Commonwealth bolters for Aussies
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Wallaby Liam Gill and Rebels flank Sean McMahon are all but certain starters for the Australian Sevens side in next month's Commonwealth Games.
Provided the pair get through this weekend's Super Rugby fixtures unscathed, they will be released to join the Australian Sevens camp next week and be included in new coach Geraint John's final squad of 12 for Glasgow to be named on July 7.
Reds openside flank Gill won a Sevens silver medal with Australia at the 2010 Delhi Games, while blindside flanker McMahon played his last Sevens tournament as recently as late last year in Dubai.
Luke Morahan, another former Wallaby and Delhi medallist was also set to be included in the Commonwealth Games team but the Western Force flyer has been ruled out of contention due to a minor hamstring injury.
It's likely Gill and McMahon will stay with the squad after Glasgow and be on deck for the opening rounds of the World Series starting in October, which double as Olympic qualifiers.
"Nothing's been confirmed [post Glasgow]," Andrew Fagan, the ARU's general manager of national teams and competitions, told the Australian Associated Press.
"[But] Allowances have been provided under our high performance agreement with the Super Rugby teams that with this being an Olympic qualification year, we have access to some players up to the end of December.
"Essentially the alignment of access to players for the national Sevens team is the same way they're aligned to the Wallabies.
"But Geraint needs to settle in, take a squad to the Commonwealth Games and get a feel for how he wants the balance of that squad looking."
The agreement with the Super Rugby clubs dictated that teams no longer in finals contention would have to provide players for Sevens selection if required.
Queensland and Melbourne were supportive of the process according to Fagan, and if Gill and McMahon and other Super Rugby players are required post-Glasgow, further discussions will take place.
AAP
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