Teddy Wilson has the chance to push for Olympic selection after the NSW Waratahs halfback earned a shock call-up to the Australia team for the Singapore sevens.
The son of Wallabies great David Wilson, 21-year-old Teddy has only made four Super Rugby Pacific appearances this season.
But the youngster, who captained Australia's under-20 team, caught the eye of men's sevens coach John Manenti, who has included Wilson as one of two changes to his squad for the May 3-5 round of the world series.
With Maurice Longbottom (hamstring) and Matt Gonzalez (shoulder) sidelined for the penultimate round, Wilson comes in along with James McGregor, who will play his second tournament after stepping into the side in Cape Town.
Former Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper will again suit up after making his debut in Hong Kong, where Australia's men finished fourth.
“As the tournaments roll around, they all become more significant in one way or another and for us, the chance to play consistently remains a key focus,” Manenti said in a statement on Friday. “On the back of a few injury niggles, we get to welcome Teddy Wilson from the Waratahs into the squad for his debut. “We are grateful to the Waratahs to give us the opportunity to play Teddy and know that he will fit right in with the team."
The Aussie men have already qualified for the world series final in Madrid in June after finishing fourth in Hong Kong, and will be looking to improve their ranking for the final and the Paris Olympics which kick off in July.
For the women's team, coach Tim Walsh has made two key changes with stalwarts Charlotte Caslick and Sharni Smale set to miss the Singapore trip due to niggling injuries. Dominique Du Toit returns from an ankle injury in a timely boost, while Lily Dick and Sidney Taylor are the fresh faces in the squad with Bienne Terita also unavailable. The Aussie women claimed bronze in Hong Kong and are chasing another strong showing, with arch-rivals New Zealand currently level on points at the top of the table. Madison Ashby will captain the side in Caslick's absence.
