Wallabies and Brumbies winger Henry Speight signs new three year ARU deal, joins Sevens bid for Rio Olympic gold

WALLABIES winger Henry Speight has agreed a new three-year deal with ARU and will stay wit Brumbies Super Rugby side through to the end of 2018.

23/07/15 Sydney, NSW Photo: Andrew Murray Henry Speight re-signs for the ARU and the Brumbies

HENRY Speight could be rushed from the World Cup and into the Australian sevens side as early as November to help win qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Wallaby winger Speight has signed a three-year contract extension with the ARU and the Brumbies but with a twist — he will also play sevens for Australia next year.

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Rugby’s entry into the Olympic program proved enticing for Speight, who grew up in Fiji idolising sevens legend Waisale Serevi and playing the much-loved sawn-off version of the game.

Though ARU boss Bill Pulver initially declared that any Test stars would have to miss a whole Super Rugby season to play at the Olympics, a special deal was struck for Speight to see him juggle both.

Henry Speight of the Brumbies scores a try at GIO Stadium.

He will play in three tournaments of the World Sevens Series — Sydney in February, Hong Kong in April and London in May — and also play seven games for the Brumbies in between.

Speight will have to miss the June Test series against England and any Super Rugby finals, however, as he begins final preparations for the Rio Games in August.

“It is probably everyone’s dream to play in the Olympics one day and a few years ago rugby ​players probably couldn’t have that dream. But it has become a reality and I made the decision of trying sevens next year,” Speight said.

Henry Speight in the ARU Sevens jersey has his eye on Rio.

“​I am just thankful to the Brumbies and both parties to allow me to do something unique like that and I will repay the faith and be sure I am up for anything.”

The Aussie mens side still have to qualify for Rio, however, after missing out on an automatic berth in last year’s world series. They can book a place by winning the Oceania tournament in New Zealand in November, and Speight is a strong chance of playing providing he emerges from the World Cup in good physical shape.

He will then spend all of January with the sevens program before the inaugural Sydney sevens tournament on February 6-7 at Allianz Stadium.

ARU general manager Rob Clarke thanked the Brumbies and coach Stephen Larkham for their co-operation and said there were “three or four” more conversations with Wallabies/Super Rugby stars happening about similar flexible contract deals next year.

Originally published as Wallabies and Brumbies winger Henry Speight signs new three year ARU deal, joins Sevens bid for Rio Olympic gold