Wallabies stars in contention for Australian Sevens team at Tokyo Olympics; Super Rugby clubs eye Pumas
Some of the Wallabies’ biggest names could be headed to the Tokyo Olympics after the global COVID-19 pandemic created a loophole that will change the way the Sevens squad is selected.
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Australia has been holding secret talks with senior Wallabies about going for gold at next year’s Tokyo Olympics after the global pandemic has created a loophole that will change the way players are selected for the squad.
Rugby Confidential can reveal that World Cup vice-captain Samu Kerevi and Bernard Foley have indicated they want to play in the Olympic Sevens tournament and team officials have begun casting their net even further.
After all the gloomy news the game has gone through in the past few years, it’s understood that no one will be off-limits if it can help Australia strike gold in the world’s biggest multi-sport event.
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The once-in-a-lifetime carrot is being dangled in front of superstars including Wallaby captain Michael Hooper and John Eales medallist Marika Koroibete because COVID-19 has changed everything.
Normally, players have to commit to the World Sevens Series to be considered for selection, which rules them out of playing Super Rugby.
But with the 2020-21 sevens series now almost certain to be cancelled, and ongoing uncertainty how Super Rugby will look next year, everyone is potentially available for selection.
Although Wallabies would need permission from Dave Rennie to go to the Olympics, the dates could hardly be better for Australia’s players, with the men’s competition running over just three days in the last week of July.
That may mean players miss a week of France’s 2021 winter tour of Australia but it will avoid clashing with The Rugby Championship, which will start in late August after the British and Irish Lions complete their tour of South Africa.
Kerevi and Foley — both based in Japan — are just the first expected to put their hand up.
Kerevi is currently unavailable to play for the Wallabies because he hasn’t played enough Tests to qualify under the existing Giteau Law but is desperate to represent his country again.
It is understood that Foley — who won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games — was even offered a full-time contract to rejoin the Sevens squad after last year’s World Cup. He turned it down but said he would be available for the Olympics.
WALSH IN HIGH DEMAND
Australia’s men’s sevens coach Tim Walsh has been given a new role out of left-field.
Netball Australia has invited him onto a high performance panel to select the new coach of the Diamonds. Walsh hasn’t coached netball but after leading the Australian women’s sevens team to a historic gold in Rio, he remains in high demand for other sports wanting to pick his brains on the keys to success.
SUPER CLUBS TRACK PUMAS
The NSW Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels have already begun contacting Argentinian player agents about signing Pumas stars for next year’s Super Rugby tournament — whatever it may look like.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan flagged the possibility of local franchises recruiting from Argentina, South Africa and the northern hemisphere to bolster their stocks for 2021, and the Tahs and Rebels have wasted little time making inquiries.
The tone of conversation around a trans-Tasman tournament for next year has changed markedly in the past 10 days, with New Zealand bullish about their demands.
RA won’t be dictated to and if pushed, will form their own domestic tournament without the Kiwis for next season.
Meanwhile, the Rebels will continue to be based out of Canberra for the foreseeable future, as training grounds in Sydney are difficult to come by amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
AFL and NRL clubs have taken over many of the best training facilities in Sydney.
NEW DEAL ON HORIZON
Despite a contract freeze in place within RA given the uncertain broadcasting future, the Queensland Reds are set to hand 22-year-old centre Hunter Paisami an extension soon.
SHUTE SHIELD BACK WITH A BANG
The 2020 Shute Shield kicks off this weekend, featuring the return of the Penrith Emus and the introduction of the Newcastle Wildfires.
The oldest premier rugby competition features the grand final rematch of the past two years — Warringah vs Sydney University — as its match of the round at Rat Park. The game will be televised nationally on 7TWO and 7Plus, with a new-look commentary team headed by Tony Lewis.
Former Fox Sports presenters Sean Maloney and Louise Ransome will join Lewis, along with former Shute Shield champion and Scotland international Daniel Parks, and Olympic Sevens gold medallist Shannon Parry.
SHUTE SHIELD 2020 — ROUND ONE
Gordon v Eastern Suburbs
Southern Districts v Eastwood
Manly v Two Blues
West Harbour v Northern Suburbs
Randwick v Newcastle
Warringah v Sydney University
TAHS COACH FIRES OFF AT KIWIS, BRUMBIES
By Julian Linden
Waratahs coach Rob Penney has fired another warning to New Zealand about their bullying tactics to restrict the number of Australian teams in the proposed trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition.
NSW’s Kiwi coach has urged Australian officials not to give in to New Zealand’s demands that Australia be given no more than three spots in a new eight-team competition.
With no sign of tensions easing and the threat increasing of both countries going it alone, Penney said Australia should hold its line and hope commonsense prevails.
“I hope the administrators here can stay strong,” he said. “I‘m sure they are, they’re going to do what’s the best for Australian rugby. We’re very similar in time zones, we can add some great competitions down here if the rest of the world don’t open up in the medium term.
“Let‘s hope we can work together and have some greater competitions ... and they service the needs of both the countries as opposed to one totally trying to be the dominant figure.”
Penney wants his improving Waratahs to take a similar approach on Saturday against the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium.
His youngsters were smashed by the more experienced Brumbies when they met before lockdown so he’s told his players to attack ACT at its greatest strength – the scrum, which includes an all-Wallaby front row.
“They feed off their set piece obviously, it‘s a big part of their energy comes from their set piece so they are quality,” he said.
“The Rebels had a great outing against them, particularly at scrum time last week, good credit to particularly their young tight-head that did well.
“I think we really respect the Brumbies without being intimidated by them as a forward pack. That‘s a good place for us to be in, I think.”
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WARATAHS TEAM v BRUMBIES
15-J Maddocks, 14-J Ramm,
13-J Walton, 12-K Hunt, 11-A Newsome, 10-W Harrison, 9-M Short,
8-J Dempsey, 7-M Hooper,
6-L Swinton, 5-R Simmons (c),
4-N Hanigan, 3-H Johnson-Holmes,
2-T Horton, 1-T Robertson. Bench:
16-R Abel, 17-T Faulkner, 18-A Bell,
19-T Staniforth 20-W Harris,
21-M McDonald, 22-M Nawaqanitawase, 23-B Donaldson
Originally published as Wallabies stars in contention for Australian Sevens team at Tokyo Olympics; Super Rugby clubs eye Pumas