Hutchison to inspire in Perth sevens injury return

Henry Hutchison will return for Australia's men's sevens team after a year out with a knee injury while Heidi Dennis will debut in Perth for the unbeaten women.

JOHN MANENTI.
JOHN MANENTI. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Henry Hutchison's return from injury for Australia will offset the disappointment of Michael Hooper's rugby sevens false start in Perth, while Heidi Dennis gets an Olympic audition at the new world series venue.

Perth's HBF Park will host the third leg of the series from next Friday until Sunday, former Wallabies captain Hooper confirmed last week as a non-starter as he continues to get up to speed in his new pursuit.

Veteran Hutchison will make his return from a long-term knee injury at the tournament, one of just six before July's Paris Olympics as part of a revamped world series.

Melbourne Rebels recruit Darby Lancaster has also been recalled to the side while Matt Gonzalez is the other new face to a team that claimed silver in Cape Town last month.

Hooper has been training with the squad for less than three weeks and is expected to make his debut on the North American swing that begins in Vancouver on February 23.

"It is unfortunate to not have Hoops available for Perth, however we are looking to Paris and playing the long game with him," men's coach John Manenti said.

"He's certainly working hard to be ready as quickly as possible.

"Nonetheless, it is such a massive boost for us to get Hutch back.

"He means so much to us and he does so much for the group on and off the field.

"As we know, ACL injuries are tough to come back from, and Henry has worked incredibly hard to be able to make it to Perth - it will give us some additional inspiration."

Women's coach Tim Walsh has called up 18 year-old Heidi Dennis for a debut with mainstay Demi Hayes set to miss the Olympics after having surgery to repair an ACL rupture last month.

Star finisher Maddison Levi will also be unavailable in the pool stages after copping a red card in the side's Cape Town finals victory.

Walsh's squad, that also won the series opener in Dubai, is otherwise settled.

"Heidi performed incredibly well during pre-season tournaments against the world's best teams in New Zealand and Fiji," he said.

"Our desire is to execute our individual roles and put on a show for Perth and Australia."

Australia's men have been drawn alongside Ireland, Great Britain and the USA while the women face Canada, Great Britain and South Africa in their pool.

* Australian women's sevens: Sharni Smale, Faith Nathan, Dominique Du Toit, Teagan Levi, Madison Ashby, Charlotte Caslick (c), Kaitlin Shave, Bella Nasser, Maddison Levi, Heidi Dennis, Bienne Terita, Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea, Sariah Paki.

* Australian men's sevens: Henry Hutchison, Ben Dowling, Henry Palmer, Dietrich Roache, Tim Clements, Josh Turner, Matt Gonzalez, Nick Malouf (c), Maurice Longbottom, Nathan Lawson, James Turner, Darby Lancaster, Hayden Sargeant.