Selection snub: Quade Cooper regards himself as a student of the sevens format. Credit:Getty Images

Whether or not there was external pressure on Friend - who is taking charge for his first major tournament - to pick Cooper given he has been given a short-term release from Toulon to play in three sevens tournaments, he has stuck to his guns and shown faith in other players who have been around the sevens scene for a lot longer than Cooper.

From a technical point of view, Friend's decision is understandable, as Cooper has had almost next to no time to get a grasp of plays or the demands of sevens, but given Australia's below-par ranking, it is a bold call nonetheless.

The Thunderbolts, as the Australian team is nicknamed, sit eighth in the World Series standings - one spot above Kenya. By not opting to inject the attacking flair and creativity of Cooper, Friend has left himself open to criticism should his side fail to reach its potential in front of a large home crowd.

"There is no doubt in my mind that he will be a tremendous addition to the squad as we build towards Rio, but due to circumstances which were beyond Quade's control, and our control, he just couldn't get enough work in this week with the team," Friend said. "Quade is an exceptional footballer and has shown real character to put his hand up and say I want to be part of this team and work hard for this opportunity. He is going to get his opportunities during the series and we are really excited to have him here in our group and with us throughout this preparation."