Campese backs Australian Comm Games double

Maurice Longbottom, the star of Australia's Sydney Sevens triumph, returns from injury to lead the hosts' Commonwealth Games assault.

Australian rugby sevens captain Lewis Holland

Captain Lewis Holland is confident of men's rugby sevens gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. (AAP)

Rugby great David Campese believes Australia can pull off a historic double and land gold medals in the men's and women's sevens at next month's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Campese expects the tournament hosts to grow an extra leg, performing in front of family and friends on home soil, just as they did with twin successes in January at the Sydney Sevens.

"If the players want it, they can achieve what they want to achieve," Campese told AAP on Thursday after Australia's two Games squads were announced.

"Especially maybe some of the players who live in Queensland, their parents haven't really had the chance to travel and now they can actually sit and watch their son and daughter play.

"Some people do love that. They thrive. That's what they play for."

Sydney Sevens stand-out Maurice Longbottom has recovered from an ankle injury that had sidelined him for six weeks and been named to spearhead the Australian men's assault.

The former South Sydney NRL junior, who joined the Australian sevens team in late 2017, missed the past two world tour legs.

Captain Lewis Holland, who strained his hamstring in the most-recent leg in Canada, was also selected for the April 13-15 showpiece.

Both the men's and women's teams are hunting Australia's first gold medal at a Commonwealth Games.

With the women competing for the first time, next month provides a historic opportunity for Commonwealth nations to win gold medals in both events.

Nine members of the Glasgow bronze medal-winning men's side will be backing up, including veterans Tom Lucas, Sam Myers, Jesse Parahi and James Stannard.

"A gold medal and the No.1 spot is always the goal. We're not going there to compete. We're always hungry," Holland said.

Eight members of the triumphant women's team from the 2016 Rio Olympics have been picked, including co-captains Shannon Parry and Sharni Williams.

Embracing the pressure of favouritism, coach Tim Walsh said his side were hell bent on adding Commonwealth Games gold to their growing trophy cabinet.

"Every time we've put the players under pressure, they've thrived under it," Walsh said.

"If we turn up in our best physical state and mental state, then we're every chance."

Australia's men have been drawn in Pool B alongside Samoa, England and Jamaica, while the women are in Pool B with Fiji, Wales and England.

Australia's men's sevens team: Lachlan Anderson, Timothy Anstee, Thomas Connor, Lewis Holland (capt), Boyd Killingworth, Maurice Longbottom, Thomas Lucas, Samuel Myers, Benjamin O'Donnell, Jesse Parahi, John Porch, James Stannard, Charlie Taylor.

Australia's women's sevens team: Charlotte Caslick, Emilee Cherry, Dominique Du Toit, Georgina Friedrichs, Ellia Green, Demi Hayes, Shannon Parry (co-capt), Evania Pelite, Alicia Quirk, Cassandra Staples, Emma Sykes, Emma Tonegato, Sharni Williams (co-capt).


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Source: AAP



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