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Australia needs to lift their game if they’re to taste success in the third round of the Rugby Sevens World Series in Wellington, coach Michael O’Connor says.
“We came out of the blocks a little bit slowly,” coach Michael O’Connor told AAP after training in New Zealand’s capital on Wednesday.
“The team’s really evolving at the moment.”
The Australians finished sixth and seventh in the opening two rounds of the tournament in Dubai and South African, but are buoyed by the return of three experience sevens campaigners for the sold-out Wellington leg of the competition at Westpac Stadium on Friday.
“Players we’ve bought in for this Wellington leg, we’ve now got nearly half the squad that have played here in Wellington before, so that experience factor I think is going to be very important,” O’Connor said.
Australian captain Bernard Foley is confident the return of fellow London Sevens-winning teammates Jacob Taylor and Henry Vanderglas plus the inclusion of key figure Brian Sefanaia will give his side the competitive edge they require to reach the playoffs.
But the skipper admits it’s going to be a tough ask amidst a pool featuring Tonga, Kenya and reigning Sevens World Series winners, Samoa.
“We don’t have an easy game, which could be a good thing and a bad thing,” Foley said.
“We know we have to switch on for every game.”
Australia is currently ranked sixth on the World Series ladder.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.