An Olympic qualification headache awaits for Australia’s men’s rugby sevens team unless they address some fundamental weaknesses, coach Tim Walsh believes.
Walsh’s men limped to fourth in this year’s world series standings, but bombed out of the Commonwealth Games and finished 10th in July’s World Cup.
Fourth in the next world series, which begins in Dubai later this month, would hand them the final direct entry spot into Tokyo’s 2020 Games.
But with the rapid improvement of emerging rugby sevens nations and traditional rivals sharpening their knives in Olympic tilts of their own, the coach knows they will need to be much better themselves.
“We’ve been there or thereabouts for the last few years but it’s about time we took the next step and became a consistent top-three team,” he said.
“Everyone says anyone can win a tournament, but they can’t.
“When everyone is at full strength it’s the same few teams up there.
“We’ve lacked consistency to be with them but I wouldn’t have taken this job if I didn’t think we were good enough to do it.”
Finishing outside the top four would leave Australia needing to win an Oceania tournament to qualify.
Failing that, a last-chance repechage round will be contested to fill the final spots.
“We don’t want to be relying on that,” Walsh said.
“I want us to be a smarter team; there’s been an inability to adapt to certain situations and focus.”
Helping that come to fruition is the return of Nick Malouf, who last played for Australia at the London Sevens in 2017 before a stint at English club, Leicester Tigers.
He and Michael Wells, who has a dual-contract with the NSW Waratahs this season, have both been named to play in the Oceania Sevens Championship in Fiji from Friday.
Former Melbourne Rebels talent Henry Hutchison also joined the program ahead of this year’s World Cup as Walsh continues to encourage 15-a-side talents to weigh up the benefits of a stint in the sport’s shortest form.
The coach said Malouf in particular would complement fit-again captain Lewis Holland in the absence of retired veteran James Stannard.
“We lost a couple of men and Nick has come back with a desire to play for Australia having learned a lot and played well (with Leicester),” Walsh said.
“And Michael too – they’re really hard-nosed guys – will make a difference.”
Wells will play in the first six World Series tournaments for Australia – including Sydney Sevens – prior to re-joining the Waratahs in February.
Livewire Maurice Longbottom has been omitted from the squad due to a hamstring niggle, but should be fit to play the first world series round in Dubai from November 30.
Australia’s Oceania Sevens Championship Squad: Lewis Holland (c), Jesse Parahi (vc), Nick Malouf (vc), Ben O’Donnell, John Porch, Michael Wells, Liam McNamara, Matthew Hood, Boyd Killingworth, Brandon Quinn, Henry Hutchison, Lachie Anderson, Tim Anstee.
