian rugby sevens squad for the Commonwealth Games.

The quartet - one from each Australian Super 14 franchise - will give the regular Australian sevens squad a much-needed boost at next month's Games in Melbourne.

The selection of the four Wallabies came the same day coach Glen Ella's team were trounced 26-5 by South Africa in the quarter-finals of the Los Angeles event on the International Rugby Board sevens circuit won by England.

Regular Australian sevens players Shawn Mackay, Joshua Gamgee, Luke Inman, Damon Murphy and Nick Reily retained their spots.

They're joined by Tom McVerry, who played 20 Super 12 games for Queensland, Western Force utility back Cameron Shepherd and pocket-sized flyer Brendan Williams, who has returned from Italian club Benetton.

The four Wallabies in the team all have international experience in the abridged version of the game.

Tuqiri, Latham and Fava played together at the Brisbane sevens in 2003 and Giteau played for Australia in seven IRB sevens tournaments in the 2002 series.

Coach Ella said: "Sevens is a high-speed game that can turn on a bounce of the ball, so there is no question that guys like Tuqiri, Fava, Latham and Giteau are well suited to it.

"Having some big-name Wallabies in the team will also help attract the fans.

"It is really important for our team that the Telstra Dome is packed to capacity with supporters all decked out in gold," Ella said. "It would definitely give us a lift."

AUSTRALIA
*Scott Fava, Josh Gamgee, Matt Giteau, Chris Latham, Luke Inman, Shawn Mackay, Tom McVerry, Damon Murphy, Nick Reily, Cameron Shepherd, Lote Tuqiri, Brendan Williams.

- AAP