The Australian Rugby Union has selected a team for the upcoming Dubai and George Sevens, the first two tournaments in the 2006-07 IRB Sevens World Series.

Those players who took a position seeking increased payments and were subsequently not chosen for the Dubai and South African tournaments due to logistical difficulties will be considered on merit for future IRB Sevens tournaments, including the inaugural Adelaide Sevens on 7-8 April 2007.

Tim Atkinson is the only player in the new-look squad to have experienced the speed and intensity of an IRB Sevens tournament. Atkinson has played in 13 IRB Sevens tournaments including the Manchester Commonwealth Games, while the rest of the 12-man squad will be making their Australian Sevens debut.

Among the new faces is 26-year-old James Campbell, nephew of former Wallaby Tim Lane. Campbell has played blindside flanker at Manly for four years, but returned to the family farm at Baradine (near Coonamble) at the end of this season. Having just finished harvest, he was shearing this week when he got the call up from coach Glen Ella.

Another interesting character in the new-look team is David Dillon, who is the grandson of former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. Dillon played flyhalf in the Australian Schoolboys in 2001 alongside current Wallabies Drew Mitchell, Josh Valentine, Hugh McMeniman and Rodney Blake.

Canberra Vikings centre and former ACT Schoolboy Tim Cornforth has been in the Brumbies Academy for the past four years. His grandfather Roger Cornforth survived a Japanese prison camp in World War II to play two Tests for the Wallabies, where he partnered Rex Mossop in the second row.

Corey Niwa grew up in New Zealand where he was in the Taranaki NPC squad before following his family to Australia six years ago. He played Premier Grade Rugby League for the Wests Tigers this year but is now playing Rugby for the Gold Coast Breakers.

Dominic Fuller is a talented scrumhalf who has come up through the Australian representative ranks. He was a member of the Australian Under 19s in 2004-05, the Australian Under 21s in 2005-06 and played in the Queensland Reds' APC campaign this year.

However, of all the players in the new team, Ed Brenac has the most interesting "best moment in Rugby" story. The backrower has been at Easts Rugby since starting as a ballboy at the age of five.

He was at the 1991 Bledisloe Cup Test at the Sydney Football Stadium when Wallaby Number 8 Tim Gavin, a close family friend, called the 11-year-old into the Walllaby changeroom after their 21-12 win. He soaked up the rarified atmosphere and the next day proudly wore a pair of oversized Wallaby shorts and socks to training, still dirty from the Bledisloe battlefield.

The team assembles in Sydney tomorrow (Saturday) and will fly out for Dubai on Monday.

Australian Sevens team for the 2006 Dubai and George Sevens

Player
Date of Birth
Club
Hometown/ Suburb
Position

Tim Atkinson
5.9.77
GPS
Red Hill
Scrumhalf

Edward Brenac
9.6.80
Easts NSW
Woollahra
Back Row

James Campbell
11.6.80
Coonamble Rams
Baradine
Back Row

Tim Cornforth
8.3.84
Vikings
Isabella Plains
Centre

Nick Cummins
5.10.87
Randwick
Matraville
Outside back

David Dillon
26.4.83
Randwick
Newtown
Flyhalf/Scrumhalf

Dominic Fuller
19.4.86
Easts QLD
Clayfield
Scrumhalf

James Lew
18.3.83
Norths
Cammeray
Centre/Wing

Corey Niwa
15.5.83
Gold Coast Breakers
Nerang
Flyhalf/Centre

Andrew Rasmus
24.4.85
Warringah
Newport
Back Row

Brett Stapleton
5.7.87
University WA
Doubleview
Winger

Nathan Trist
22.12.82
Sydney University
Tamarama
Fullback/Wing