Brisbane Olympics 2032: World Rugby encourages NRL stars to push for Australian Sevens spots

There’s a bold push from World Rugby to raid the NRL ranks ahead of the Brisbane Olympics – with Australia urged to follow their international rivals in bringing some superstar talent.

Rugby art for online Olympic story.

Could Latrell Mitchell or Reece Walsh or Nathan Cleary be a part of an Australian team that wins a gold medal at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics?

The NRL will need some convincing but the answer, at least according to World Rugby powerbrokers, is an emphatic yes.

In fact, World Rugby is openly encouraging the best players from all the football codes to take up Sevens rugby and showcase their talents to a global audience for the chance to join the likes of Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Serena Williams as Olympic champions.

In many countries, it is already happening. France captain Antoine Dupont, rugby’s biggest superstar, has already made the switch so he can play at this year’s Paris Olympics while dual New Zealand international Sonny Bill Williams crossed over for the Kiwis at Rio in 2016.

Australia has been slower off the mark, although the former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has seen the light and is making a late bid for Paris after making his international Sevens debut in Hong Kong.

Could Nathan Cleary be an Australian Olympian? Picture: Getty

One of the biggest stumbling blocks has been that union and league administrators have failed to grasp the promotional value of having their star players performing on the biggest stage in sport, but that’s quickly changing.

The Australian women’s Sevens includes players who also compete in 15-a-side rugby as well as holding NRLW and AFLW contracts.

With the Los Angeles Olympics following Paris in 2028 and Brisbane eight years away, World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin said it was a win-win situation for everyone that the best players were given the chance to go for gold at home in 2032.

“So whether we’re talking about LA or Brisbane, we absolutely want that so we’ve got to make sure it’s possible,” Gilpin said.

“We need to give players choices because we want recognisable stars that people relate to playing rugby sevens to keep lifting all the rugby sevens.”

Michael Hooper has seen the light – and is deep in his push to make Australia’s Sevens squad for Paris. Picture: Mike Lee

Gilpin said he was aware of the deep rivalry and distrust between Australia’s football codes but said the once in a lifetime opportunity which the Olympics presented was reason enough for everyone to agree on a truce.

“Australia is a great example where the (other) sports are all bigger so let’s collaborate and not compete,” he said.

“We all want our kids to be inspired and to be more active so sport needs to stop competing within sport.

“So, how do we work together to elevate sport first? Australia is a great example of an incredibly competitive landscape for those sports and rugby has got to work with league and AFL.”

Latrell Mitchell would be another NRL star who could light up the Olympics. Picture: Getty

Gilpin also revealed he wants Rugby Sevens to be played at Suncorp Stadium during the Brisbane Games.

This masthead had been told by Queensland officials that Townsville was being considered for rugby but Gilpin said he had been told Brisbane was the preferred choice after French officials decided to move this year’s Sevens to the sprawling Stade de France and tickets sold out as soon as they were made available.

“Suncorp was in the original master plan for Brisbane as the Olympic Sevens stadium,” Gilpin said.

“It’s obviously a stadium we know and a fantastic stadium for rugby but I think there’s going to be some continued conversations about what that looks like.

“We think we can sell a lot of tickets at the Olympic Games.

“But more importantly maybe is how do we make sure that we’re at the heart of the Games and our athletes are at the heart of the Games.”

Originally published as Brisbane Olympics 2032: World Rugby encourages NRL stars to push for Australian Sevens spots