Bumper off-season for Aus Sevens
The Australian Men's Sevens will play a number of matches in its off-season schedule as the squad prepares for the crucial Oceania Olympic Qualification tournament taking place in Auckland on the weekend of November 14-15.
After a month of training and testing throughout July, Geraint John's side will welcome Japan to these shores for an exhibition match prior to the Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand on Saturday, August 8 at ANZ Stadium.
The Japanese side, also looking to qualify for Rio 2016 through their own regional tournament in Hong Kong in early November, will then train alongside players contracted to the Sevens programme as well as an Australian development squad.
September will see the Aussies travel to Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island to take on the All Blacks Sevens in an unofficial six-game series to be played over three days between the 12th-14th of the month.
The national program will then finalise its pre-season preparations by sending two sides to the Central Coast Sevens on the weekend of the October 14-25 playing under the banner of the Thunderbolts as well as a development team.
The tournament, to be held in Wyong, NSW, will be Geraint John's final opportunity to assess his squad prior to the Oceania Qualification Tournament a fortnight later which will see only the winning country qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The 2015/16 World Rugby Sevens Series kicks off a month later with back-to-back tournaments in Dubai [December 4-5] and Cape Town [December 12-13]. The fourth stop of the series will see the World Series head to Sydney for the very first time on the weekend of February 6-7 2016.
John said: "After a break since the London Sevens, we're all looking forward to getting stuck into our pre-season. Japan are in a similar position to us with their Olympic qualification situation so they'll bring an intensity to their game and training that will benefit us hugely.
"To play New Zealand over multiple days will also help us before we play at the Central Coast Sevens. I went to the tournament as a spectator last year and it is an event that boasts a wealth of quality players. I believe we've left no stone unturned to ensure we are ready to hit the ground running come the 14 November."