Luger in sevens heaven

World Cup winning winger Dan Luger has been named in England's rugby sevens squad for the Commonwealth Games in March. [more]

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World Cup winning winger Dan Luger has been named in England’s rugby sevens squad for the Commonwealth Games in March.

Luger, who toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2001, is joined in the sevens party by fellow full internationals Henry Paul and Mathew Tait.

Experienced sevens stars Magnus Lund and Ben Gollings are also selected in the squad, which is led by captain Simon Amor.

England head out to Australia for the Melbourne Games on Sunday, with the sevens competition beginning on March 16.

"I am really pleased with the squad we are taking," said coach Mike Friday.

"The Commonwealth Games will be one of the biggest occasions in these players lives and it was incredibly hard to just choose 15 players.

"Simon (Amor) is an inspirational captain and only Simon, Ben Gollings and Henry Paul have experienced a Commonwealth Games before so I will be looking to them to lend their experience to the youngsters.

"I truly believe that this squad includes some of the future stars of England rugby and this experience will be a vital part of their player development."

Friday will have to whittle the squad down to 12 players in time for the start of the tournament, and he added: "There is still everything to play for in terms of earning their place in the team."

Luger, 31 and currently without a club, said: "Playing sevens for England has been a real focus for me all season, and the Commonwealth Games have been in the back of my mind since the summer.

"I really enjoy playing sevens and pulling on the England shirt again for the first time since the Rugby World Cup felt fantastic. Playing sevens gives me a real buzz, and I would love the chance to play in Melbourne."

England provisional sevens squad for Commonwealth Games: S Amor (Gloucester, captain), D Care (Leeds), B Gollings (Sunnybank, Australia), R Haughton (Saracens), B Lewitt (Northampton), D Luger (unattached), M Lund (Sale), N Mordt (London Irish), H Paul (Gloucester), B Russell (Saracens), D Seymour (Saracens), D Strettle (Rotherham), M Tait (Newcastle), T Varndell (Leicester), A Vilk (Northampton).

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