Big things were expected when Australia’s men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams pulled off a golden double at the Sydney leg of the World Series two years ago.

Yet neither has won an event in the tournament since, and time is running out to secure a confidence-boosting victory before the Tokyo Olympics in six months.

They probably won’t get a better chance than when they play before home fans at Sydney’s Bankwest Stadium this weekend, especially with extreme heat forecast.

Reigning Olympic women’s champions Australia are currently second in the standings, having notched a brace of runner-up finishes and a couple of fourth placings.

“This stage of the season we wanted to be tracking a little bit better than what we are, but it’s a long season,” captain Sharni Williams said, taking solace from Australia’s Olympic gold medal-winning beach volleyballers in 2000.

“You look at Kerri Pottharst and Natalie Cook. They won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics and they hadn’t won a tournament (for four years), so we’re still capable of winning the gold medal.”

The Australian men’s team coached by Tim Walsh, who mentored the women to the Olympic gold medal in Rio, are running fifth, and coming of a season-beat third placing in New Zealand last week.

“The big thing for us that we’re focusing on is just another consistent performance this week, that will really stand us in good stead for the remainder of the World Series and on to Tokyo,” captain Nick Malouf said.

Asked if winning an event before the Olympic would help psychologically, Malouf admitted: “It’s definitely important for us to win and start building that momentum toward Tokyo.”

One potential advantage for the Australians on the weekend is the heat, with the temperature in western Sydney forecast to hit 41C on Saturday and 35C on Sunday.

“That’s what we live and breathe in Australia, we perform our best out here playing in the heat,” Williams said.

“You can see some of the other countries, the European countries are really struggling and it gives you that extra little one per cent to know that we’ve been through this.

“Tokyo is going to be extremely hot, it’s a preparation for the Olympics of what it’s going to be like.”

Malouf agreed, adding: “We’ve been training in it (heat) for the last couple of months and our northern hemisphere counterparts are coming from the middle of winter, so fingers crossed it will be an advantage.”