THE Australians may have lost their edge at rugby union, but their snooker players are making headlines for all the right reasons.

Unknown Neil Robert- son will be a new face in this season's Masters at Wembley after rounding off a memorable year in the qualifying tournament at Prestatyn.

A compatriot of former Manchester-based Quinten Hann, he defeated Welshman Dominic Dale 6-5 in the final.

And he will now join Hann in the final stages in February, though, since the demise of Benson & Hedges, the tournament has lost some of its prestige.

It will be the first time there have been two Aussies in the Masters, as Hann qualifies automatic- ally as a top 16 player.

The Melbourne cueman's victory completes a memorable hat-trick, after winning the World Under-21s Championship in China last summer and then being granted a concession on to snooker's main tour.

In addition, he qualified for the final stages of the European Open in Malta next March winning five matches.

Highlight

"This is the highlight of my career so far," he says. "Winning the world under-21s was great, but I was up against junior players.

"This time it's been Main Tour professionals.

"I've never even been to Wembley, but I'm really looking forward to playing there. Ever since I got into snooker, I have regarded the Masters as one of the biggest tournaments."

Robertson's run also included the scalp of Failsworth-based Ulsterman Joe Swail. Indeed, it wasn't a happy tournament for local players.

Nick Dyson lost 5-2 against Scotland's Jamie Burnett, fellow Mancunian James Leadbetter went down by the same score against Dave Gilbert, Bolton veteran Tony Knowles crashed out in the first round to Joe Meara, while Michael Wild of Oldham suffered a 5-2 defeat against Nick Walker.

Australian snooker went into decline after Eddie Charlton faded away in the late 1980s. But world No 14 Hann, Robertson, former IBSF world champion Steve Mifsud and fellow Main Tour pro Johl Younger are leading a revival.

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