Australia will boast three Super Rugby players at the upcoming sevens World Cup, as the Australian Rugby Union looks to step up its preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Queensland Reds winger Luke Morahan and NSW Waratahs duo Bernard Foley and Matt Lucas have been named in Australia’s 12-man squad for the tournament in Moscow on June 28-30.

Their selection represents a slight shift in focus for the ARU, resulting from the addition of sevens to the Olympic program for the Rio de Janeiro Games.

Although not everyone is on board with the idea of taking sevens more seriously.

“What is better for the players’ development: a game against the Lions or to be in a camp to play sevens?” Waratahs coach Michael Cheika told News Ltd of Foley’s enforced omission from his side’s match against the British and Irish Lions.

“It is only a training camp. That’s just the way I feel about the game. That’s it, that’s life. What do you do?”

Australia coach Michael O’Connor was thrilled to include the professional trio, who have all played the abridged version of the game for Australia in the past.

“All three of these guys have excelled in sevens and the fact that they’re available, we would be mad not to take them,” O’Connor said in a statement.

“They’re quality players and the reality is we would have liked them to have remained in the sevens program to begin with.

“So to have them back in the squad for the World Cup is a great opportunity.

“We’ve got a lot of great leaders in this squad and experience is critical at this level.”

The squad features four members of Australia’s silver medal-winning 2010 Commonwealth Games side, including in-form five-eighth Foley, and only two players with previous sevens World Cup experience.

Seasoned campaigner Ed Jenkins returns from a shoulder injury to lead both the forward pack and the side in Russia, where his side faces France, Spain and Tunisia in pool play.

It will be former Gold Coast Titan Shannon Walker’s first sevens World Cup.

Australia sevens squad for 2013 World Cup: Cam Clark, Tom Cusack, Bernard Foley, Con Foley, Matt Lucas, Lewis Holland, Ed Jenkins (capt), Sean McMahon, Luke Morahan, Jesse Parahi, James Stannard, Shannon Walker.