Shawn Mackay Award winner James Turner is eager to finally return to the SVNS World Series as Australia looks to build off a promising Perth finish.
The defending Australian Player of the Year will suit up for the first time in 2026 after missing the start of the season with a foot injury, joining a bolstered squad that includes returning starsDietrich Roache and Maurice Longbottom.
Watch every match of this week's Vancouver SVNS live and on-demand, exclusively on Stan Sport.
“It's been a long time, but I'm very keen to get back in there,” Turner told Rugby.com.au from Vancouver.
“I probably could have pushed for Perth, so I've been fit for a little while, but I didn’t want to risk it. Being back around the boys is awesome and finally back with them training fully, doing my thing, which is awesome.
The Australians head to the North American leg tied for fourth on the highly congested World Series ladder, full of confidence after their bronze medal finish on home soil.
“I was watching with ‘Roachy’ [Dietrich Roache] and ‘Moz’ [Maurice Longbottom], and we were chomping at the bit to get out there,” Turner reflects on the last-second win over New Zealand.
“Watching them just made me even more excited to get back to Vancouver and the New York leg and really rip in.
“In the men's program, it's quite tight from first to eighth. They can all win it so we just play game by game and do our study on the team.
“You've just got to turn it on. Every game is a grand final for us when we play… It makes you prepare better because you can't really switch off so you're always on when you're playing. I think it brings the best out of us.”
Coach Liam Barry has blooded another debutant, turning to NSW Waratahs winger Archie Saunders.
The rapid former Australia U20s star has impressed Turner, eager to see him step up to the World Series.
“He's integrated really well. He's a good footy player over at the Tahs and playing for Rats [Warringah],” he adds.
“He's electric, every training session he's running at 10 metres a second, which is pretty crazy. He's a big boy as well, it suits our profile and I think he'll fit in really nicely, and hopefully he has a good debut.”
Australia’s Men will meet Argentina, France and Fiji in the pool stages.
