Australian Sevens to hone their skills in Darwin ahead of Paris
Top End juniors got to meet some sporting heroes as they joined the Australian 7s team for training preparations ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Check out the pictures.
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Electric Australian Sevens back Maurice ‘Moz’ Longbottom was among a squad of players happy to train in the Top End heat rather than a drizzly Sydney in preparation for the Olympics.
The men’s squad were in Darwin as part of their final preparations for Paris, and it gave the NT community a chance to interact with some of their sporting heroes.
The Tokyo 2020 alum said having a chance to interact with local juniors put a big smile on his face.
“Coming up here and seeing the rugby community embrace us has been really nice,” he said.
“Hanging out with all the junior kids, playing some touch games has been heaps of fun.”
Longbottom is a big proponent of getting out into communities to help with the growth and retention of the game.
Darwin in particular is often so distant from the big rugby strongholds of Sydney and Brisbane, but its heat allows the national teams to train to conditions within the country.
“It’s very important that we come to places like Darwin,” Longbottom said.
“If we can get kids starting playing rugby at a young age it is important for the game.
“It’s awesome that boys and girls of all ages have turned up and had a run with us.
“We honestly do enjoy the chance to give back and also have a bit of fun with the kids.”
Longbottom said the trip to Darwin was worth the flight as they pushed to get on the podium at the Olympics, after finishing fourth in the season.
“Obviously we came here to do some conditioning and the boys have been training well, running quick and tacking hard,” he said.
“Darwin has certainly not disappointed in terms of heat exposure that’s for sure.
“I’m lucky enough that this will be my second Olympics, hopefully we can right a few wrongs from Tokyo.
“We’ve had a couple of close finishes (in the Svns Series) this year, we haven’t been far off, so I hoping we continue that form in Paris.”
Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper was also in attendance after pushing for a spot in the Olympics himself, and he drew plenty of eyes from adoring fans.
“It’s great to be up here and come down and see the kids, and also get a bit of heat for our training week,” he said.
“This is giving us the perfect prep to go to Paris and really is quality prep and doing it in Australia is nice.”
THE PICS
Australian 7s Men’s squad embrace Top End ahead of Olympics
Junior Top End rugby players have come face-to-face with some their heroes with the Men’s Rugby 7s team training in Darwin ahead of the Paris Olympics.
The men’s side enjoyed a successful 2023-24 series finishing fourth overall with back-to-back second places at Perth and Vancouver the side’s best results.
It puts them in prime position to potentially take a medal, and using the Top End as their heat adjustment camp before diving into the French summer is another step on their journey.
Coach John Manenti said the weather in Darwin provided the perfect preparation ahead of what would a hot summer in Paris.
“We’ve left the Sydney cold, and this is the perfect preparation for us for Paris where it’s going to be 35 plus degrees in the middle of their summer,” he said.
“We don’t get the opportunity this time of year in Sydney to train in extreme temperature, so putting ourselves under the heat stress is really important to our preparation.
“We love coming up here, it’s a really great spot and there’s great facilities, so we’re really happy to come up here.
“It’s nice to be able to engage with the community up here, and the hope is some of these kids one day aspire to play for the Wallabies or the Rugby 7s team.”
For the Top End community it was a great chance to see some professional rugby players in town before heading off for the pinnacle of their sport.
NT rugby union chief executive Nathan McDonald said it was great to have the team in town to show the juniors what they could aspire to.
“It’s really good for rugby in the Territory and showing all our players what they can aspire to be as well,” McDonald said.
“The skills on show that everyone can come and watch is great and I’ve already had young kids ask me how do they push to be picked up for the 7s team one day.
“There’s no better place in the country to use as a training facility, because if you can train and achieve what you need in this climate you can do it anywhere in the world.
It comes ahead of the NT juniors heading south for rep duties, with the more than 80 players making the trip for the Southern States Championships.
“The junior space is coming along greatly, we had about 20 per cent growth this in junior participants this year,” McDonald said.
“We’ve got 89 players going away in two weeks for the Southern States, and we’ve got players with the opportunity to get picked up for future rep sides and boarding schools.”
Australian 7s Men’s squad to train in Top End ahead of Olympics
Just over a month remains until the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and one of the nation’s golden hopes will make their final preparations in the Top End.
The Australian Sevens Men’s squad will hold two open and free school holiday training sessions this week and have put out the call for local rugby fanatics to join.
Tuesday June 25 will see the squad train on the main field at Skyring Rugby Park from 10am to 12pm, and Wednesday 26 at Moulden Oval from 8.30am to 10.30am.
NT Rugby Union posted to their Facebook calling on all local juniors and seniors attend with the chance to meet their idols and favourite stars one-on-one.
“Our Aussie Men are training up in Darwin next week in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games and we want you to train with them,” the post read.
“Get down to Skyring Rugby Park and Moulden Oval next week for a pair of special school holiday clinics.
“They’re free to attend so bring your gold jerseys, test your skills and grab a photo with your heroes in gold!”
The men have a tough road ahead of them after it was announced they’d been drawn in Group B earlier this week.
The Aussies will have to defeat a strong Samoa and an ever improving Kenya, as well as Argentina, who they just lost to, if they are to progress to the knockout stages.
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