‘My time done’: Sargeant’s two week turnaround from dropped Super Rugby rookie to Aussie SVNS debut
A former Melbourne Rebel who was dumped in the dark days of COVID-19 has made a stunning turnaround and is now representing Australia. Read his story.
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Hayden Sargeant thought his professional rugby days were all but over in 2020 when the wrath of COVID-19 meant he no longer had a place with the Melbourne Rebels.
The side had to make cuts, and Sargeant was sent home.
Little did the then 22-year-old know, he’d be back on the professional stage, though the next three years would look anything but orthodox.
Years of hard work behind the scenes would all come down to a two-week turnaround – from an out-of-the-ball training call, to debuting in the green and gold in Los Angeles.
Sometimes professional sport in simply unpredictable.
How it started
Sargeant’s childhood tale of getting into rugby is a classic.
Initially invested in surf life saving, athletics and soccer, the then 11-year-old had a neighbour who constantly asked “why not rugby?”.
Truthfully there was no reason, so Sargeant went with his dad to Surfers Paradise Dolphins and signed up for their juniors.
He instantly owned the field, playing up an age group alongside that same neighbour.
“Dad used to offer me $5 for every try I scored,” Sargeant said.
“When you’re 11 … I always thought I’d rather be scoring tries than doing chores.”
And admittedly, he scored many more tries than his teasing neighbour after all.
What seemed like the break in his career came 10 years later, three years after joining the Super Rugby ranks.
“I started in the standard 15s rugby format … when I was 18 I went down to the Melbourne Rebels on a development contract,” Sargeant said.
“It wasn’t until one of the coaches there asked if I ever thought about (sevens),” he said.
“They cast new eyes over me and said I’d probably suit it … at that point I thought well this might be something.
“I could crack it professionally.”
Sargeant was handed his first development sevens contract at 21.
“When I initially got (the contract) I was over the moon to be honest.
“It was something I’d been working towards, something I’d wanted and that was goal of mine.”
He’d played in the Queensland SVNS competition and captained the state two years prior, but pen to paper made it all worth his while.
Then COVID-19 hit.
“They kind of said, you know, Covid’s happening and we really only have space for so many players at the moment so we can’t take you on.
“I truthfully thought that was my time done.
“There was no clear end.”
The next steps
Sargeant returned home and went straight into full-time work while playing for Bond University in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition.
“It’s tough but every club footy player does a similar thing where they work full time and train of an afternoon,” he said.
“I guess I was always trying to do extras.”
Those extras included getting up early to train, starting work early to leave early, getting to training early for additional practice … you get the trend?
Sargeant’s construction boss was fortunately privy to what he needed, being a former professional rugby player himself.
“He understood it all,” Sargeant said.
“And that made my life really easy.”
2023 rolled around, and in those three years since leaving the Rebels, nothing seemed to be popping up for Sargeant’s rugby career.
“So many years had passed, I thought my hat was out of the ring,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say I was confident.
“But internally I was always hoping for something to come up.”
Then a call from Australian SVNS coach John Manenti came.
The side were preparing the World SVNS Series, and the next stop was Los Angeles in a fortnight.
“Initially, over the phone, he said there might be … a few injuries and such, so if you’re keen to come down and train for a week and show us what you’ve got, there might be an opportunity.
“I went down there thinking I’d train for a week, and if nothing came of it, I’d be back in construction.”
That first week came and went, Sargeant impressing Manenti on the field so much that he was called back for a second.
“That’s when reality hit,” Sargeant said.
“I came home and packed my passport just internally hoping something would happen.
“The week before we left he called me in … said we want to take you over.”
That was it: he was going to LA in the green and gold.
Sargeant travelled to the State, debuted for Australia and has been a part of the squad ever since.
He hasn’t, however, questioned how exactly his name came to be at the top of Manenti’s list.
“Johnny was a new coach after Covid and I hadn’t had much to do with him, so the call felt out of the blue.”
And it doesn’t really matter now, because dreams came true in the end.
To Sargeant’s younger self
The 26-year-old’s advice to himself and others is simple:
“As long as you give 100% no one cares if you make errors.
“Everyone is willing to help someone out there having a crack.”
It’s a motto he still uses today.
With an ex-professional jockey dad and equestrian mum, Sargeant said their support – and the support from his partner – made a huge difference in those years of waiting.
“They’ve always got motivational words and support me through those tough times.”
Next on the star’s to-do list: Paris 2024.
Originally published as ‘My time done’: Sargeant’s two week turnaround from dropped Super Rugby rookie to Aussie SVNS debut
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