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A former Australian Schoolboys star, returning from Rugby League, is the surprise selection in the Aussie Spirit team for the Darwin Hottest Sevens being staged at the end of the month, according to ARU.

Shaun Foley, 22, who scored six tries in nine National Rugby League appearances for the Sydney Roosters, has been hand-picked for the Darwin tournament on January 24 and 25 by Australian Sevens coach and former dual international himself, Michael O'Connor.

Foley, a fullback who was sidelined for most of last year's Rugby League season after fracturing an ankle, has yet to play a game of Rugby Union since coming off contract with the Roosters.

"I was always a Rugby Union player before I joined the Roosters straight out of school, and I always wanted to come back at some stage and give it another go," he said.

"I haven't played for four years and I'll be heading down to the Randwick club on Tuesday for my first training run with them.

"I'm really looking forward to it."

O'Connor said the Darwin tournament– on the Northern Territory Government's Major Events calendar and offering AU$60,000 in prize money – would provide the chance to expose a number of new players to top level Sevens before the Australian national side returned to the IRB Sevens World Series circuit at Wellington, New Zealand, on February 6 and 7. The sixth leg of the World Series Sevens will be played at Adelaide Oval from April 3 to 5.

"Darwin is very important for us because in the first two IRB rounds we played with a squad of 12, and 11 of them had never played on the circuit before," said O'Connor.

"This tournament will also be about giving a couple of new guys an opportunity to see how they go.

"I'd like to think they could push for selection in the next two IRB rounds to be played in Wellington and then San Diego.

"Shaun Foley is one of those guys."

With speed merchant Greg Jeldouv and the elusive youngster Richard Kingi also in the Squad, the Spirit will certainly provide a challenge for defending champs, the Fijian South Sea Drifters.

The Aussie Spirit squad: Peter Betham, Will Brock, Stanley Hokafonu, Jonathon Jenkins, Richard Kingi, Ben McCalman, Brian Sefanaia, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Shaun Foley, Damon Murphy, Greg Jeladouv.