Tokyo Olympics: Rugby Sevens rookie Dietrich Roache’s incredible route to team mascot bodyguard

About the only thing Dietrich Roache enjoyed playing until five years ago was computer games. Then a passion ignited watching a game of sport from a grandstand.

Dietrich Roache has a number of jobs in Tokyo but a crucial one involves guarding a new best mate from any sort of trouble — including kidnapping.

As the youngest member of the Australian men’s Rugby Sevens side, the 20-year-old must watch team mascot Wally with his life, keeping the stuffed toy wallaby safe at all times and propping him on the sidelines to watch games on match day.

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Dietrich Roache and the mascot Wally he will guard like family in Tokyo.

It’s a job that comes with hazards and penalties if Wally should go missing.

Teammate Henry Hutchison had the job at the last Olympics but was pranked by the Swedish women’s football team who nabbed the mascot and held it hostage for 24 hours.

But that won’t be happening in Tokyo according to Roache, who has adopted Wally as family.

“My family won’t be there but Wally will,” Roache said. “I’m very spiritual and family oriented so I just picture him as my family and he will always be close.”

Roache’s journey to the Olympics is so unusual it “freaks” his teammates out.

The Sydney gamer will make his Olympic debut in Tokyo. Picture: Supplied

Never much interested in sport until midway through his teens, he didn’t even start playing rugby until five years ago.

“Both dad and my uncle played for the Two Blues but I didn’t really get interested in it until quite recently. They didn’t push me to play, they just let it happen naturally,’’ Roache said.

“I was watching the Sydney Sevens in 2018 on a family outing. I watched the Australia men and I just fell in love, fell in love with the sport and the environment.

Turning point: Action in the last Sydney Sevens event at Bankwest Stadium.

Surprise packet Roache says his Tokyo journey freaks out his teammates.

“I never grew up dreaming about it. I’m on a very different pathway to my teammates who have been dreaming about this their whole life.

“When I was growing up I was one of those kids who didn’t think about being anything in particular. I was quiet, didn’t have many friends, I was on the outskirts.

“My personality is I don’t open up a lot and I keep to myself. But rugby has help me open up a lot.”

Roach said his life changed after watching the Sydney Sevens.

“It gave me a passion and a desire to make something out of myself,” said Roche, who played a little rugby league at his Patrician Brothers Fairfield school and colts club rugby for the Western Sydney Two Blues where his father Kruger is a coach and younger brother Douglas made his Shute Shield debut this year.

Roach hopes his story of making it to an Olympics despite lacking drive as a youngster will inspire others in Sydney’s west “to give it ago”.

Roache on the burst at Australian training. Picture: Supplied

“It’s a story I feel will help kids understand you don’t have to be from the best area, western Sydney isn’t always seen as the best area, but if you set a goal in your life you can achieve anything,’’ he said.

“I hope it will inspire kids in western Sydney that they can be on a different path.’’

Australia will take on Argentina in their first outing of the Olympics on July 26.