HSBC Sevens World Series
Quade Cooper free for sevens debut in Las Vegas
AAP
February 23, 2016
© Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Quade Cooper will be available to make his HSBC Sevens World Series debut for Australia in Las Vegas after securing a release for the event from French Top 14 club Toulon.

The 58-Test Wallabies playmaker will miss the Top 14 match against La Rochelle to compete in the fourth leg of the Sevens World Series from March 4-6.

The Las Vegas 7s will mark Cooper's first chance to press for Rio Olympic Games selection, and the Australian Rugby Union are confident they can secure his release for another two of the six legs that follow.

Cooper, 27, had planned to debut in the Sydney 7s, but he was not selected after coach Andy Friend determined he hadn't had enough preparation time after arriving from France midweek - a controversial decision that ESPN's Greg Growden praised as "gutsy".

Cooper did, however, train with the team that week and should now have the background knowledge to be selected for the American event. He is under no misconceptions about the side of the task ahead, not least physically after New Zealand All Blacks Sevens rookie and close friend Sonny Bill Williams advised the Australian in Sydney to "buy a new set of lungs".

Australia, currently fourth in the World Series standings after finishing second in Sydney, where they were defeated by New Zealand with the last play of the tournament, will play England, Scotland and Japan in their pool matches in Las Vegas.

© AAP

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