Absence of Rush and Serevi opens Sevens door for Ella's hopefuls as band brushes up on Waltzing Matilda

Forget the Sevens World Cup, what matters more for Australia is the Hong Kong Sevens, says coach Glen Ella. And 'advance Australia' will be his rallying cry as they attempt to wrest the Cup from the stranglehold of fellow-southern hemisphere giants New Zealand and Fiji this weekend.

'This is the most prestigious sevens tournament in the world and this is what we want to win,' said Ella as he fine-tuned his side's preparations at the Kowloon Cricket Club yesterday.

The absence of two legends of the game - Eric Rush and Waisale Serevi - from the 2001 Credit Suisse First Boston Hong Kong Sevens has thrown open the race for Cup honours. And Ella says the time is ripe for change - and for the Richard Graham-led Australians to win. 'It has been far too long since we have won. The last time Australia won the Hong Kong Sevens, Bob Hawke was the prime minister. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since.'

That was way back in 1988. The lengthy lack of success is enough to make any true-blue Aussie cry on national TV in remorse.

'New Zealand and Fiji have brought new teams to Hong Kong. If anything, we are the most stable team around and it gives us an advantage. But we can't afford to blink for they could both put a try on the board,' said Ella.

Ella knows what it is to win in Hong Kong. The Wallaby great played in four Cup-winning teams (the last being in 1985) in the days when Waltzing Matilda was a hit song at the Sevens.