Australia Sevens coach Michael O’Connor has been forced to fly in a replacement for the injured Dane Haylett-Petty ahead of the second leg of the IRB Sevens World Series in George, South Africa this weekend.
Haylett-Petty stepped up to the Sevens squad with distinction after impressing at this year's IRB Junior World Championship in Wales, but damaged a shoulder during the first of eight World Series tournaments in Dubai last weekend.
Queensland rookie Aiden Toua will join the squad in South Africa. The 18-year-old is a full back in the Reds Academy and has already been earmarked for higher honours by Queensland Super 14 coach Phil Mooney. Born in Papua New Guinea, he represented Australian Schoolboys last year.
The injury to Haylett-Petty is a major disappointment to the youngster who this season became the first locally-based West Australian to be offered a contract with the Western Force Super 14 squad.
The George tournament starts on Friday with O'Connor's side drawn in the same pool as hosts and Dubai champions South Africa, USA and Georgia, and having impressed in Dubai.
O'Connor: The best possible experience a young player can have
“I think that we made some headway," said O'Connor of Australia's performance in Dubai. "Clearly we are not as fit as South Africa, England and New Zealand so it has been great to measure ourselves against the yardstick teams and see where we need to be if we are going to compete at the highest level.
"You can’t do a lot in a week fitness wise, but it is a very timely reminder with the Rugby World Cup Sevens coming up next year where we need to go and how much work needs to be done.
"It is the best possible experience a young player can have. It is not just the travel element and tour mentality, but also to play in front of big crowds is very important in terms of mental development."
A test veteran of both rugby union and league, O'Connor is the third Australia Sevens coach in three years following Glen Ella and Bill Millard.
A learning process
"I have learned a lot myself in terms of what needs to be done," he added.
"You learn a lot about player development and experience is everything at this level. In life in general you learn from experience and I think they have learned a lot in the last couple of days.
"We are good in some areas and not so good in others. If I can see some incremental improvement from this week into next week and now and Rugby World Cup then I will be very happy. The guys are certainly giving me maximum effort.”
Australia were beaten 19-0 by South Africa in the Dubai Cup quarter finals and later went down to Samoa in a semi final of the Plate.
