The Aussie Sharks have been handed the challenge of taking on reigning world champion Italy, bronze medallist Croatia, Greece, Kazakhstan and Spain in the group stages of the London Olympic Games after the draw was completed in London over the weekend.

The Sharks will open their campaign against the Italians on July 29 and the game is sure to feature a number of interesting sub-plots if Italian born Aussie Samuele Avallone makes the final Australian team and Australian dual Olympian Pietro Figlioli lines up for the Italians with whom he won gold with at last year's world championships in Shanghai.

With two groups of six making up the draw the four highest ranked teams in each group will qualify for the quarter final round. The fifth and sixth ranked teams in each group will be eliminated and will not play anymore.

Meanwhile, the Aussie Stingers have been drawn with home side Great Britain, European champion Italy and last year's world championship bronze medallist Russia. They will play Italy in their first match on July 30.

Stingers coach Greg McFadden had hoped to avoid the Brits given the home crowd advantage but was not disappointed with the draw overall.

"You have to beat everyone; that is not a bad draw," McFadden said.

"All the games are going to be hard. You have to beat them all. There is no easy path to get to the final and I am pretty confident we can beat all three teams."

But McFadden remains wary of the home-crowd when it comes to the lowly ranked British, particularly after seeing how it boosted them in the London Test Event.

"They played really well against the US at the Test Event and only lost by one goal, so the home crowd is starting to inspire them," he said.

"But you are under a lot of pressure playing in front of a home crowd. And playing in front of a big crowd is pretty motivating for our players, as well."

The full draw is available here>>>

Follow the Sharks' journey via Rhys Howden's

Australian Water Polo Inc.